Dear Friend, More frequently than ever, the media has been paying attention to stories that come out of Indian Country. There are plenty of reasons for this—most of them owed to the decades worth of Native journalists, lawmakers, attorneys, and organizers who all refused to wait for mainstream outlets to catch up. But just as central to the recent surge in stories about the Native nations and communities is the undeniable fact that what happens in Indian Country is oftentimes inextricable from what happens in America. Treaties, still valid and legally binding as the Supreme Court recently reminded the nation, matter. The pursuit of tribal sovereignty and Indigenous human rights, long ignored by the United States in favor of policies of extermination and disestablishment, is seeing a steady resurgence. Native artists, marginalized and erased by outsiders who would prefer to peddle in stereotypes and caricatures, now stand in the spotlight as bestsellers redefining industry standards. And now, in this moment where so many new eyes are watching us, Indian Country doesn’t need the media’s attention; it needs Native journalists to be given the space to tell the stories of the hundreds of beautiful, diverse nations, cultures, and people that call it home. This is my goal at The New Republic: A beat for Indian Country, by Indian Country. —Nick Martin, staff writer |
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Nick Martin is a staff writer at The New Republic. A member of the Sappony Tribe and a born-and-raised North Carolinian, Martin combines his unique personal experiences with a penchant for research and source-building to cover Indigenous issues and Southern politics and culture. His work has previously appeared in the Washington Post, CNN Opinion, and Splinter. |
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| | Commentary like Nick's is what makes TNR more necessary than ever, and we depend on you to ensure progressive voices like his—and other independent journalists at TNR—have an outlet. |
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