For Immediate release: November 11, 2022
Rapid City, SD – Today, NDN Collective reacted to midterm election results across the United States with the following statements:
“I agree with the political pundits saying that candidate quality matters – more than 142 Native candidates ran in this election cycle, with candidates like Sharice Davids and Mary Peltola winning by double digits,” said Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of NDN Collective. “These historic wins show that many believe in the foundation and leadership of Indigenous people, particularly Indigenous women. Over the next few years, the fierceness of our communities will come to the forefront of important battles for our collective rights. We will continue bringing our struggles, solutions, and lived experience to the halls of power, all while operating from the fundamental principle that honoring Indigenous self-determination will create a more just and equitable world for all.”
“The midterm election results demonstrated yet again that the vast majority people living on this land support the right to abortion care,” said Kim Pate, Vice President of NDN Collective, NDN Fund Managing Director. “Body sovereignty is an Indigenous issue – we know that when our people have the freedom to make informed decisions around reproduction, our cultures, communities, and economies are stronger. The continued attacks on bodily autonomy are rooted in white supremacy and colonialism. We will continue fighting for a world where everyone has comprehensive and culturally informed reproductive rights.”
“We are heartened to see that many leaders committed to advancing climate and social justice came out victorious,” said Jade Begay, climate justice director at NDN Collective. “While there were many races plagued by gerrymandering, misinformation, racism, and voter restriction that intentionally undermined progressive champions, wins like Summer Lee, Greg Casar, Becca Balint, Delia Ramirez, and Maxwell Frost signal that taking a bold stance on climate justice means people will trust you to lead.
“While we will face new hurdles with increased Republican seats in Congress, the grassroots and frontlines remain devoted to our people and communities. Through our organizing and mutual aid systems, and through guiding the implementation of the IRA, we will work to prepare our people for inevitable climate change impacts. Lastly, we call on the Biden administration to use all of its authority to invest in scaling climate solutions from Black, Indigenous, and Frontline communities.”
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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.
