Increase Voter Participation and Strengthen the Indian Voice

WHEREAS, the National, Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1969 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives an Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, NIEA as the largest national Indian organization of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian educators, administrators, parents and students in the United States, provides a forum to discuss and act upon issues affecting the education of Indian and Native people; and

WHEREAS, through its unique political relationship with Indian nationals and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, educational systems are governed or influenced by policy/law/budgets established by governmental bodies including school boards, county commissioners, state legislatures, state leadership and national leadership; and

WHEREAS, it is important that American Indian people of the United States have a “voice” in the governmental leadership at the local, county, state and national levels; and

WHEREAS, to have this voice and be proactive participants in the political process it is voter that American Indian people be registered to vote, encourage to vote in all elections, and encourage to participate as candidates for leadership positions.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, NIEA will advocate for and support non-partisan voter-registration, voter education projects and other non-partisan strategies that will strengthen the participation of American Indian people in the political leadership arena and give a stronger voice to the issues of American Indian education in the United States.

Submitted by W. Stanley Juneau, Blackfeet.

CERTIFICATION

I do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly considered and passed by the NIEA Board of Directors at its October 28 – 31, 2001 meeting in Billings, Montana at which a quorum was present.