I had a great time at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs minority side. I learned more in my internship than any amount of reading about politics in D.C. could teach me.
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"The Native American Political Leadership Program (NAPLP) is a full scholarship for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students who want to take part in Semester in Washington Politics. It is open to undergraduate and graduate students, including those who have completed their undergraduate degree but have not yet enrolled in a graduate program. NAPLP is made possible by a generous grant from AT&T.
NAPLP scholarships are awarded to students based on academic ability, leadership potential, and an interest in politics. Students from all tribes and from every part of the United States are welcome to apply. There is no application fee for those applying for the NAPLP scholarship." -NAPLP Website I spent time in Washington D.C. from January to May 2018 interning on the hill and taking political science classes at night
The Following are posts mainly from the NAPLP and Semester in Washington Facebook Pages with a few of my own posts Mixed in:
Note the program set up meetings with Republican and Democratic politicians and organizations. I do not agree with every politician I met with.
May 19, 2018 · Edited ·
A few Photos from my last week in DC. Top left to bottom right: Congressman Raul Ruiz (CA-D-36), Senator Feinstein (CA-D), Senator Jeff Merkley (OR-D), Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-D-2). It was an honor to meet not only these politicians who make decisions for my states, but their staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes.
Last night we celebrated the accomplishments of our 2018 Spring cohort. The future of Indian country is in good hands.
Our students greatly enjoyed their talk with Mike Sfraga at the Wilson Center. Thanks for meeting with us and teaching us about the politics of the Arctic!
We are incredibly grateful for both Representative Tom Cole and Markwayne Mullin for meeting with our students this week. The only two members of Congress who are Native American - for now that is!
Great to see our alumni (Rudy Soto) supporting our students here in Washington. Thank you Rudy for your endless support - we are grateful and proud of the work you are engaged in!
Great day to continue the tradition of our program visiting the White House. These women are our future leaders. We are in good hands.
Today we visited the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty to learn about religious liberty and what their organization does to ensure any and all religions remain free and separate from the State. Thanks for speaking with us!
The SWIP Legislating in the Era of Trump Class had a terrific visit with GW Alumnus, and Host of “Meet the Press,” Chuck Todd yesterday at NBC’s studio in DC.
The students discussed the Trump Administrations stance toward the media and its effect on the legislative process both positively and negatively.
NAPLP after the panel discussion of Sovereignty, a play written by American lawyer and playwright Mary Kathryn Nagle. The play revolves around Cherokee lawyer Sarah Ridge Polson's battle to reinstate the Cherokee Nation's sovereignty and jurisdiction.
Our students had the incredible privilege of watching the National Congress of American Indians, State of Indian Nations by President Jefferson Keel this morning. Thank you President Keel for your words and reminding us that “The State of Indian nations is strong, resilient, and everlasting.”
This week's speaker event was with the always inspirational Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY's List.
Yesterday our students had a great meeting with AT&T VP Tom Brooks (Mohawk) and toured the #attdcforum Thank you Tom and AT&T for your continued support of NAPLP!
Today our students met with Will Stone to learn about his previous work in the government and what it's like to work in government affairs. Thank you for sharing your story and advice for success in DC!
Today our Students met with Carrie Adams, Deputy Digital Director for Senator Schumer then toured the Capitol. Thank you for meeting with us! Our NAPLP students also met with Veronica Watters (Legislative AssistantforCharles E. Schumer the Senate Minority Leader) to learn about her work for Indian Country on the Hill and to discuss Tribal Sovereignty.
NAPLP is excited to welcome our Spring 2018 cohort! We are excited to have such a smart, talented group, and can't wait to see what you accomplish here in Washington this semester!
"The AISES Lifetime Membership program was named in memory of Sequoyah, the great Cherokee Indian who perfected the Cherokee alphabet and syllabary in 1821, resulting in the Cherokee Nation becoming literate in less than one year. In this spirit, AISES Sequoyah Fellows are recognized for their commitment to ’mission in STEM and to the American Indian community. They bring honor to AISES by engaging in leadership, mentorship, and other acts of service that support the students and professionals in the AISES family.
The Sequoyah Fellowship offers individuals a symbolic way of embracing the spirit of Sequoyah. Individuals that make a one-time membership payment of $1,000 or more to AISES become Sequoyah Fellows."
-AISES Website
I was awarded a Sequoyah Fellowship at the 2017 AISES National Conference in Denver, CO. I am very thankful for this honor and will continue to work to improving the number of Natives in STEM. This photo was taken at the honoring ceremony where Don Motanic, a mentor of mine who placed the medal on my head as I was blessed by two elders.
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