Tribal Chairwoman: “Harris can do right by unrecognized tribes as Vice President, regardless of how much money gaming tribes donate to Democrats”
BY CHARLENE NIJMEH
As the Tribal Chairwoman of an unrecognized tribe, I am disheartened by the hollow promises made by the Democratic National Convention – which placed a land acknowledgement on the first page of its platform.
But this high-brow rhetoric that insists on doing right by Native American tribes ignores the plight of the indigenous people of the Bay Area, where Kamala Harris was born, raised, educated, and built her political career. It seems odd to me that she promises so boldly to do right by Indians across Turtle Island when she has ignored our pleas to do right by us, despite spending her life in our backyard.
While I appreciate the acknowledgment of the struggles faced by indigenous communities everywhere, it is clear that the most marginalized tribes, like mine, continue to be overlooked and disregarded. Its not by accident. It’s intended because that’s what the Democratic Party’s most generous donors want it that way.
Wealthy casino gaming tribes pour millions into the Democrat Party, forming the backbone of California’s political machine – rivaling Big Tech and Hollywood in monied influence. These gaming tribes have an enormous amount of influence over the Party, and they are fervently opposed to the wrongly unrecognized and terminated tribes of California from being affirmed in the eyes of the federal government – merely for fear of future gaming competitors.
It is not enough for political leaders to pay lip service to the injustices faced by Native Americans while failing to take meaningful action to address them. The fact that my tribe is not even recognized by the federal government speaks volumes about the systemic erasure and discrimination that we continue to face. It also says something very stunning about special interests, money in politics, and politicians limited appetite for justice and an insatiable thirst for money.
The Democratic National Convention’s idealistic commitments to Indian tribes ring hollow when they continue to ignore tribes like mine that are in desperate need of support and recognition. In California alone, 135 tribes were administratively discarded by Indian Agent Lafayette Dorrington in 1927, and another 44 tribes were terminated by the California Rancheria Act of 1958. This issue impacts hundreds of thousands of people in California.
It is time for our voices to be heard and for our struggles to be acknowledged. We cannot afford to be left behind while other tribes receive attention and resources. The time for action is now, and we will not stop until our unrecognized tribe is given the recognition and support that we deserve.
I urge the Democratic National Convention to do more than just make promises – I urge them to take concrete actions to address the injustices faced by all Native American tribes, including those that are most marginalized. Our future depends on it, and we will not rest until our voices are truly heard.
Charlene Nijmeh has served as Chairwoman of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area since 2018, following her mother’s 43-year tenure as Chairwoman. Nijmeh is currently traveling by horseback from San Francisco to Washington, DC with tribal members to demand justice from Congress and the Administration. She plans to setup a protest camp on the lawn of the Capitol through the November elections to raise awareness for her tribe’s struggle.
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