Center’s April 12 Roundtable – Hot Button Issues Impacting Native Youth

On April 12, 2013, the Center for Native American Youth held
its ninth resource roundtable at the Aspen Institute in Washington, DC. The
goal of the roundtable series is to convene and foster discussions and
connections that will promote collaboration and coordination across national
stakeholders – federal agencies and national tribal organizations – as well as prioritize
Native youth in policy and resource development.

This roundtable – themed “Hot
Button” Issues Impacting Native Youth – included:

·        
Briefing on the U.S. Supreme Court Case – Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl (“Baby
Veronica Case”), by Jack Trope, Executive Director of the Association of American Indian Affairs
(AAIA);

·        
Speech on Nike’s
N7 Programs and upcoming strategic initiatives for Native American youth,
by Sam McCracken, GM of Nike’s N7 Programs;

·        
Remarks from the Center’s founder, US Senator
Byron Dorgan;

·        
Presentation from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) on
sequestration’s impact on Indian Country, by Amber Ebarb, Program Manager,
Policy Research Center.  

Following NCAI’s presentation on sequestration, the Center’s
director, Erin Bailey, and staff lead and moderated a discussion about how
sequestration will impact our youngest First Americans. The purpose was to
collectively gain a better understanding, and think critically and holistically
about how Native American youth will be affected by program and funding cuts.
During his introduction to the sequestration discussion, Senator Dorgan said
“we need to work together to think critically and develop strategies to protect
Native American youth, who in my judgment are a population that is too often
left behind.” The Center plans to utilize the discussion items and other
research to produce a document which describes how sequestration will impact
youth and thus the future of Indian Country.

The roundtable was a great success with informative
presentations, robust conversation, and nearly 40 participants. In total, six
tribal organizations and twelve federal agencies/offices were represented, with
five Native youth interns from the Native
American Political Leadership Program and Washington Internships for Native
Students participating, as well.