Tara Sweeney becomes first Indigenous Alaskan to head U.S. Indian Affairs

Alaska’s Tara Sweeney was confirmed as assistant Interior Secretary for Indian Affairs, Thursday evening. In this picture, Sweeney gives her testinomy at the Indian Affairs Committee, on May 9th, 2018. (United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs)
The U.S. Senate Thursday evening confirmed Alaskan Tara MacLean Sweeney to be the assistant Interior Secretary for Indian Affairs. Sweeney is from Anchorage and Utqiagvik.

Sweeney is an executive at Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and a past co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives. She is the first Alaska Native to become an assistant Interior secretary.

She’ll oversee the bureaus of Indian Affairs and Indian Education.

The Senate’s vote was by unanimous consent.

Related stories from around the  North:

Canada: Indigenous participation in research key to improving health outcomes, says expert, Eye on the Arctic

Finland: Sámi school preserves reindeer herders’ heritage with help of internet, Cryopolitics Blog

Russia: Russia plans fenced parks to confine reindeer herding in Arctic, The Independent Barents Observer

Sweden: Report sheds light on Swedish minority’s historic mistreatment, Radio Sweden

United States: Committee approves nomination of Alaska’s Sweeney to U.S. Indian Affairs, Alaska Public Media

Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media

For more news from Alaska visit Alaska Public Media.

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

Leave a Reply

Note: By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that Radio Canada International has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Radio Canada International does not endorse any of the views posted. Your comments will be pre-moderated and published if they meet netiquette guidelines.
Netiquette »

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *