Deb Haaland at National Congress of American Indians

Deb Haaland, the Democratic candidate for governor of New Mexico, addresses the National Congress of American Indians on November 17, 2025. Haaland is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, a federally recognized tribe in New Mexico. She was the first Native person to serve in a presidential cabinet, having been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first Native person to lead the Department of the Interior. She also was one of the first two Native women to serve in the U.S. Congress. Haaland spoke at NCAI's 82nd annual convention in Seattle, Washington.