No matter the season, there's always a reason to support Marketplace. 💙 Give Now 🎁

Tribal nations are filling gaps while a USDA food distribution program struggles

Sep 4, 2024
Back in February, the USDA told tribal leaders it was consolidating the FDPIR supply chain from two warehouses serving tribes all over the country to just one.

How the Dawes Act cratered Native American wealth for generations

Under the Dawes Act of 1887, Native Americans lost more than 90 million acres of tribal land, which were sold to non-Native citizens.

What unburied federal data tells us about Indigenous households' finances

Mar 26, 2024
Nine years of unpublished data show that American Indian and Alaska Native households report greater financial stress and less security.
“American Indian and Alaska Native identifying households are reporting greater financial stress and lower security than other households,” said Vanessa Palmer of the Center for Indian Country Development.
RichVintage/Getty Images

Federal "Buy American" rules could be stalling infrastructure projects

Oct 26, 2023
Rules to boost the domestic economy now apply to broadband and water equipment. Delays and higher costs can be part of the trade-off.

Less than 1% of therapists are Native American. One Texas center is working to fill the gap

Jul 20, 2023
Indigenous communities in the United States experience higher rates of mental health issues, but have a harder time accessing care. One Texas group is working to expand services and train staff to address mental health issues before they become a crisis.

For public good, not for profit.

Indigenous creatives are blazing trails in the gaming industry

Apr 21, 2023
Native game creators are building alternate realities where their cultures are centered and respected. But the projects still need funding.

Alaskan siblings challenge Native knockoffs with their own Indigenous designs

Jan 16, 2023
In Juneau, Rico and Crystal Worl draw from their Tlingit and Athabascan heritage to create designs for everyday items like playing cards.

Supreme Court to hear challenge to Indian Child Welfare Act — and a lot is at stake

Nov 7, 2022
The Indian Child Welfare Act sought to address a history of cultural dispossession. Now, it's being threatened by a Supreme Court case.
Clarisse Harris, a foster parent to Native children, was raised before the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Now, the ICWA — which helped facilitate those placements — is in legal peril. 
Photo illustration: Dylan Miettinen/Marketplace. Photos: Getty Images, Clarisse Harris