In a pledge to construct the most diverse administration in American history, the presumptuous President-elect Joe Biden is promising to nominate at least one Native American to his cabinet and to include a slew of indigenous people in senior administration roles.
Biden has already agreed to relaunch the Office of Indian Trade as a Cabinet-level appointment, similar to the Office of the US Trade Representative. That office will supplement the Bureau of Indian Affairs‘ service delivery in tribal communities, for the purpose of negotiating trade treaties directly with the indigenous governments of North America.
Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbriter, former Seneca Nation President Robert Odawi Porter, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, and the investment banker Dawson Her Many Horses are all thought to be in contention for that role.
Historically the Office of Indian Trade has been led by the Superintendent of Indian Trade, though the role is likely to be reincarnated as the United States Ambassador for Indian Trade. Critics say the title change would better recognize the nation-to-nation diplomatic relationships that tribal governments have with the United States.
Some have called on Biden to remove the Bureau of Indian Affairs from the Department of the Interior and to make it a stand alone cabinet department. It’s unclear if Biden would take that step, but doing so would allow him to keep his promise of including indigenous people in the cabinet in a prominent way.
Rep. Sharice Davids is being considered for the position of Secretary of Agriculture, though some in the party worry about defending her Republican-leaning congressional district in the suburbs of Kansas City, especially at a time when the House is so evenly divided.
Elected in 2018, Davids became the first Democrat elected to represent a Kansas congressional district in a decade. Davids is the first openly LGBT Native American elected to the U.S. Congress, the first openly gay person elected to the U.S. Congress from Kansas, and one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. If nominated, she would be the first openly gay person confirmed to a cabinet position by the Senate.
It’s also widely believed that Victoria Sutton, a biosecurity expert and former Yale Law School professor, is in contention to be named Secretary of Transportation. She is a citizen of the Lumbee Nation and is currently a Dean at Texas Tech University’s School of Law. She is a former official in the George H.W. Bush administration.
Jacquline Johnson-Pata, the former longtime executive director of the National Congress of American Indians and a housing official in the Clinton administration, is being considered for the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Johnson-Pata is an Alaska Native, a geographically remote population that suffers badly from rural housing shortages. She currently runs a public housing authority in Juneau.
Environmentalist Winona LaDuke, the Harvard-educated economist who ran for Vice President as Ralph Nader‘s running mate, is being considered for the position of Director of the National Parks Service. It’s thought that the National Park Service could be doing more to co-articulate the natural history of North America’s geography and the history of local indigenous people whose lands are being recreated upon.
Jolene Rickard, a Professor of Fine Arts and Director of Indigenous Studies at Cornell University, is being considered to lead the Smithsonian Institution, a sub-cabinet level presidential appointment. Her work has encompassed the study of indigenous art as a means of decolonization. She is a citizen of the Tuscarora Nation.
So how can she represent the majority of Indians who are heterosexual? She can’t.
It’s Native American. We are not and never we’re from India. This country is our ancestral home. We are the Natives.
Even here in Canada I consider myself as a First Nation woman of this Country I am not Indian, aboriginal nor indigenous I am the original first people’s of this country
That’s right!
How can you be “first Nations of Canada” when the First Nations of turtle Island was already there?? Is impossible dam Canadians trying to misuse the first Nations phrase as usual.. I bet people do not even know where the saying first Nations came from .. is sure not part of Canada that is for sure..it came from my craft table in Toronto lands of the Six Nations from myself while we used to have warrior meetings of many different nations of skonz at my table and the issue of how we were called “Indians” came up a few times and we did not like that name so I suggested First Nations of turtle Island since our people were here first before a false nation of Canada and USA cause they need their own land to be a Nation and we will not give up our lands… So I ask kindly do not misuse First Nations by saying we are Canadians which we are not!! If any wants to go be Canadian then fine but i.ll not let any one take my suggestion of First Nations with them.. so now you
So now you know.. were not from India and were not from Canada or America either…this is Turtle Island we surrender no land’s…the land is stolen with racism and genocide.. FYI.
Is not native “American” we are a distinct people and have not given up.the land to the British Americans we are ogwehonwe=original people or first Nations of turtle Island..
She will. You’re logic lead nowhere.
My concern is she is a USA American working for the American consitution no matter how you slice it.and would be treason to to be a “native” working for native people. Been better to keep her Nation-hood. Why every one thinks we are no longer strong enough to be whom we were born that we need to become some one we are not “A American” turtle Island this will always be. remember crazy horse words this land “Is Not For Sale” to join a system that says our lands are for sale is what?? Selling out. Sgenogih onengihya swagwegoh ogwehonwe danatuh.
How can you represent the majority of Americans who voted the orange stain out of office? You can’t!
Bring it. And the hope needs to be. For joy. Long awaited joy. There`s joy in being respected. Basic necessity.
Tokenism is not representation and these half measure are not enough. He best back his appointment up with action and actually fight for our material needs.
My concern is she and any other form of BIA is a USA American working for the American consitution no matter how you slice it.and would be treason to to be a “native” working for native people… That is how colonialism got you defeated if you think a native can sit in the White house Been better to keep her Nation-hood so that the nation to nation be strengthened. Why every one thinks we are no longer strong enough to be whom we were born ogwehonwe/ “a distinct people”>> that we need to become some we are not “A American” colonialised nor what???;turtle Island this will always be for those of us whom sooner die on our feet as a ogwehonwe=original people then to to die on our knees as subjects of foreign people ..remember crazy horse words this land “Is Not For Sale” to join a system that says our lands are for sale is what?? Selling out. Sgenogih onengihya swagwegoh ogwehonwe danatuh.