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The Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy (NNI), housed at The University of Arizona's Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, serves as a self-determination, governance, and development resource for Indigenous nations in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere.
NNI was founded in 2001 by the Morris K. Udall Foundation (now Morris K. Udall and
Stewart L. Udall Foundation) and The University of Arizona.
WHAT'S NEW
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Rachel Starks, NNI Senior Researcher and Jen McCormack, Adjunct Faculty at Tohono O’odham Community College, taught a continuing legal education (CLE) course on Native Nations and border policy for the State Bar of Arizona. They were invited to teach the 1-credit course on the complex issues faced by tribes whose land is bifurcated by international borders. The authors focused on the US-Mexico border, and highlighted the actions that the Tohono O’odham Nation and Pascua Yaqui Tribe have taken to assert their rights to cultural continuity through border crossing policies and protecting their fragile desert homelands. The course was offered live on October 29 in Tucson; a version of the presentation will be available for streaming from the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program at the UA College of Law.
Starks and McCormack, along with Stephen Cornell, authored the book Native Nations and U.S. Borders: Challenges to Indigenous, Culture, Citizenship, and Security. It provides an overview of the historical and contemporary effects of international border policy on the Indigenous nations of the United States and reviews some of the strategies Indigenous Nations use to respond to the border-related challenges they now face. This book serves as an important resource for Indigenous leaders, students, faculty, government agencies, and policy makers, and those who are interested in tribal, local, state, and federal government.
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“Too short for a textbook, too long, and detailed purely for promotion, the publication – like its authors – stands at the crossroads of scholarship and policymaking.”
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Purchase the book >
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The Banff Centre’s (TBC) Aboriginal Leadership and Management Program has completed a multi-year project on Indigenous leadership and economic development in Alberta, and from it, produced a new book, Restorying Indigenous Leadership: Wise Practices in Community Development. The book includes a summary of “Forwarding First Nation Goals through Enterprise Ownership: The Mikisew Group Of Companies,” a case story by NNI researchers Miriam Jorgensen and Rachel Starks. The case explores the decisions and practices that have made the Mikisew Group a successful enterprise, one that promotes and complements the self-sufficiency and self-determination of the Mikisew Cree First Nation. Also in the book is a chapter by Jorgensen, “Four Contemporary Tensions in Indigenous Nation Building: Challenges for Leadership.” The book is available on amazon.com and amazon.ca.
TBC’s documentary video, The Best Practices in Rural Development Project, provides highlights from all four of the project’s case stories (Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, Métis Crossing, Mikisew Group of Companies, and Alberta Indian Investment Corporation). The video shows how Indigenous leaders at the helm of these wise practice examples engaged community members, developed sustainable companies, and applied core knowledge’s to benefit their communities. Rachel Starks speaks in the documentary about the Mikisew Group’s innovations in economic and social development and the way the Mikisew Cree First Nation is working to mitigate environmental harm and preserve Aboriginal rights in its traditional territory.
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July 9-11, 2014
Walker, Minnesota
On July 9-11, the Bush Foundation, in partnership with the Native Nations Institute, convened in Walker, Minnesota for the fourth session with Cohort Five of the Native Nations Rebuilders Program. Rebuilders spent the time reconnecting with each other by sharing stories of what's happening in their nations; working on developing and finalizing nation-building action plans; and strengthening their skills in community mobilization. They returned to their nations re-energized and ready for the first five months of action plan implementation!
The Native Nation Rebuilders Program helps train community leaders in the region of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota by providing access to ideas and information, expanded networks, leadership training and other resources for nation building. NNI staff, Joan Timeche, attended the event.
For more information on the Native Nation Rebuilders Program, please contact Joan Timeche.
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NNI senior researchers, Jennifer Schultz and Stephanie Carroll Rainie, and graduate research assistant, Aurora Trujillo, were interviewed by Arizona Public Media on a pilot study on young adult tribal citizens living off the reservation. The interview aired July 16, 2014.
“Over the past several decades, Native nations have made a lot of great strides culturally, economically, and in other respects. One of the questions we still don’t know a lot about is the experience of tribal citizens [living away from the reservation], especially young people, and it continues to be a population of great interest to tribes.” – Jenn Schultz on AZPM
Listen here >
Participate in the survey >
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The Native Nations Institute research team is investigating young adult (ages 18-29) tribal citizens' experiences of living away from tribal homelands, whether they have moved away from the Native nation, or never lived on tribal lands in the first place.
Native Nations Institute research team is investigating young adult (ages 18-29) tribal citizens' experiences of living away from tribal homelands, whether they have moved away from the Native nation, or never lived on tribal lands in the first place.
A new project, "Residence, Connectedness, and Citizenship for Young Adult American Indians," seeks to explore the following questions: Are there meaningful ways for such young people to participate in the community as citizens, even while living "off-reservation"? How can tribe facilitate enduring connections and engagement with their young adult, off-reservation populations?
Data collection occurred in July through September 2014, and results are forthcoming.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Lee Schultz or Stephanie Carroll Rainie.
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June 8-10, 2014
Anchorage, Alaska
NNI researchers Stephanie Rainie and Jennifer Schultz will presented at the NCAI (National Congress of American Indians) mid-year meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. Their talk, "The Strategic Power of Data: A Key Aspect of Sovereignty," was part of the Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum session on "Data Advocacy" on Sunday, June 8th.
Abstract: The Strategic Power of Data: A Key Aspect of Sovereignty here>
Presentation: The Strategic Power of Data: A Key Aspect of Sovereignty here>
Indian Country Today Article: The Strategic Power of Data: A Key Aspect of Sovereignty here >
Read more about NNI's
policy analysis and research program here> |
Melissa L. Tatum, Miriam Jorgensen, Mary E. Guss, and Sarah Deer. (2014). Structuring Sovereignty: Constitutions of Native Nations. UCLA American Indian Studies Center Publications.
Drafting and adopting a constitution is a collective journey of self-discovery and reflection for any nation, Indigenous or non-Indigenous. This book is a guide for communities engaged in the process of drafting a constitution and for students who are studying that process. It draws on research, firsthand experience with constitution writing and constitutional change, and numerous examples from actual governing documents to demonstrate the many ways that Indigenous nations can structure their sovereignty.
"incredibly timely . . . a most valuable companion . . . and a resource of the highest order."
Purchase from publisher's site> |
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April 14-15, 2014
Tucson, Arizona
In April, the Native Nations Institute convened a policy forum with 25 tribal leaders and managers, academics, and others to address "Community, Governance, and Culture in the Health of Native Nations."
The purpose of the event, initiated and led by Stephanie Rainie (NNI tribal health program manager and senior researcher), was to explore the social determinants of health that tribal communities can influence and to suggest steps tribes can take – outside the health care system – to improve community health. NNI's work on these topics is supported in part by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Udall Foundation.
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April 1, 2014
NNI executive director Joan Timeche was quoted in a recent Washington Post blog article by Mary Hudetz, “Why Native American women have been leaders in the fight against team mascots.”
Hudetz wrote: “Just as more women across the United States have stepped into leadership roles, it’s become clear, at least anecdotally, that during the past 30 years more Native American women also have assumed positions on tribal councils and taken on decision-making roles in their communities, said Joan Timeche, executive director at the Native Nations Institute at University of Arizona.”
Visit Washington Post site for full article>
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"Forwarding First Nation Goals through Enterprise Ownership: The Mikisew Group Of Companies" by Miriam Jorgensen and Rachel Starks (both NNI researchers), was prepared for the Best Practices in Rural Alberta Project. The Project, developed and administered by the Indigenous Leadership and Management program at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, was made possible by contributions from The Banff Centre, Rural Alberta Development Fund, and Nexen, Inc.
Read case study here> PDF
Contact: Rachel Starks
Photo by Gavin Young at the Calgary Herald |
NNI in the News > |
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Schultz, Rainie, and Trujillo interviewed on AZPM