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Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque, NM

September 6, 2018 8:00 am - September 7, 2018 3:00 pm MST

2018 Native Power Building Summit

We held our inaugural Native Power Building Summit at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from September 6-7. Over the course of two intensive days, more than 120 leaders, elected officials, political operatives, organizers, strategists, youth advocates, allies, and funders representing over 71 tribes came together for the first time in history to discuss, analyze, and strategize about how to strengthen Native political power in 2018 and beyond. The gathering brought together young people, elders, LGBTQ2S people, and people living in urban areas and in tribal communities—a powerful and striking reminder of the resilience and diversity of our communities. The convening featured panel discussions, workshops, and trainings that were focused on a range of topics, including: how Native women overcome structural barriers to make history in 2018 and how to support Indigenous women leadership in our communities, how movement building has resulted in an electoral justice strategy and Native candidates running against all odds, how to use different tax structures as strategies to increase Native American political power, how legal battles are being waged to secure the Native vote, and how Native communities can prepare for the 2018 and 2020 elections.