Friday, February 27, 2026

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees more than 12 million acres in Arizona alone. And much like the rest of the West, it has public lands making up national monuments that hold value for tribes. As KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, President Donald Trump’s pick to run BLM pledged to respect them in his confirmation hearing this week. During his first term, President Trump shrank the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah – only for President Joe Biden to restore them and name 10 new ones. Former U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) answered “yes” when asked about whether he was committed to honoring those sites by U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), who thanked the nominee for his “great” and “short, clear, concise, and on-the-record” answer. Pearce added that “the Native Americans sometimes are overlooked from Washington and …” when Sen. Padilla interrupted with, “And not just sometimes, far too often”. Pearce then noted “We became a voice for them, and would continue to do that.” Pearce doubled down when U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) asked about Arizona’s Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, which President Biden created near the South Rim in 2023. “The Grand Canyon, it’s one of the most magnificent things, frankly, in the world. So we’ll do whatever we can to work with you any way that’s necessary.” X̱’unei Lance Twitchell teaching pre-kindergarten students. (Courtesy Ryan Conarro) Language educators in Juneau are working to create a Master’s in Teaching program for teaching Indigenous languages at the University of Alaska Southeast. It would be the first of its kind in Alaska. KTOO’s Yvonne Krumrey reports. Lingít language professor X̱’unei Lance Twitchell talked about the possible future degree program during KTOO’s Juneau Afternoon. “My colleague Éedaa Heather Burge and I are collaborating to create a certificate in teaching Indigenous languages, and as we look at how our language is taught in Alaska, who teaches them, what are their qualifications? What are they permitted to do in the current school systems? And what they’re permitted to do is just not enough.” The program would be for those who want to go into teaching Alaska Native languages to all ages. There are more than 20 distinct Indigenous languages throughout the state. Twitchell said the program still has some steps ahead of it before prospective students can enroll. “This degree has to go before the Board of Regents, and so we’re very hopeful that they will see the value in it. They’ll see the need. They’ll see the demand. I think it’s maybe one of two programs that are like it, perhaps in all of North America.” Twitchell said, while Southeast Alaska Native languages have endured and continue to grow, they should still be prioritized – and with urgency – by schools and communities. “But to be able to get to that is going to take some monumental shifts in the way that we do things, which is really hard today, because one of the things that a colonial government likes to do is pretend that there’s no time, there’s no money, everything’s already spoken for.” Twitchell said this program would create more pathways for educators who can advocate for time, money, and effort to go into revitalizing Indigenous languages. He said the program would focus on the “hows” of teaching Indigenous languages: how to create schools, build programs, and what materials to use. University officials are currently reviewing the proposal. After that, it’ll be up to the University of Alaska Board of Regents to decide whether to approve the program. Meda DeWitt (Tlingit) is running for governor as an independent. (Courtesy DeWitt campaign) A 17th candidate has entered the Alaska governor’s race. Alaska Public Media’s Liz Ruskin has more. Meda DeWitt is a traditional healer, drawing on her Tlingit heritage. She teaches at the University of Alaska. She is running as an independent candidate, unaffiliated with any party. “I care about our future. I care about the way that we steward our lands and want to see a state that has a thriving ecosystem and healthy communities that can live in perpetuity.” In 2021, DeWitt chaired a campaign to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK). The petition gathered more than 60,000 signatures but fell short of the number needed for a recall election. Her campaign website lists a wide array of priorities, from cost of living to health care to the state economy. DeWitt lives in Anchorage and has family roots in Wrangell and Yakutat, as well as relatives around the state. The August 18 primary will feature a long list of gubernatorial candidates, most running with the Republican label. In the primary, voters can choose just one. The top four candidates, of any party, will advance to the November ballot. General election voters will have the option of ranking up to four candidates. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, February 27, 2026 — Native Playlist: Cary Morin and Status/Non-Status