Meanwhile on the National Mall, Tribal leaders + activists about to present @SecDebHaaland with a totem pole carved by Lummi Nation carvers, as a gift to Biden to urge his immediate protection of sacred sites.
Brenda Mallory of the WH Council of Enviro Quality speaking now.
Also here: Obama's former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell + Hawaiian Dem Rep. Kahele.
Sec. Deb Haaland is about to speak.
She's wearing a mask with a red handprint across her mouth, a symbol of the horrific but still mostly invisible crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
People swarming Sec. Haaland like she's a rockstar out here, asking for photos, giving her presents.
This totem pole being presented to Haaland/Biden has come a long way to be here. Organizers of this event brought it here after stops at sacred Indigenous sites all over the country that are at risk from infrastructure projects and resource extraction.
An incredible amount of gratitude here for Haaland's actions so far, like her probe into the US govt's legacy of forcing Native children into horrific residential boarding schools.
"I never thought I'd see this day," says one of speaker, becoming emotional. "I lost a brother."
More on Haaland's effort here.
The Interior Dept will review past boarding schools and sites, the location of known and possible burial sites near schools + the identities and tribal affiliations of children forced there.
Yes, burial sites at school.
huffpost.com/entry/deb-haal…
All the stops this totem pole made around the country before being delivered to Haaland:
Snake River
Bears Ears
Chaco Canyon
Grand Canyon
Black Hills
Missouri River
Standing Rock
Line 3 in Minnesota
Line 5 in Michigan
Isn't this a good picture? I'm very pleased with portrait mode.
Tribal leaders and activists at this ceremony are saying lots of positive things about Biden and Haaland, but also they are ready to see Biden restore protections that Trump gutted for sacred sites like Bears Ears.
"We're just here waiting patiently to hear from our president."
"Mr. Biden, recognize us," says another speaker. "And help us to restore Bears Ears."
"It's for all of us. It's not only for Indigenous people. It's for all of us."
Still wild to me to see so much enthusiasm for an Interior Secretary. I get why, but can you imagine someone making a beautiful print like this to help confirm Ryan Zinke? (No.)
Where is this totem pole going to live? It's a present to Biden.
I am told it weighs ~5,000 lbs and is 24.5 feet long.
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