2024 Endorsements

AMI ADMIRE
she/her
Payómkawichum
Office: San Diego County (CA) Democratic Central Committee, District 75

Ami Admire is an alum of our Native Leadership Institute* and the Executive Director of ‘ataaxum Pomkwaan (For the People), an organization serving Indigenous youth and families by providing resources for mental health and cultural celebration. She has advocated for Indigenous peoples as a member of the California Truth and Healing Council and as a participant in Attorney General Rob Bonta’s Civil Rights Advisory Board.

Ami is a trained teacher with 25+ years experience developing culturally responsive curriculums using a mental health framework including Rez Beats, Native and Indigenous Classes and Clubs, Rincon Youth Storytelling, and is a trained facilitator of Gathering of Native Americans. She is also a recipient of the National Indian Health Board Local Impact Award for making a difference in her community.

* For identification purposes only. The Native Leadership Institute is a non-partisan program.

DOREEN GARLID
she/her
Navajo
Office: Tempe (AZ) City Council

Doreen Garlid has decades of experience serving her community, including work for the National League of Cities, National Charity League, Tempe Neighborhood Advisory Commission, and many more. Doreen has also played a crucial role in establishing Indigenous Peoples Day as a city holiday and in helping to create the city’s first official land acknowledgment. Her work on housing affordability, homelessness, victim services, and city infrastructure are taking the city in a positive direction, and we are confident she will continue to make progress on these priorities with another term on the council.

A proud member of the Navajo Nation, Doreen made history when Tempe voters overwhelmingly elected her as the first Native American to serve on the Tempe City Council in 2020.

FRANKIE MYERS
he/him
Yurok & Karuk
Office: California State Assembly, District 2

Frankie Myers is currently serving his second term as Vice Chairman of the Yurok Tribe, California’s largest federally recognized tribe. He and his wife are raising five kids on tribal lands in Humboldt County, where their families have lived since time immemorial.

In his role as Vice Chairman, Frankie developed many of the tribe’s high-profile initiatives and has experience building bridges between groups with diverse interests to solve complex problems. He fought successfully for the largest salmon habitat restoration project in history: the removal of four dams on the Klamath River, which reopens 400 miles of salmon habitat. We believe that Frankie has the experience, vision, and tenacity needed to move the region forward on his policy priorities: increasing access to healthcare, addressing the rising cost of living, protecting the environment, and addressing the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

JACKIE FIELDER
she/her
Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota, Two Kettle Lakota, and Hidatsa
Office: San Francisco (CA) Board of Supervisors, District 9

Jackie Fielder has the passion and skills needed to make positive change for San Francisco. She has an impressive record of advocacy: Jackie is co-director of Stop the Money Pipeline, a national campaign that works to disrupt the flow of money to fossil fuel companies. She has also helped found several organizations, including the San Francisco Defund DAPL Coalition, the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition, and Daybreak PAC, which advocates for climate change action and single-payer healthcare.

A graduate of Stanford University and former educator at SF State University, Jackie fought alongside her relatives at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline. We believe Jackie has what it takes to make meaningful progress on her policy focuses: income inequality, economic recovery, education, affordable housing and homelessness, climate change, and public safety.

JAMES RAMOS
he/him
Serrano & Cahuilla
Office: California State Assembly, District 45

James Ramos has served as an incredible advocate for Indigenous communities in California. He has sponsored a number of successful bills that work to combat the MMIP epidemic, close the achievement gap between Native and non-Native students, and require state officials to receive training on tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction.

Assemblymember Ramos, a lifelong resident of the San Manuel Indian Reservation and member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe, became California’s first Native American state lawmaker in 2018. We are confident that, with another term in the legislature, James will continue to deliver strong results for Native communities, in addition to making progress on homelessness, public safety, and improving the business climate.

JONATHAN NEZ
he/him
Navajo
Office: Arizona’s Second Congressional District Representative

Jonathan Nez has devoted his life to public service, having served as Navajo Nation President, Vice President, and Councilmember. As President, he secured crucial investments in infrastructure and healthcare and homes for veterans. He led the Navajo Nation during the COVID-19 pandemic, orchestrating a vaccination drive that resulted in about 70% of the Nation being fully vaccinated by May 2021.

Born in Tuba City and raised in Shonto, Jonathan currently lives in Flagstaff with his wife and their two sons. We are confident that, if elected to Congress, Jonathan would continue to make progress on his policy priorities: infrastructure investment, rural economic development, and lowering costs for childcare and eldercare.

KERRI KECK
she/her
Cherokee
Office: Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 26

Kerri Keck is a veteran with extensive leadership experience in the Oklahoma National Guard. She has given back to her community by volunteering for scholarship programs and local youth and parenting organizations. Kerri grew up in Shawnee, where she currently resides with her husband, who is also a veteran. Her parents’ contributions in the community instilled in Kerri a desire to lead and to serve others.

If elected to the state House, Kerri would be an effective advocate for her policy priorities, which include increasing funding for public education, improving access to affordable healthcare–including mental health services–and providing incentives for small businesses to improve wages and benefits.

LANCE FOURSTAR
he/him
Fort Peck Assiniboine Nation
Office: Montana House of Representatives, District 31

Lance Fourstar has extensive experience in government, having served as a member of the Wolf Point City Council and chairman of the Fort Peck Assiniboine Council. Lance also has extensive advocacy and community service experience; he has been a chairman of the Wolf Point Community Organization, an organizer for Western Native Voice, and a director of the Montana American Indian Caucus.

With this wealth of experience with the legislative process, Lance will be ready to hit the ground running on his policy priorities, which include the fentanyl crisis, suicide prevention, and the epistemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

MARY PELTOLA
she/her
Yup’ik
Office: Congress

Mary Peltola has dedicated her life to public service, having served as a Bethel City Councilmember and the first Alaska Native member of the state House of Representatives at the age of 24. An incredible advocate for Alaska Native communities, Mary has also served as Executive Director of the Kuskokwim Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and a member of the Orutsararmiut Native Council Tribal Court. She has succeeded in building bridges among diverse communities and serving as a representative for all Alaskans.

Her campaign is also history-making: Mary became the first Alaska Native congressperson in U.S. history when she was first elected in 2022.

NATE TYLER
he/him
Makah
Office: Washington House of Representatives District 24, Position 1

Nate Tyler has extensive experience in government, having served for over 12 years as an elected leader of the Makah Tribe, including as Chairman. As a disabled veteran and foster parent, Nate has a wealth of lived experience that informs his approach to his priority issues, which include health equity, mental healthcare, addiction treatment, veteran care, affordable housing, living wage jobs, and climate change. His dedication to community is evident in his work as a youth sports coach for 15 years and his service to numerous organizations, including the SAMHSA Advisory Board, North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network, Boys and Girls Club Native Services Advisory Board, and many more.

Nate was born and raised on the Makah Indian Reservation, and remains a strong community leader on the reservation and surrounding areas. He and his wife are parents to four children and grandparents to four grandchildren in addition to the many foster children they have cared for over the years.

PATRICK DEPOE
he/him
Makah
Office: Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands

Patrick is uniquely qualified to be the Commissioner of Public Lands. He is the only candidate who has worked for the state Department of Natural Resources; (he is currently on the Executive Team). As a treaty commercial fisherman, land manager, and 6-year member of the Makah Tribal Council, Patrick has a wealth of knowledge about environmental policy, from forest health and wildfire prevention to habitat restoration and sustainable economic development in rural communities. He also has leadership experience across a wide range of environmental management organizations, including the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the Northwest Indian Fish Commission, the Washington Environmental Justice Council, and many more.

Patrick’s campaign is historic: if he wins, he will be the first Native American elected to statewide office in the Pacific Northwest.

REGAN RAFF
she/her
Chickasaw
Office: Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 39

Regan Raff is a small business owner, accounting professional, wife, mother, and community advocate. As a lifelong Oklahoman and a proud graduate of Edmond Public Schools, she is running for state representative to give back to the community that nurtured her upbringing.

Regan is committed to increasing funding for public education, protecting the right to choose, and improving access to affordable healthcare. Regan’s commitment to community is evident in her work promoting literacy as Co-Chair of the Gathering of Angels fundraiser and her service as a board member of the Junior League of Oklahoma City. Regan lives in Edmond with her husband and three children.

TAWNA SANCHEZ
she/her
Shoshone-Bannock, Ute, & Carrizo
Office: Oregon House of Representatives, District 43

Tawna Sanchez is a dedicated advocate and proven progressive who has spent her life helping strengthen the community around her. Representative Sanchez, who grew up in Portland, is a leader in the area of child welfare and foster care, demonstrating both personal and professional leadership by nurturing over 18 foster children.

As Co-founder and Family Services Director for NAYA (Native American Youth and Family Center), Tawna has served both Native and non-Native communities for over 25 years, providing early childhood education, health care, workforce training, housing assistance, domestic violence services, and more. In the legislature, Tawna has championed successful legislation that strengthens tribal consultation requirements, protects sovereignty, and directs resources to fighting the MMIP epidemic. She has also served on the board of several community organizations, including Red Lodge Transitional Services and the Na’ah Illahee Fund.