The nomination for Secretary of the Interior, Congresswoman Debra Haaland, faces confirmation in the senate this week. Her confirmation would make her the first Native American to hold any position in the cabinet since the inception of the United States 244 years ago.
Early Life
Haaland is the daughter of a Norwegian American and a Laguna Pueblo Native (Knopf). In 1994, Haaland graduated from the University of New Mexico at 34 years old with a degree in English. A year later, she gave birth to a daughter of her own and raised her as a single mother (Knopf). In 2006, she earned her J.D. As a single mother, Haaland lived paycheck-to-paycheck, oftentimes relying on food stamps and faced homelessness (“About: Debra Haaland”).
Political Beginnings
An advocate for her community, Haaland became the first Chairwoman elected to the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors and advocated for environmental policies (“About: Debra Haaland”). In 2015, Haaland was elected head of the New Mexico Democratic Party becoming the first Native American woman to lead a state party (Knopf). As party chair, Haaland advocated for tribal sovereignty (notably over the Standing Rock conflict) and natural resource protection (“About: Debra Haaland”).
Three years later, in 2018, she was elected as the representative for New Mexico’s first district and secured her seat as one of the first Native American women in Congress (along with Sharice Davids of Kansas’ 3rd congressional district who also won her seat in 2018) (Knopf). In 2020, she won her re-election bid before her historic nomination as the Secretary of the Interior.
Secretary of the Interior, What does it Mean?
Citing Haaland’s nomination as “historic” is an under statement. The US government has long ignored the rights of Native Americans; however, her nomination signals a turning point for Native influence at the highest levels of government (Eilperin et al). Nearly 1.9 million Native Americans are affected by department policies. Additionally, the department has a history of removing Natives from their land (including Yellowstone) and implementing discriminatory policies (Eilperin et al).
The Department of the Interior includes three divisions pertaining to Native Americans. According to the Washington Post, the Interior oversees 75 million acres of wilderness, 422 national parks, national monuments and wildlife refuges. The department protects more than 1,000 endangered species and manages water projects that provide irrigation for farmland and drinking water (Eilperin et al).
Under the Trump administration, protections for sacred tribal sites (including Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument) were removed and oil drillers in Alaska were allowed into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge where Native Alaskans hunt for caribou (Eilperin et al). Haalands dedication to green energy is not only a win for the environment, but also for numerous Native Americans across the country. Marginalized communities have long-endured environmental racism, and, as climate change poses even more serious threats to already disadvantaged communities, clean policies are imperative for minority livelihoods. Although Haaland hails from an oil-producing state, she has pledged to fight climate change and promote renewable energy (Eilperin et al).
Her nomination, and likely appointment, is empowering for many Native Americans, especially Native girls and women. “It could not have been in our forefathers’ dreams to have an actual Indian be appointed at the Cabinet level in the agency that is meant to oversee their absorption,” Chase Iron Eyes, a Native activist and attorney for the Lakota People’s Law Project said (Eilperin et al). After centuries of unjust policies, a Native American woman has the power to change the course of history.
Sources
“About: Debra Haaland.” Congresswoman Debra Haaland, House.gov, 21 Feb. 2019, haaland.house.gov/about.
Eilperin, Juliet, et al. “With Historic Picks, Biden Puts Environmental Justice Front and Center.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 18 Dec. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/17/deb-haaland-interior-secretary-biden/.
Knopf, Daniel. “Rep. Deb Haaland Bio: In Her Own Words – History, Policies, Record.” UPolitics, UInterview, Inc., 4 Sept. 2019, upolitics.com/ubio/rep-deb-haaland-bio-in-her-own-words-history-policies-record/.
It is very inspiring that Debra Haaland was able to break so many barriers and stigmas in order to get her position. Green energy has been a long-standing/important value of the Native American people and its good that they are being given a voice.
I always enjoy reading these posts. I continue to learn something new from them and it is very empowering to read about how Haaland overcame stereotypical boundaries and prejudice to fulfill her dreams.
Haaland’s essential start from the bottom is what I respect so much about her. These days, we see so many legacy politicians who went to prestigious schools and were destined for politics. Personally, I would love to see more people like Haaland, people who know what its like to be working class in America. I believe we would begin seeing more positive and empathetic changes that way. Not only is Haaland inspiring in that sense, but being Native and nominated for Secretary of the Interior is a huge step toward true progression.