For immediate release: April 26, 2023
Rapid City, SD – Yesterday, President Biden announced that he will seek a second term as president of the United States. In response, NDN Collective and Native Organizers Alliance released the following statements:
“While no elected official is perfect, we must remember that President Biden revoked permits for the Keystone XL Pipeline on the day he took office, following through on a major campaign promise to Indigenous communities and climate justice advocates,” said Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of NDN Collective. “Now, as the Inflation Reduction Act is being implemented across the country with billions of dollars being funneled directly to Indigenous and Tribal communities to combat climate change and build systems of clean energy, it will be critical to ensure legislation like this continues as planned. Indigenous people are watching, and we will mobilize our communities to the polls to elect people who are committed to protecting our people and the planet.”
“Our political power is being felt by policy makers on every level of government,” said Judith LeBlanc, executive director of Native Organizers Alliance. “In 2020, we put our moccasins on the ground to organize a historic turnout of the Native vote. Collectively, we played a pivotal role in the outcome of the 2020 election. With the Biden administration, we’ve reached a new level of protection for sacred places and gained new momentum in recognition for Tribal co-management of land, water, and resources.
“Organizing the Native vote in 2024 will be critical in protecting and expanding a multiracial democracy. No matter who the candidate is or the political party, the necessity of direct engagement of Tribal nations and communities in all decisions affecting the health and wellbeing of our communities is on the ballot for Native voters. We learned that in the 2020 elections.
“Now more than ever, it is crucial for the Biden-Harris administration to recognize the leadership of Native peoples and our communities’ ability to drive turnout in local and federal elections. The Native vote holds the power to determine the outcome of elections. We cannot be ignored.”
Learn about the power of the Native vote by visiting the SkoVoteDen Website. Sko Vote Den is a non-partisan, voter engagement campaign that is an extension of the NDN Vote program.
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NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. Through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building, and narrative change, we are creating sustainable solutions on Indigenous terms.
Native Organizers Alliance taps into the political power of our people, and the wisdom of our
ancestors, to drive change in Indian Country. We provide Native peoples with the training,
resources, and connections that are needed to transform policy, strengthen community, and
protect our sacred places.