More than 110 American Indian and Alaska Native youth representing 21 tribal communities from across the nation have gathered in Santa Fe, N.M., for the Department of Justice-hosted Tribal Youth Summit. The event, beginning yesterday and ending on Friday, is being held at the Institute of American Indian Arts.
The youth attending the summit were nominated by their tribal community and selected by representatives of the department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Office on Violence Against Women.
On opening night, attendees heard from speakers such as Larry Echo Hawk, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, and Native American actor Wes Studi.
The summit also features sessions on the prevention of substance abuse, teen dating violence and gang involvement as well as strategies for promoting academic success during the middle- and high-school years and career opportunities for youth. Presenters include representatives from OVW, the Office for Victims of Crime, the Bureau of Indian Education, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Criminal Justice Division and youth advocate George Galvis.
On July 21, DOJ will convene its first Listening to the Voices of Tribal Youth Circle, in which a youth representative from each tribal community will share a high-priority youth issue with top-ranking officials from the department and BIA. The goal is to create a venue for communication between tribal youth and federal government staff as a tool in shaping policy and programs that will affect tribal youth.
I am writing from Taos. We knew nothing about this gathering. Who is the federal government staff that is shaping policy and program that affect our tribal you. Why were we left out, our governing body said nothing about this meeting but again, they do not share information with the community. They decide for us whether we like it or not. They love to travel and say away from their responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteWhere is this forum taking place? We need for Larry EchoHawk form Pawnee to listen to us here in Taos Pueblo for the women are victims of crime and since we do not have a voice or voting rights he needs to be aware of this kinds of situations. This is 2010 hope someone will relay this info to him. It is critical.
ReplyDeleteIndian Country at it's best. We didn't know about it in our community either or how the attendee's were selected to attend. Sounds to me like it was "who you know" selecting again!
ReplyDeleteIs Larry EchoHawk available for the duration of this so called gathering.Since when does Bashing Indians Around listen to the Native People. They are like any federal government employee. Matter of formality. BIA is only interested in building Casinos.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that the persons above were not informed about the forum. My niece attended, and is involved in the various activities in school and with local Tribes. She shared many positive comments on the meetings and was able to meet youth from many Tribal Communities. I would sugget that you get more involved in the Tribal Youth Programs in your community and you would know what's going on, sure it's "who you know", and if you are not a supporter of Tribal Youth Activities in your community, then "you don't know anybody." Don't blame the Federal Goverment or the BIA, blame yourself!!
ReplyDeleteDid it occur to you,that some tribes' Tribal Youth Programs, haven't a clue either? My son is apart of our tribal youth program, and this gathering was never even mentioned. And as far as "blaming anyone", that is not your call. Yes, some of us might need to search a bit to find out more of what is going on in our community. But,it doesn't help but get tempers flaring when "others" get snotty when some people are just voicing their thoughts. Help the people, don't get pissed because you don't like what is said. Natives need to stick together.
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