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Your support of the Native American Rights Fund resonates throughout Indian country. With deep gratitude, it is received by Native American men, women and children who find they have to fight for what is legally theirs, just as their ancestors did for centuries.

One of the recurring problems Native Americans - especially our children - face is the lack of opportunity to express their experience of history, culture, language, and traditions that have identified their tribes for thousands of years.

Throughout American history, Native Americans have been confronted with the forces of acculturation and assimilation. The government prohibited us from speaking our native tongues. We were forced to give up our land and the homes we knew so we could meld into modern society.

Yet we are a proud, dignified people, and we want to be recognized as we are and allowed to live and preserve our way of life. That's why NARF is helping to pave the way for generations of Native American children and families through the Indian Education Legal Support Project: Tribalizing Indian Education.

In the past and even today, most federal and state education programs circumvent tribal governments. Our goal is to help tribes improve Indian~ education and tribal societies and give them more control over their most precious resource: their children.

NARF represents the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota on implementing and refining its Education Code that was adopted in 1991 and NARF researched pre-school and early childhood education program regulations by other tribes, states and the federal government and helped the tribe brainstorm with other tribes around the country about the successes, needs and problems of Indian education.

NARF assists the tribes on the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana who have continued to work toward frill implementation of the Tribal Education Code. In dealing with concerns raised by public school officials and the Tribal Education Department, strong working relationships have been cemented and progress is on the horizon.

NARF also represents the Jicarilla Apache Tribe of New Mexico in the development of an education code for reservation education so that its members can have significant input into the public school program serving their children.

Some progress has been made through a measured amount of tribal control and input under laws that include the Indian Education Act of 1988, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the Impact Aid Laws of 1950.

Yet, for Indian education to succeed, federal and state governments must allow tribes the opportunity to regain control and make decisions, be accountable, and help shape their children's future and their own future as tribes by main taining their cultural heritage.

At NARF we intend to ensure that tribes gain the legal control over education that they deserve as sovereign governments. Our mission to preserve tribal existence, protect tribal natural resources, promote Native American human rights and make governments accountable is so important.

Take some time to learn more about the history and culture of America's First People by reading a book, visiting a museum or listening to native music. Thank you for supporting the Native American Rights Fund.

Sincerely,
John Echohawk Executive Director