Symposia

National Wildlife Federation Talk on Upper Peninsula Mining

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Join Us at “Mining in Michigan”
For an Inside Look at Threats to the Upper Peninsula

You’re invited! Join the National Wildlife Federation at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment for “Mining in Michigan: A case study of a proposed sulfide mine in Marquette County, Michigan.”

Learn about the controversy and about a new potential mine site in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula while watching a documentary produced by the National Wildlife Federation and interacting with a discussion panel.

Find out what mining means to Michigan and the Great Lakes.

The film, “Mining Madness, Water Wars: The Great Lakes in the Balance” explores the controversial proposal by Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company to develop a new sulfide mine in Marquette County, Michigan. Sulfide mining has been proven deadly to streams and harms public health.

WHO: National Wildlife Federation and
the School of Natural Resources & Environment WHAT: Mining in Michigan: A case study of a proposed
sulfide mine in Marquette County WHEN: Monday, November 24th at 5 p.m.

WHERE: University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
School of Natural Resources & Environment
440 Church Street (this block is pedestrian only)
Room 1040 Dana Building

“Inside Tribal Politics” Panel at UM on Monday, Nov. 10

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

I will be sitting on a panel on tribal governments on Monday with Ada Deer and David Cornsilk at the University of Michigan.

Tribal Politics Flyer

Panelist Biographies

MSU Conference: Neocolonial Inscription and Performance of American Indian Identity in American Higher Education: Oct. 16-17

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

The conference will attempt to address and review issues of American Indian identity in higher education.  Through this process, we hope to create and expand inter-community, inter-institutional and public dialogue on American Indians in higher education.  The two day conference will examine key issues such as tribal sovereignty, faculty hiring, current university practices allowing self-identification, and explore who should represent American Indians in American Indian higher education programs and departments.

As a result of this conference, we hope to make MSU a better community, a more honest community, a place where diversity engenders not only inclusion in name, but where diversity includes, reflects and respects diverse ways of knowing and thinking, as well as diverse means for reception, delivery and acceptance of cultural competencies and production.

Keynote Speakers:

Dr. Cornel Pewewardy

The Honorable Steve Russell

Website

FBA Annual DC Indian Law Conference this Week!

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The Federal Bar Association hosts the 10th Annual DC Indian Law Conference this this Friday at the National Museum of the American Indian.

Here is the brochure.

5th Annual Indigenous Law Conference at MSU October 10-11

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the exciting details!

Friday, October 10, 2008

8:30 – 8:40 a.m. Opening: Asiniins Singers

8:40 – 9:00 a.m. Welcome and Introduction by Dean Joan W. Howarth

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Keynote Speaker: Lawrence Baca

10:15 – 12:15 p.m. Indigenous Women Assess the Indian Civil Rights Act

Moderator: Sheena Oxendine

Rebecca Miles, Eva Petoskey, Rina Swentzell, Gloria Valencia Weber, Francine Hatch

1:15 – 3:00 p.m. Gender and Race

Moderator: Hannah Bobee

Angela Riley, Ann Tweedy, Sonia Katyal

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Commentary on the Indian Civil Rights Act

Moderator: Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Catharine MacKinnon

8:00 p.m. Literary Event

Frank Pommersheim

Gordon Henry

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Continue reading →

FBA 2009 Indian Law Conference at Buffalo Thunder!

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Next year’s conference will be April 1-3, 2009, at Buffalo Thunder!

Here is a nice profile of the facility: Indian Gaming Magazine, October 2008 Profile

Thanks to Mike McBride.

Saginaw Chippewa Hosting Meeting on Coal Plants in Michigan — Sept. 4

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the agenda:

10:00-11:00 Registration and Vendor booths on Green building resources

11:00-12:00 Saginaw Chippewa Housing- Guest Speaker, to be announced

12:00-1:00  Lunch (must RSVP below) provided by the Saginaw Chippewa Housing Department

1:00-1:15     Introduction:

1:15-2:15     Peter Sinclair-An Inconvenient Truth

2:15-2:45    Lee Sprague-Michigan Sierra Club, “Coal Rush”

2:45-3:00   Break

3:00-4:00   Steve Smiley-Heron Wind Manufacturing, Renewable Energy as a Tribal Economic Development Strategy.

4:00-5:30   Question and Answer Session

William Brooks, Attorney, and open session to discuss legal and regulatory issues involved with the proposed Coal Fired Plants in Mid-Michigan.

6:00 pm     Dinner provided (must RSVP below) Sponsored by Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council

You can download the registration form here.

Neocolonial Inscription and Performance of American Identity in American Indian Higher Education — Conference Announcement

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The conference website is here and registration starts soon!

Here is the law panel, hosted by the MSU Indigenous Law and Policy Center:

Law: Who’s Legal and Why Should or Shouldn’t That Matter?

Panelists: Andrew Adams III, General Counsel, St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Trent Cable, Makah Nation; Colette Routel, Atty Jacobson, Buffalo, Magnuson, Anderson & Hogen in St. Paul, Minnesota.

John Petoskey, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and Kate Fort, MSU Indigenous Law and Policy Center, will be sitting on panels as well.

The rest of the panels are listed here.

“Bringing Civil Rights to Indian Country”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Here is the brochure on a civil rights and racism conference to be held at Chehalis by the Washington Indian Civil Rights Commission. Looks like a great program, with Billy Frank, Eloise Cobell, Alan Parker, Dennis Chappabitty, John McCoy, Dee Koester, and Bob Anderson.

Society of American Indian Government Employees Annual Conference @ GT Resort

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

SAIGE is hosting its 5th annual conference this week at the Grand Traverse Resort. The program features several excellent, nationally-known speakers, including Johnny BearCub Stiffarm, Stephen Pevar, and Daniel Wildcat. Here is the agenda.