NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS MEETS IN SAN DIEGO OCT. 18-23

By Leon Thompson

October 12, 2015 (Mission Valley) – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) will hold its national conference in San Diego October 18-23.  The NCAI  is composed of Tribes and individual Native Americans to protect and enhance treaty and sovereign rights.  The Organization was started in 1944 in response to the termination and assimilation policies of the United States government toward American Indians.

In the past 72 years the NCAI has helped reverse the policies of the US Government toward the sovereign rights of indigenous people in North America from Mexico to Alaska.  As a result American Indians and Alaska Natives have come a long way toward realizing their full potential as Sovereign Nations.  The stated policy of the present administration is to support and promote tribal sovereignty and remove obstacles to self-determination and self-sufficiency.

The Mission of the NCAI is “Secure our traditional laws, cultures, and ways of life for our descendants.  Promote a common understanding of the rightful place of tribes in the family of American governments and improve the quality of life for Native communities and peoples.”

http://www.ncai.org/about-ncai/mission-history

Some of the topic, workshops, panels and presentations include:

“Regional Indigenous Peoples and Nations Consultation on Climate Change”

“Task Force on Violence Against Women”

“Customs and Border Protection Expo”         . . . With the famed Shadow Wolves, the Native American tracking unit from the DHS Immigrations and Customs Enforcement office.  Based on the Tohono O’odham Nation in Southern Arizona, Shadow Wolf officers are known for their ability to utilize traditional methods to track alien and drug smugglers along the border.

Building a Sustainable Economy: Strategies for Aligning Your Nation’s Corporate “Priorities with Its Cultural and Social Ones”

With 19 Federally recognized tribes in East County, the most of any US County, issues of resource conservation, gaming, border security and economic development with be a great interest to natives and non-natives alike. 

The conference is sponsored locally by the Sycuan, Pala and Pechanga Tribes. 

The Conference will be held at the Town and Country Resort in Mission Valley at:

500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA 92108.  For more information call 619-291-7131 or visit the National Congress of American Indians website for details and agenda.