Welcome! This episode engenders hope in many viewers who have seen it. I hope you enjoy learning about ways in which Native voices are being heard at high levels of government in the United States.
Watching Episode 122
Click here to watch Ramping Up your English Episode 122 on archive.org. There are no ads on archive.org. See the entire episode as seen on RVTV in Ashland – the Public Access Channel known as Rogue TV.
Episode Summary
As of 2024, it’s been 100 years since Native Americans were first considered citizens of the United States. Back in 1924, they were allowed to vote in federal elections, although it would be many years before they could expand that right to other races.
In various ways , Native voices have been heard since that time. American Indian leaders have met with federal officials – including members of Congress and the President – since the earliest days of the republic. In more recent times, the Native American Summit has provided a seat at the table of power. This access opened wider during the Obama Administration and has been revised during the Biden Administration after an absence during Trump’s first presidency.
We now see Chuck Sams of Umatilla heritage as Director of the National Park Service, welcoming Native Americans back to these outstanding areas and to the decision-making process. Sams has a long history of working inside and outside of his own Tribe to find solutions and advance the interests of Native Americans and their neighbors. This episode includes a video of Sams urging to next generation to be good stewards of the land.
Peggy Flanagan – Minnesota’s first Native American Lieutenant Governor – would have been in line to become governor if Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz had won the election. She opened the 2024 Democratic Convention.
At a higher profile, New Mexico’s Congresswoman Deb Haaland was appointed by President Joe Biden to lead the Interior Department, hence becoming the first Native American to be a Cabinet Secretary. Haaland had to win approval of the U.S. Senate, which she did. She has worked with President Biden on various actions that have benefitted Native Americans, including expansion and establishment of National Monuments, efforts to address the abuses of Native American Boarding schools, missing Native American women, as well as other actions that respect the sovereignty of Tribes and treaties.
Videos Used Episode 122
To see the featured video entitled Native Americans Part 32: Native Voices on archive.org, click here.
Links to Video Clips
In this episode, we used many video clips from various sources. Here are links to those clips on You Tube. Note that You Tube videos often come with ads.
Click here to watch Night One of the 2024 Democratic National Convention. This includes opening remards by Peggy Flanagan.
Click here to see the White House Tribal Youth Forum from Indian Country Today. Click here to watch ITC’s report on the White House Tribal Leaders Summit. Click here to see ITC’s highlights of the 2024 White House Leaders Summit, where farewell and appreciation is extended to President Joe Biden.
Click here to see the video With a Good Heart – a message from Chuck Sams to the new generation about being good stewards of the land. We featured part of a report on Chuck Sams form KGW TV in Portland, Click here to see the entire report. Click here to see Sams’ Senate testimony.
Click here for the video of Peggy Flanagan’s speech before the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Click here for Lt. Governor Flanagan adressing the NCAI Convention.
Click here for the video of Deb Haaland running for a seat in Congress. Click here for a video by Now This about Congresswoman Deb Haaland. Click here for Deb Haaland’s Opening Statement in Senate hearings. Click here to see Haaland sworn in as Interior Secretary by Kamala Harris. Click here for a video by The Hill of Secretary Haaland dedicating a National Monument after it choosing by President Biden. Click here for an interview of Secretary Haaland with ABC News. Click here for Secretary Haaland’s comments at the Tribal Nations Conference.
Related Videos
Here are some outside links to videos related to this episode. Youtube videos often have ads.
Click here to see the report on President Biden at the Native Leadership Conference. Click here for a short video on the Indigenous Peole’s March 2019.
Language Work
Here’s a way to ramp up some of the function words you’ve learned to use. The content of this episode includes a turning point in Native American rights. In 1924, Native Americans became U.S. citizens. So what changed after that point in time.
You could say that Native Americans could then vote in federal elections (for Congress and President.) Beyond that, the changes presented in the featured video. You might say or write – Since American Indians became citizens, they could now vote in federal elections. This is a perfectly correct use of the word since.
You can ramp it up to use a more advanced word. Consider this: Native Americans became citizens in 1924. Thereafter, they could vote in federal elections. You could also say or write: Henceforth, they could vote in federal elections. The words “thereafter” and “henceforth” serve both as sequencing words and as a link to cause and effect.
Try these words with other content in this episode such as:
Native American White House Summit
White House Native Youth Summit
Charles Sams III
Peggy Flanagan
Deb Haaland
You are relating an important event (citizenship) to what comes after that 1924 event. Use the function words “thereafter” and “henceforth” to make the connection. In terms of language register, these connecting words are often found in academic work. They may sound a bit pretentious in casual conversation.
Next Episode
While this episode about Native Voices brings hope to many viewers, the following episode is difficult to watch and it’s not recommended for young viewers. Episode 123 deals with violence against American Indian women and girls. Click here to go to the Episode 123 page.