Watch the proclamation here.
The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners proclaimed November 2024 as Native American Heritage Month during the Thursday, Nov. 14 board meeting.
Recognized nationally, Native American Heritage Month provides an opportunity for communities to reflect on, celebrate and commemorate culturally and linguistically diverse Native American communities, ensuring their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive. More than 380 Tribal Nations are represented throughout Multnomah County.
Chair Jessica Vega Pederson noted that many Native community members work within Multnomah County’s programs and partner organizations, contributing to the County’s mission.
Brianna Bragg (Ihanktonwan Nation), a program specialist for the Native American/Alaska Native Community in the Health Department’s Community Partnerships & Capacity Building program, highlighted the resilience of the Native community, emphasizing their ability to adapt to change and “bend and not break,” which has “saved our lives throughout the generations.”
Bragg advocated for continued support of Native communities through existing programs like Barbie’s Village, which will be made up of tiny homes and an early childhood center for Native parents with small children experiencing homelessness.
Bragg additionally called on the Board to support new initiatives addressing the needs of Native County employees and the Native community, including:
- Developing a plan to retain Native staff and protect their positions.
- Shifting internal policies to provide greater flexibility for Native staff working in their communities.
- Prioritizing budget and policy initiatives that uplift the Native community, including food sovereignty, housing and addressing the fentanyl crisis.
They also called for the County’s continued close partnership collaboration with the Future Generations Collaborative (FGC), a nonprofit organization that provides public health community engagement programs, as well as advocacy, housing and community gatherings.
“Through our collaborations, we have provided opportunities that uplift the voices and experiences of our community,” shared FGC Policy Specialist Whitney Watson (Native Village of Kotzebue/Umoⁿhoⁿ Nation Descendant/Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Descendant), thanking the County for its support.
Acknowledging the lasting impacts of colonization and genocide, Watson honored her ancestors and their sacrifices, leading a moment of silence for those who “didn’t make it home.”
Watson echoed the need for continued and expanded culturally specific services and resources. “Access to these resources and access to community provides opportunities for folks like me to develop and form an identity that is proud to be Indigenous.”
Eva Red Bird (Hunkpapa Lakota/Yankton Dakota), Multnomah County Library’s Indigenous Community Services Coordinator, expressed gratitude for the community’s support and recognized the library's role in serving the ninth-largest urban Native American population in the United States.
Red Bird emphasized the library’s commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive space for Native Americans. The library has a team of 14 Native staff members who contribute diverse cultural perspectives and strengths. The library celebrates Native culture through story times, cultural classes, author visits and materials that accurately represent Native experiences. Red Bird encouraged community feedback to ensure the library continues meeting the community’s needs.
“We have really encouraged [the Native community] to utilize library services and to think of the library as a community gathering space, a community center, as well as just a place for folks to feel seen and heard, included, and represented in a way that's historically accurate,” she said.
Raven Harmon (Athabaskan), with FGC, read the proclamation in Chinuk Wawa followed by Bragg who read it in English.
Board remarks
Commissioner Sharon Meieran stressed the importance of listening to the Native community and providing resources necessary to thrive. She expressed interest in understanding “what the impacts of the investments are in the Native community at the County” and how they address the community’s highest priorities.
“It’s very clear that governments can harm,” said Commissioner Jesse Beason. “The only reason in many ways the County has stepped up in the past couple of decades is because Native folks have claimed the power that has always been rightfully theirs to demand that the County make good on its promises.”
Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards acknowledged the call for year-round action and engagement with Native communities and proposed holding routine meetings with local tribal leaders to better understand their priorities, roles and responsibilities and how the county can support tribal governments.
“There are so many ways that Multnomah County works with the Native American Indigenous community and there are so many more ways we can continue to work together,” said Chair Vega Pederson.