Trust Reform Meeting

January 31, 2012 9:30 am to 2:30 pm

ATNI Spokane Office (UCUT Office)
25 West Main Suite 434
Spokane, WA

Agenda Items Include
Dialogue with Fawn Sharp, ATNI President and Chairwoman of Commission on Indian Trust and Administration
Consultation Strategies
2012 Sovereignty Summit Planning
Other business

Hotel Accommodations

Northern Quest Resort and Casino
100 N Hayford Road
Airway Heights, WA 99001
1.877.871.6772
$109.00/night , must specify you are with ATNI to receive this rate

For more information please contact:
Terri Parr
Phone: 509.209.2417
Cell: 509.981.8500
Email: tparrw@aol.com

Trust Reform Meeting – Save the Date

2012 ATNI Winter Conference
February 13-16, 2012

Hosted by Squaxin Island Tribe

2012 Draft Agenda (Download)

To register click on the link below.
http://www.ApprovedEvents.com/EventList.aspx?PID=320

Reserve your rooms now as space is limited!
Little Creek Resort and Casino
91 West – State Route 108
Shelton, WA 98584

Conference Room Rate: $69 + tax
Call 1-800-667-7711 and ask for the ATNI Conference Rate.

If you have any questions please contact us at 503.249.5770 or by
email at atni@atnitribes.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=603Ghg1uQH0

http://youtu.be/kAgoPPrsxiE

Fawn Sharp gives an acceptance speech following election as ATNI President.

Tulalip Tribes Reservation, Wash. –The vote for the new president was close for a long time, then Quinault Chairwoman Fawn R. Sharp pulled far enough ahead, 421 votes— 87 more than opponent Colville Chairman Michael Finley—to become the first woman president of the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians.

Sharp joins a small group of women who have lead national tribal organizations, a group that includes her friend Sue Masten, who was elected president of the National Congress of American Indians in 1999.

“There was an open door today and we have made history,” Sharp told ATNI delegates. “I believe this is a movement for our generation, and we’ll take our voice throughout the nation.”

Admitting to having goose bumps, Sharp thanked the Creator for putting her on the path of leadership, she called on all Quinault tribal members at the ATNI annual conference held in the Tulalip Resort Casino to come forward and stand with her. She dedicated the moment the grandmothers, the ladies, and the little girls.

More than decade younger than the now recent past President of ATNI, Brian Cladoosby, who is 52, Sharp and also Finley represent an emerging generation of tribal leaders in the Northwest.

Swinomish Chairman Brian Cladoosby congratulates newly elected Fawn Sharp.

Her run for president of ATNI, which has 57 member tribes in five states, began 11 days ago at a leadership conference at the University of Washington, where a group of elders asked her to run.

“It hadn’t even been a thought of mine,” she said.

Sharp had been very sick for several weeks in the summer, and yet it was time of contemplation and prayer for a Quinault woman who graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., at the amazing age of 19, who went on to graduate from the University of Washington Law School. She received certificates from the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada, and from the International Human Rights Law at Oxford University. Last December 16 she spoke during the White House Tribal Nations Conference.

Fawn Sharp waits while the votes of ATNI member tribes are tallied.

Today she said the period of sickness and prayer, made her stronger, and ready for the challenge ahead.

“There are 57 tribes in ATNI, and if we put all the citizens from the young ones to the elders, we are many. The work we do is sacred work. Our foundation is strong. I will always hold to you the honor and respect that you have given to me.”

Other ATNI officers were also elected.

Harvey Moses speaks to ATNI delegates following re-election as second vice president of ATNI by acclamation.

Harvey Moses, a member of the Colville Indian Tribe’s business council, was re-elected second vice-president by acclimation.

Taking the podium, he told those assembled, “What can you say?” Then he let out a slight, nervous giggle and rubbed his hands together, and murmured thanks, and gave the podium to Joel T. Moffett, the Nez Perce Tribal Council treasurer, who was also elected by acclimation.

Moffett replaces Sonya Tetnowski, Makah, who did not seek re-election as ATNI secretary.

He said, “I appreciate this honor and faith you placed in me. I’ve been on the council for six years and I’m still young and I’ve got a lot to learn”

And he thanking those who had remembers his late grandfather in earlier speeches, saying, “He always brought me to ATNI as a little kid, and here I am today.”

Moffett emphasized in his acceptance speech the commonalities of the Northwest tribes. He said, “When we go back to D.C. and pressure them, we’re not on the top of the political list. But we’ll keep reminding Obama.”

After Moffett finished speaking, Harvey Moses returned to the microphone and told the crowd, “I’m going to try this again. My father was chairman of the Colville Indian Business Council for 16 years during the termination years. He drug us along to meetings fighting termination. I guess that’s where I get my determination.”

Moses said that experience has left him cautious about the federal government, even in the age of Obama.

“They said, things are going to be different for Native Americans with Obama,” he recalled. “I thought things were really going to change, but he’s only one man and has to battle all those people on the Hill. They don’t much care for Indians, but we have the resources and money to do what we need to do today.”

Swinomish Indian Tribal Community President Brian Cladoosby concludes his term as ATNI president and leaves a legacy of dignity and pride.

ATNI’s outgoing President Brian Cladoosby, who has lead the organization in one term to a higher level of policy development and public prominence, called on ATNI member tribes to band together like never before to face the challenges ahead, as one organization serving 57 tribes in five states. He struck a cautionary tone, saying, “We have to stop this rhetoric with some saying ‘the east side wants to take over,’ we have to stop this today.

“We have leadership, we have the board to work for us, and it is a great board to work with,” the Swinomish Indian Community Tribal Chairman said. “We’re not east side or west side. We are all in leadership for one organization, and I thank God for giving me this opportunity to serve you in this the greatest inter-tribal organization in America.”

About ATNI: In 1953 farsighted tribal leaders in the Northwest formed the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and dedicated it to tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Today, ATNI is a nonprofit organization representing 57 Northwest tribal governments from Oregon, Idaho, Washington, southeast Alaska, Northern California and Western Montana. ATNI is an organization whose foundation is composed of the people it is meant to serve — the Indian peoples.

All photos by Joel Davis for ATNI. Permission granted to reprint; please note credit as provided. More photos from the conference are available to tribal media, please email kbriggs@redhummingbirdmedia.com. For more information or to obtain an interview with an ATNI representative, contact Kara Briggs, Red Hummingbird Media, at 503-577-0012 or by email at kbriggs@redhummingbirdmedia.com.

ATNI President Brian Cladoosby raises his hand to the delegates from more than 40 of the member tribes during the annual conference held in the week of Sept. 19, 2011 at the Tulalip Resort Casino.

Tulalip, Wash.—Minutes after leaving a closed door meeting of 12 tribal leaders with the President Barack Obama, Brian Cladoosby last December, the president of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, gave the waiting car to his fellow leaders—and even though there was one seat left for him, he didn’t take.

Instead Cladoosby waited for a cab in the Washington, D.C. winter night with ATNI Executive Director Cleora Scott—rather than let her wait alone.

“Brian always thinks of others first, before himself,” Scott said.

Cladoosby completed his three year term as ATNI president on Sept 21, and did not seek re-election. Subsequently, Quinault Nation Chairwoman Fawn Sharp was elected president of ATNI. Cladoosby has had a powerful three years in which the organization has grown in participation of member tribes, and promoted the government-to-government relationships between tribes and government agencies.

Cladoosby announced at the start of the 58^th annual conference before more than 40 tribes in attendance and 700 people that he would not seek re-election as ATNI president.

During a dinner at the Tulalip Resort Casino, several fellow leaders shared thoughts about the 52-year-old leader, who has served half his life on the Senate of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community—the last 15 years as the Swinomish’s chairman, and the last three as also president of ATNI. He has called being the Swinomish chairman “the best job in the world.”

ATNI Executive Director Cleora Scott is gifted a blanket.

“I think Brian brought a level of professionalism and vision to the organization, and laid a foundation,” said Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman, “for the transformation and growth of ATNI to become truly reflective of the tribes and their progress in the last 20 years.”

Many colleagues credit Cladoosby for convening people and promoting unity among the 57 member tribes of ATNI. Many also remarked that his spirituality and beliefs made him a stronger leader.

“My elders saw in me something that I didn’t see,” Cladoosby told tribal delegates on the first day of the conference. “God saw something in me that I didn’t see. As chairman at Swinomish, I have the greatest job in the world.”

Swinomish Tribal Senator Kevin Paul recalls Cladoosby wanting to expand his leadership, “he was looking at the regional role, to expand from Swinomish reservation.”

Paul said, even though he ends his terms as ATNI president, he will remain a regional or national leader.

Brian Cladoosby, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chariman, receives applause and a Pendleton blanket.

During his presidency his passion for tribal sovereignty took the form of encouraging ATNI member tribes to define for themselves what their own sovereign expression should be. That made for a wide range of tribal expression, Scott said, ones that Cladoosby bridged with nation-to-nation respect.

Jack Lennox, planning director and ATNI delegate for the Coquille Tribe from the Central Oregon Coast, said, “Brian has represented the diversity of the member tribes from across a vast geography extremely well, in a very articulate way, being knowledgeable about what is going on among all the Northwest tribes, and speaking to our commonalities rather than our differences.”

“Brian brings people together in a positive and great way,” said Cowlitz Indian Tribe Chairman Bill Iyall. “And he promotes the youth, encouraging them to participate in leadership.”

Fellow ATNI board member expressed pride in the work that they have done with Cladoosby in the last three years, and they were sad to see it end.

President Brian Cladosby's assistant at the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is Debra Lekanoff, working with Evergreen State College Instructor Alan Parker at the annual conference of ATNI.

ATNI Treasurer Sharon Goudy, of the Yakama Nation, said:  “Brian’s leadership is a reflection of his values, his culture, and his spiritual life, his holistic person. His leadership is a blessing to the tribes.”

ATNI Secretary Norma Jean Louie, of the Coeur D’Alene Tribe, said: “As an individual with a gift for true leadership, a warrior, an Indian fighter, his spirituality gave him the strength to lead our organization to its potential.”

ATNI Second Vice President Harvey Moses, of the Confederated Tribes of Colville, said: “He has gathered us, the Northwest tribes, together, and he has helped to convince us we have to work together to reach our goals. He is straitforward.”

ATNI President Brian Cladoosby embraces Lower Elwha Chairwoman Frances Charles.

Cladoosby has said that he still feels like a young man, as was evidenced at this summer’s Paddle to Swinomish when he was at the center of the festivities, welcoming and hosting canoe families from around the Salish Sea and beyond.

“I’ll still be around,” Brian Cladoosby told ATNI delegates. “There are other things in my political future. I will be asking you for support, Lord willing, in the coming year.”

About ATNI: In 1953 farsighted tribal leaders in the Northwest formed the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and dedicated it to tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Today, ATNI is a nonprofit organization representing 57 Northwest tribal governments from Oregon, Idaho, Washington, southeast Alaska, Northern California and Western Montana. ATNI is an organization whose foundation is composed of the people it is meant to serve — the Indian peoples.

All photos by Joel Davis for ATNI; Permission granted to reprint, please note credit as provided. More photos from the conference are available to tribal media, please email kbriggs@redhummingbirdmedia.com. For more information or to obtain an interview with an ATNI representative, contact Kara Briggs, Red Hummingbird Media, at 503-577-0012 or by email at kbriggs@redhummingbirdmedia.com.

On behalf of the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians member tribes (ATNI) we would like to extend this sponsorship invitation to you for the upcoming NCAI 68th Annual Conference scheduled for October 30 – November 4th, 2011in Portland, Oregon. It’s been nearly 30-years since NCAI has hosted its annual event here in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and this year’s conference theme “Footprints into the Future,”
will bring us together once again to celebrate our Tribal Nations Sovereignties’ and our prosperities. Your support as a major sponsor will certainly ensure success of this event. Click link to print out sponsorship form.

SAVE THE DATE

Exploring Traditional Ecological Knowledge’s Role in Responding and Adapting to Climate Change and Variability

September 15 and 16, 2011
Seattle Public Library
Seattle, WA

Online Registration

Download Agenda

Hosted by the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) with sponsorship and support from the Pacific Northwest Climate Change Collaboration (C³), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the  U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

On behalf of ATNI and agency sponsors, you are invited to attend a working conference on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).  The conference is scheduled for September, 15-16, 2011 at the Seattle Public Library in downtown Seattle. The library is located at 1000 Fourth Ave, Seattle, 98104.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) plays a central role in both the culture and resource stewardship of Indigenous people.  As North America’s first stewards, Native Americans enjoy a unique relationship with the land and its resources.  These qualities and the place-based nature of traditional knowledge provide an invaluable record of frequent observations and adaptation to change – information of high value in contributing to solutions and responses to climate change.  Moreover, Native people are frequently affected by the early impacts of climate change and in many cases find themselves in highly vulnerable situations and often without clear remedies.

Workshop Objective: The workshop will bring together Tribal leaders and their senior natural resource and cultural staff, representatives of federal and state agencies, members or NGOs and academia to explore the opportunities for linking TEK and western science in the development of a tribal and native climate change response and adaptation framework.

Who Should Attend: tribal leaders and their senior staff, natural resource and cultural resource managers, scientists, educators, students and other interested parties.

Registration Information:  General registration is $100.  Early registration is $75 (by August 22).  Registration for tribal members and students is $50.  Registration opens the week of August 8.  Click on this link List of Events to register and obtain up-to-the date information on the workshop.

TEK Workshop

Exploring Traditional Ecological Knowledge’s Role in Responding and Adapting to Climate Change and Variability
September 15 and 16, 2011
Seattle Public Library
Seattle, WA

Online Registration
Download Agenda

By Joel Davis for ATNI: ATNI President Brian Cladoosby confers with ATNI Treasurer Sharon Goudy and Executive Director Cleora Scott.

Plummer, Idaho—May 17, 2011—When Bob Nonini, a state legislator in Idaho, met the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, it was to ask for a donation. But other Republicans warned him that the tribe—and others in the Northwest—didn’t give to Republicans. Nonini persisted, and began a relationship that 15 years later has raised the influence of the Coeur d’Alene throughout the state government, on both sides of the political aisle.

The mid-year conference of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, which is being hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe at its casino resort this week, generated wide-ranging conversations about how to act in a politically bipartisan way while taking a more active approach to interacting with all members of Congress.

“We must broaden our reach as Indian nations to help ourselves as the country’s political pendulum swings right, as we saw in the last election when 87 new Republican legislators were elected to the House of Representatives,” said ATNI President Brian Cladoosby. “Making relationships is what we need so that we can find the political leaders who will work with us.”

By Joel Davis for ATNI: David A. Mullon Jr., minority staff director and cheif counsel for the U.S. Senated Committee on Indian Affairs

David A. Mullon Jr. is the minority staff director and chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, serving under the vice chairman, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Speaking of tribal energy legislation that Barrasso is advancing, Mullon said the senator wants to promote discussion and debate in Indian Country.

“We are hoping that we receive input from tribes on all ideas of energy development,” Mullon said. “If you have ideas that are not even mentioned, we are interested. Senator Barrasso is committed to moving forward in a bipartisan way.”

By Joel Davis for ATNI: Grand Ronde Tribal Council Member Wink Soderburg at ATNI

Elizabeth Furse, former congresswoman from Oregon’s 1st District, called on tribes to become more active in educating and interacting with members of Congress and their staffs.

“The most serious problem facing Indian Country today and in the past is that no one is taught that tribes are sovereign,” she said, “that tribes have more sovereignty than states, that states will not sign treaties, but tribes, of course, may. Yet how many states pass laws that interfere with treaty rights?”

She proposed methods for tribes to be heard in Congress, such as ATNI funding an internship program to put a Native staffer in the House Native American Caucus, which lost its staff to cost-cutting. As a member of the caucus when she served in Congress from 1993 to 1999, she and a colleague would stand at the door and tell other representatives whether tribes liked or disliked a bill up for vote. One time in the 1990s, she said, every member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Council phoned their member of Congress to say they wanted him on the Native Caucus. It didn’t take him long to decide to join. These kinds of simple, human interactions are key, Furse said, to getting tribal voices heard in Congress.

By Joel Davis for ATNI: Elizabeth Furse, a former member of Congress from Oregon, with Roy Sampsel

“Congress members need to be very clear that it is not an association that’s coming in, but a government coming in to talk to another government,” Furse said.

Nonini said the Idaho Legislature’s Native American Committee, on which both he and Coeur d’Alene Chairman Chief James Allan serve, has been able to head off bills that were unfair to Idaho tribes.

But Chehalis Tribal Chairman David Burnett said that, across the country, local governments are trying to undermine the sovereign status of tribes.

“As a tribal government, it’s not our job at council to run a casino, a hotel, a Great Wolf Lodge,” he said. “Our job is to provide services to our tribal members. Since we do not have as much ability to tax, we have to generate resources to do that. We need to be more proactive in this arena of taxation.”

ATNI member tribes will be among those who join in taxation meetings at the National Congress of American Indians’ mid-year conference in June.

Nikki Santos of the American Indians in Higher Education Consortium told ATNI that tribal colleges are key to teaching Native peoples about their own rights and the sovereignty of their Indian nations.

ATNI President Brian Cladoosby also announced plans to hold a Sovereignty Summit for all tribes in the five Northwest states. It will be held Aug. 15 and 16, hosted by the Quinault Nation in Western Washington.

“ATNI was created on the basis of sovereignty. We are united to protect our culture, our rights and our way of life,” Cladoosby said. “All sovereigns need to be in attendance and engage in efforts to institutionalize a sovereignty-based policy platform for Indian nations.”

By Joel Davis for ATNI: ATNI 3rd Vice President Mel Sheldon and Helo Hancock, legislative director for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe

By Joel Davis for ATNI: Jim Thomas, Tlingit, discusses an issue with ATNI.

By Joel Davis for ATNI

By Joel Davis for ATNI: Niki Santo, Coeur d'Alene, of the American Indians in Higher Education Consortium

By Joel Davis for ATNI: Some of more than 300 in session at ATNI

About ATNI: In 1953 farsighted tribal leaders in the Northwest formed the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and dedicated it to tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Today, ATNI is a nonprofit organization representing 57 Northwest tribal governments from Oregon, Idaho, Washington, southeast Alaska, Northern California and Western Montana. ATNI is an organization whose foundation is composed of the people it is meant to serve — the Indian peoples.

All photos by Joel Davis for ATNI. Permission granted to reprint; please note credit as provided. More photos from the conference are available to tribal media, please email kbriggs@redhummingbirdmedia.com. For more information or to obtain an interview with an ATNI representative, contact Kara Briggs, Red Hummingbird Media, at 503-577-0012 or by email at kbriggs@redhummingbirdmedia.com.