This week marked the sixth consecutive year tribal leaders have gathered here in Washington at the President’s invitation to meet with key members of the Obama Administration, but this time is different: more than three dozen youth ambassadors were in attendance to kick off “Generation Indigenous” (Gen-I) – a new initiative calling for programs focused on better preparing young American Indians and Alaska Natives for college and careers as well as developing leadership skills. And it all started with the President’s visit last summer to the reservation of the Standing Rock Sioux in North Dakota. The President and First Lady met with Native American youth and saw their promise, but also the challenges they face.
In addition to issuing a White House Native Youth Report, outlining past government shortcomings, current challenges and a path forward for Native youth, we will look at ways to improve educational opportunities for Native youth, including improving schools, and reforming the Indian education system. At USDA, that means we will be supporting the Generation Indigenous initiative by focusing on the support we provide to the Tribal Colleges and Universities, internships and other opportunities for Native youth, healthy food at their schools and at home, and funding for broadband, school construction and other community facilities.
With this Administration’s settling over 80 lawsuits brought by Tribes or individual Native Americans against the government, we have the opportunity to hit the “reset” button and give Tribes and the Federal Government the opportunity to move forward as partners. While these yearly conferences are important, you will see a growing number of Administration officials visiting Indian Country, not just to see conditions for themselves, but to talk to Native Americans, and especially Native youth, about the challenges they face and the changes they would like to make.
Over the past year, USDA has stepped forward to support efforts (PDF, 194 KB) to improve education and the economy in Indian Country, but as anyone who visits tribal lands knows, much remains to be done. Secretary Vilsack, as Chair of the White House Rural Council, was one of the cabinet officials at this week’s meeting who discussed ways USDA is contributing to growing economies and creating jobs and other opportunities in Indian Country.
To find out more about how you can get involved, visit the White House website, read the Native Youth Report or check out the fact sheet. 2015 will be filled with challenges, but it will also be a year of promise if we work together to improve educational and economic conditions in Indian Country. As in the song written by the Standing Rock Sioux Youth during their recent visit to Washington, DC, “We are all one family. Let’s not make this just a dream.”
Learn more by using this fact sheet: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/03/fact-sheet-white-house-tribal-nations-conference or read the report: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/20141129nativeyouthreport_final.pdf