SOIN2020 FACT SHEET What 2020 State of Indian Nations What Since 2003, the President of the National Congress of American Who Indians (NCAI) has presented the State of Indian Nations (SOIN) NCAI President Fawn Sharp address, outlining the goals of tribal leaders, the opportunities for President, Quinault Indian Nation success and advancement of Native peoples, and priorities to advance our nation-to-nation relationship with the United States. Congressional Response presented by Who Representative (NM). Each year, the President of the National Congress of American Indians presents the State of Indian Nations address to members of When Congress, government officials, tribal leaders and citizens, and the American public. Monday, February 10, 2020

To facilitate direct engagement between Congress and tribal nations, 9:15 am: Media Setup a is invited each year to deliver a Congressional 9:30 am: Registration Opens response to the State of Indian Nations. 9:50 am: Doors Open

10:15 am: Final Seating Previous Congressional speakers included: 10:20 am: Program Begins • 2011 - Senator (AK) 10:30 am: State of Indian Nations • 2012 - Representative (OK) 11:00 am: Congressional Response • 2013 - Senator Maria Cantwell (WA) 11:15 am: Question & Answer Session/ • 2014 - Senator John Barrasso (WY) Press Availability • 2016 - Representative Betty McCollum (MI) • 2017 - Senator John Hoeven (ND) 11:30 am: Closing Remarks • 2018 - Senator (NM) • 2019 - Representative Deb Haaland (NM) Where Jack Morton Auditorium, Where George Washington University The speech is delivered to a live studio audience in Washington, DC 805 21st Street NW and broadcast across the nation and around the globe to Washington, D.C. 20052 policymakers, citizens, and students.

Recent speeches have reached audiences of over 20,000 people. Contact NCAI Communications Team Watch [email protected] Watch LIVE on Monday on Livestream & Facebook Live! Embassy of Tribal Nations https://livestream.com/ncai1944/SOIN2020 1516 P Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone 202.466.7767 https://www.facebook.com/ncai1944/ NCAI.ORG PRESIDENT FAWN SHARP Fawn Sharp NCAI President

Fawn R. Sharp serves as the 23rd President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native tribal government organization in the country. President Sharp was elected on October 24, 2019 at NCAI’s 76th Annual Convention & Marketplace. Sharp is the third woman to hold the position of NCAI President.

President Sharp is the current President of the Quinault Indian Nation in Taholah, Washington. Her past positions included managing attorney and lead counsel; and staff attorney for the Quinault Indian Nation, administrative law judge for the Washington state Department of Revenue – Tax Appeals Division, Quinault Tribal Court Associate Judge, and Counsel for Phillips, Krause & Brown. #SOIN2020 WWW.NCAI.ORG Ms. Sharp has held numerous leadership positions, including an appointment by Governor Gary Locke to serve as Trustee for Grays Harbor College, Governor of the Washington State Bar Association, Trustee of Washington State Bar Association – Indian Law Section, Vice President and Founding Member for the National Intertribal Tax Alliance, and Director/Secretary of the Quinault Nation Enterprises Board. Ms. Sharp has conducted lectures and publications all over the United States.

Ms. Sharp graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington at the age of 19. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Washington in 1995 and has subsequently received certificates from the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada, and from the International Human Rights Law at Oxford University. REPRESENTATIVE HAALAND Deb Haaland Representative,

Congresswoman Haaland grew up in a military family; her father was a 30-year combat Marine who was awarded the Silver Star Medal for saving six lives during Vietnam, and her mother is a Navy veteran who was a federal employee for 25 years in Indian education. She knows the sacrifices made by military families because her family moved throughout the country during her father’s military service; as a result, she attended 13 different public schools.

As a single mother, she volunteered at her daughter's pre-school in order to afford an early childhood education. Like many New Mexicans, she had to rely on food stamps at times as a single parent, has lived paycheck-to-paycheck, and struggled to put herself through college. Through hard work and determination, she earned degrees from the and UNM Law School. Congresswoman Haaland and her daughter, who recently graduated from the University of New Mexico, are still paying off student loans.

For several years, she ran her own small business producing and canning Pueblo Salsa and later became the first Chairwoman elected to the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors, overseeing business operations of the second largest tribal gaming enterprise in New Mexico. Deb successfully advocated for the Laguna Development Corporation to create policies and commitments to earth-friendly business practices. Deb is a former tribal administrator and has administered a local service provider for adults with developmental disabilities.

She is a 35th generation New Mexican who is an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna, and also has Jemez Pueblo heritage. After running for New Mexico Lieutenant Governor in 2014, Haaland became the first Native American woman to be elected to lead a State Party. She used her experience reaching out to communities who are often forgotten during the electoral process during the two Obama presidential campaigns. During her time as State Party Chair, she traveled to Standing Rock to stand side- by-side with the community to protect tribal sovereignty and advocate vital natural resources.

Starting in 2016, Haaland has served as an Honorary Commander of Kirtland Air Force Base which gives her a better understanding of its missions and effects on New Mexico’s economy.

After a lifetime of organizing communities to stand up for New Mexico families, Congresswoman Deb Haaland was elected as one of the first Native American women to serve in Congress. She will serve in leadership roles as the 116th Congress Freshman Class Representative to the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, House Democratic Region VI Whip (Texas, New Mexico, and ) and Deputy Whip for the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

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