At this point, calling the Dakota Access Pipeline a national headline is an understatement. The cause of preventing the pipeline from passing through sacred land of the Standing Rock Sioux and disrupting their water supply has galvanized activists and journalists all over the country. Thousands made the trip to Standing Rock to stand alongside the Native people there, and the protest has resulted in a work stoppage and potential rerouting of the pipeline. Though no final decisions have been made, the #NODAPL protest has brought attention to Native issues in a way we haven’t seen in many years.
As the fight against the pipeline continues, this is a good time to consider other pressing issues in Native communities. From police brutality, to addiction, to pollution, Native Americans are dealing with a host of challenges for which they can likely expect little support from the incoming administration. Though these are just a select few of the many political issues that are deeply important to America’s indigenous communities, let’s look at what lies on the horizon for Native groups in the age of Trump.
