Underscore News

For more than a quarter century, Rose High Bear was associated with her audio series, “Wisdom of the Elders”, an ongoing series of conversations with venerable Native people across the country. The series won acclaim and awards for its highlighting the Indigenous values of environmental stewardship, sustainability and traditional teachings.

During the lamprey harvesting season, Mary Olney starts her drive from the Yakama Nation at five in the morning. With a car packed to the brim and her children buckled safely in, they start their four-hour drive to the only place left to harvest lamprey; Willamette Falls.

KING COUNTY, Washington — Data collection methods on Native communities continue to be flawed, especially by the federal government. The latest example is King County’s 2026 Point-In-Time Count (PIT Ccount) of unsheltered individuals. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority report showed that 4.2 percent of unsheltered individuals self-identified as American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous. The count happens every two years.

The United States of America officially turned 250 on July 4 and many continue to reflect on the United States’ past and future. For Indigenous people, that includes asking what the future holds for them. What is the future for Indigenous people in the next 250 years? Hud Oberly, entrepreneur, said that Indigenous futurism has different meanings for him as he’s worked in various industries like fashion, film, marketing, nonprofits and board service.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek presented Glendon Smith with a public service ambassador award for his work as tribal liaison for the Oregon State Police in May. Smith is the inaugural person in the role of tribal liaison for Oregon State Police, starting in 2023. “It means that the work I’ve done at Oregon State Police has bridged some communication gaps between the nine tribes of Oregon and State Police,” Smith said, who is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs.

SACRAMENTO, California — Wileety Native American College is likely the first college of its kind to provide an education based in traditional knowledge, focused on tribal leadership and community. California State University in Sacramento, also known as Sacramento State, opened the opportunity on its campus to students last September. “[It] was hard getting it up at first, getting a college up and going in one year,” said inaugural dean Annette Reed, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation.

PORTLAND, OR — As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, an all-ages and Indigenous music benefit showcase on June 27 celebrated the 150th of another important anniversary: The victory at Greasy Grass, commemorating the death of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer.

In the long and complicated history of the United States and tribal nations, the nation’s highest court has inserted itself across multiple chapters. From cases establishing the principles of federal Indian law to tribal sovereignty to Native children and religion and much more, the Supreme Court has left indelible marks on Indian Country.

SEATTLE — Walking through Waterfront Park in downtown Seattle, along the shoreline of Elliot Bay in the Puget Sound, Pier 69 has long been home to the iconic whale watching tours aboard the FRS Clipper. Starting on June 16, every Tuesday through July 21 of this summer now offers an extra special tour grounded in Indigenous knowledge and storytelling.

Earlier this month, the University of Washington School of Medicine Student Education Program announced the largest scholarship gift the school has received. The donation, $25 million, will be used to create a scholarship to increase primary-care physicians that serve Indigenous and rural communities across the school’s five-state service region — Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho, known to the school as the WWAMI region.