First Nations have lived through centuries of adversities, persecution, and oppression. It came as no surprise when the Trump administration continued the legacy of the United States in regards to the treatment of Native Americans. Trump had tried to terminate sovereignty of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, force illegal pipelines (i.e. Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone XL Pipeline) through our lands, and encourage his fallacious supporters (such as the “Proud Boys”) to insult and taunt communities of color.

Amidst the pandemic, Trump did virtually nothing to encourage safe social distancing nor wearing a mask. In fact, Trump openly criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci (Infectious Disease Specialist) by calling him a “disaster” (NBC News). As the death tolls began to rise, our First Nations took a proactive approach to the pandemic by establishing COVID-19 checkpoints, encouraging proper hygiene rituals (washing your hands, not touching your face, and wearing a mask), and enforcing no-travel restrictions. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier even exchanged words with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem when pressured to take down his COVID-19 checkpoints. Noem would later host the Fourth of July extravaganza for Trump and all his supporters with no mask or social distancing measures put into place during the pandemic in the Black Hills.

As the election results were counted (and re-counted), a new administration would be elected into office while finally forcing out facism. As we begin to #buildbackbetter, we are demanding that you, Mr. President, keep your word and honor to the First Nations of this land that you and your administration stand on. In your Tribal Nation Plan, you outline various solutions that you tend to do during your presidency for the First Nations in the United States such as:

Addressing climate change
Ensuring that that Native communities are safer and tackling issues related to #MMIR (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives)
Funding Indian Health Services (IHS) and continuing stable funding
Free testing for COVID-19 and eliminating cost barriers for treatment
Investing in education and youth development
Investing in infrastructure
Promoting Native history and culture in our education system
Alleviating student debt
Re-authorizing and expanding the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
Helping prevent suicides

It is you, Mr. President, that state in your Tribal Nation that, “...are committed to upholding the U.S.’s trust responsibility to tribal nations, strengthening the Nation-to-Nation relationship between the Uniteds and Indian tribes, and working to empower tribal nations to govern their own communities and make their own decisions.” This is the time in history where we need leaders to step up and bridge nations together by no longer exerting unnecessary control. We are self-governing and powerful nations and we are to be treated like any other nation. Now is a crucial time where Black, Indigenous, and people of color start to lead conversations and no longer listen to the same false narrative of this nation. You and your administration will be held accountable.

We are petitioning you and all public elected officials to uphold your promise to the First Nation peoples. We are challenging you and your administration to break barriers within your first hundred days of being in office. We are looking forward to challenging you and your administration to the various promises you’ve outlined in your Tribal Nation Plan in the first hundred days and continuing long after.

We will no longer sit and wait, but rather sit at the table to lead the conversation in regards to our sovereignty and care for our Native communities.

Great Plains Action Society

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