University of Arizona Well Represented at the 30th Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day at Arizona State Capitol
The 30th Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day was held on January 15th in Phoenix at the Arizona State Capitol. This event is organized annually by the Arizona Governor's Office on Tribal Relations in cooperation with representatives from the State's Tribal Nations. The milestone event this year brought together Tribal leaders, state legislators, and community members to celebrate three decades of partnership, foster dialogue, and honor the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the 22 Tribal Nations in Arizona, stated the Arizona Governor’s Office on Tribal Relations in their press release.
Senior Vice President Levi Esquerra of the University of Arizona Office of Native American Advancement and Tribal Engagement (NAATE) has been working with the Haury Program for four years now to organize and coordinate University of Arizona’s presence at this event, which is especially important as we are experiencing record enrollment and retention of Native American students. According to Tessa Dysart, Assistant Vice Provost for Native American Initiatives, the University of Arizona has currently over 2,000 Native American students from over 200 federally recognized tribes (for more information visit the NAAIR website).
“The Governor's Office on Tribal Relations hosts an annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day during the first week of each regular legislative session. This significant event enables the 22 federally recognized Tribes in our state to gain full representation at the state Legislature, thereby reinforcing the government-to-government relationship that exists between the Tribes and the state. Witnessing Tribal Nations unite around a common mission presents a unique opportunity to engage with Tribal dignitaries, allowing us to listen and learn about their priorities for the future. The participation of the University of Arizona at this annual event is essential for ensuring that we, as a leading institution for research and learning, understand how to best serve our Tribal Communities. It also offers a valuable platform to share the various programs and initiatives available at the University,” emphasized SVP Esquerra.
“I can’t think of another opportunity to hear directly Native Nations leader’s priorities and have the opportunity to share the University of Arizona’s activities,” reflected Nancy Petersen, Haury Program’s Assistant Director. “Experiencing the conversations, I better identify how the University of Arizona can serve our sovereign Native Nations, the State of Arizona, and our Indigenous students faculty and staff and importantly, commit action to it,” she added.
The Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day began with a lively Programs and Resources Fair on the Senate lawn, including the largest representation of the University of Arizona programs to date. Besides the representatives from NAATE and Haury Programs, visitors were able to engage with the staff representing the Native American Initiatives, the Indigenous Resilience Center from the Arizona Institute for Resilience, the Undergraduate Admissions Office, Natives Who Code Program from the RII Institute for Computation and Data-Enabled Insights, Native Nations Institute, Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities’ Circle of Indigenous Empowerment, Native Student Outreach, Access and Resiliency (Native S.O.A.R.) from the College of Education, and Pathway Scholars Program from the College of Medicine – Phoenix.
For a full story, including the highlights from the Tribal Nations Address and insights from the University of Arizona participants, please visit the Haury Program's website.