THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS AND THE INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION HOST TRIBAL LEADERS TASK FORCE MEETING IN NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans, LA – November 15, 2023 – On the 80th Anniversary of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), tribal leaders came together in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the NCAI – IGA (Indian Gaming Association) Tribal Leaders Task Force meeting at the NCAI Annual Convention to discuss critical issues facing Indian Country and Tribal Sovereignty. The IGA-NCAI Taskforce was formed in the 1990s to confront attacks on Tribal Sovereignty. In April, the IGA Board of Directors, after hearing from their caucus leaders, re-activated the IGA-NCAI Taskforce to develop a strategy and enhance our efforts to confront Indian Country’s most significant challenges at the national level. IGA Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr., shared that the NCAI - IGA Taskforce is committed to a national dialogue to develop a strong strategy to confront Indian Country’s challenges at the national level. This task force will hold this country to its commitment and promises, those made by numerous Presidents and enshrined in our Treaties and the Constitution. Stevens said, “Today, we face similar attacks on the governmental status of Indian Tribes.” He added, “Opponents of Indian Country claim that the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) are race-based violations of the Equal Protection Clause. These claims also ignore the text of the Constitution and more than a half-century of Supreme Court history.” “For Indian Country, everything is at stake. If either ICWA or IGRA falls to a race-based challenge, attacks against federal laws to provide for Indian health care, education, public safety, and many more will immediately follow,” Stevens shared. Stevens continued, “The work of this Tribal Leader taskforce is urgent and needed now more than ever. Tribal sovereignty and our sacred treaty rights are under attack, and Indian country must meet the challenges with a collective voice, a powerful voice,
an informative voice, a voice that speaks for our children, our communities, and the next seven generations.” Adding, “It is vital that we continue to mobilize, be proactive or assertive in our leadership. We don’t want to react, and yet, at the same time, what you read and what you see around you is vital for both folks to understand.” The Tribal Leaders Taskforce will develop strategies to counter the unprecedented anti-Tribal Sovereignty Supreme Court decisions and how Tribal Governments can continue to assert their inherent sovereign rights over their land, jurisdiction, and tribal citizens.” Sharp added, “We must continue to come together, and we know that we’re anticipating just as every generation of leadership before we have anticipated battles. We’re in this large multi- generational war, and within each generation, there are different iterations of various battles. But throughout the course of time, we’re always ready. We’re always prepared.” Also, during the task force meeting, Chairman Steven recognized President Sharp, who will be leaving her post as President of NCAI after a two two-year term. Stevens also recognized the NCAI Youth Commission by presenting an IGA Chairman’s Leadership Award to the two Co- Presidents of the NCAI Youth Commission.
28 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW
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