WINS-Day 31

Today, I got to attend a conference on FISMA (Federal Information Management Security Act) hosted by the Potomac Forum. The conference was at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel only a couple of blocks from the White House where President Grant would go at the end of each day to smoke his pipe. People found out he went there and started meeting him in the lobby to tell him their concerns. This is how "lobbying" got started. Martin Luther King, Jr. also penned his "I Have a Dream" speech while staying at this hotel. In front of the hotel is Freedom Plaza and a monument to the Civil Rights Movement. In class this evening we were privileged to have a guest speaker named Lawrence Baca, Deputy Director, Office of Tribal Justice, U.S. Department of Justice. He told us his life story growing up in Southern California up through his college experience and then we had a question and answer period.

WINS-Day 30

Today at lunch, we had a vendor deliver Oklahoma style Indian tacos. What a treat!! Tonight in internship class, we had Shenan Rae Atcitty and Philip Baker-Shenk, both lawyers/lobbyists practicing in Indian Law as guest speakers. We are getting to meet a lot of the leaders in this area during our time in DC (for example last week when we had lunch at NCAI, see Day 25).

WINS-Day 29

I watched the Senate Committe on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing on the Regulation of Indian Gaming. From this page, you can click on "Witness List" and see the witnesses who testified at hearings. If there is written testimony available, you can click on the witness's name and it will bring up an Adobe document. If you click on "View Hearing" you can watch an archive of the hearing in Real Player. On the day of a hearing, you can watch a live broadcast of the hearing by going to http://indian.senate.gov. You will need Real Player.

WINS-Day 28

At work, I am getting training on Microsoft Project. Most of the staff are gone this week. They went to the combined IHS Behavioral Health/SAMSHA conference in San Diego.

WINS-Day27

Today, I went to the International Spy Museum and then dinner at Fado's Irish Pub. Neither the Spy Museum nor the Hirshon Museum that I visisted last night allow pictures to be taken. So there are no pictures at my pictures website. Both had very cool exhibits. The Spy Museum is $14 to enter, but well worth it. (It's not a Smithsonion or other government funded museum). The Spy Museum really gives you an up close persepective on what it must be like to be a spy. Everything from "cloak and dagger" to the technology of spying.

WINS-Day 26

The WINS powwow was today from noon to six on the quad of the main AU campus. I was honored to be the head man dancer. After the powwow and a good nap, I went to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden for an evening exhibit called Cosmic Drift: Late Access/Light Show Visual Music Experience

WINS-Day 25

Started the day off at the Senate Indian Prayer Breakfast. Then I went to visit the Cherokee Nation Washington Office and to pick up the Cherokee flag for the powwow tomorrow. The NCAI hosted us for lunch today at their office. We met some of the staff and had a good discussion on the work NCAI is doing. After work, made preparations for the powwow tomorrow.

WINS-Day 24

In class tonight we discussed Supreme Court cases Mitchell I and II.

WINS-Day 23

Robert Holden from the National Congress of American Indians spoke to our class tonight. He spoke about the work of NCAI and how to get involved.

WINS-Day 22

We covered the Termination Era in class tonight.

WINS-Day 21

Tonight, we had a session on economic development for tribes presented by Phil Busey of the Busey Law Group based in Oklahoma City, OK.

WINS-Day 20

Today, I went to the US Postal Museum. It was very cool. It's right next to Union Station. This evening I went to the Indigenous Rights Watch film festival for the documentary Bones of Contention. Ever since the repatriation act that legislated all bones go back to their respective tribes for reburial, many acrheologists and scientists have been irriated because they feel like the bones are artifacts that need to be studied. In some cases, like the Omaha, tribes have agreed to let them study first and then return the bones. The Lakota want the bones returned no questions asked.

WINS-Day 19

Today, I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. This is an incredible museum. I didn't even get to see all of it and plan to go back again. For dinner, I got the chance to eat Ethiopian food. It's pretty good and you don't eat with fork and spoon, but instead you eat with this bread like material called injera. Tonight's film at the Indigenous Rights film festival is Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action. Check out the Katahdin Foundation.

WINS-Day 18

My day started by attending the Senate Indian Prayer Breakfast. I learned that the breakfast started like 30 years ago and they meet every Friday except Christmas and New Year's. Then back at work all the IHS interns had an orientation. It was cool to hear about all the divisions of IHS. After work, I went to Germantown, MD to find Wal-Mart. Later that evening, I went to the first night of the Indigenous Rights Watch film festival. The film was Oil on Ice about federal attempts to drill for oil in the national wildife refuge in Alaska. Very moving and powerful documentary.

WINS-Day 17

In our Federal Indian Policy class we discussed the General Allotment Act also known as the Dawes Act.

WINS-Day 16

Today I attended the Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on teen suicide. The testimony is available here. Just click on the witness name. In our internship class, a member of the House Resources Committee came to speak to us. This committe has most of the jurisdiction over Indian affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives.

WINS-Day 15

We are beginning to look at Supreme Court cases in our Federal Indian Policy class.

WINS-Day 14

Today at work, I took part in an IHS Strategic Planning Session.

WINS-Day 13

Today, I went to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. What an incredible impact. There's an exhibit called "Remember the Children" which tells the story of an eleven year old named Daniel who survived with his father, but his mother and sister were murdered by the Natzis. The story is taken from Daniel's diary. The exhibit has replicas of places in Daniel's life. Another powerful exhibit was on display by the Committe on Conscience detailing the genocide going on in the Darfur region of Sudan. On the way to dinner, I stopped at Chinatown. I ate dinner at Union Station and attempted to find the Cherokee Nation Washington Office, but I was not successful. While looking for it, I saw the US Memorial dedicated to the patriotism of Japanese Americans who suffered during WWII.

WINS-Day 12

Laundry, homework, went exploring some of the area near AU.

WINS-Day 11

Attended the Senate Indian Prayer Breafast then went to work. Tonight after work, some of us played soccer with a ball that one guy found last Saturday in a field by the reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial. Then, a group of us went to eat at Armand's Chicago Pizzeria.

WINS-Day 10

Work and then class. Tonight we covered chapter 4 in our book "American Indian Politics and the American Political System" by David E. Wilkins which covered the history of federal Indian policy.

WINS-Day 9

Everyone is trying to prepare for the Senate hearing next week. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee can be found here. Tonight we attended a reception for the Udall Interns. For more information on Udall Interns go here.

WINS-Day 8

My second day at work. To learn more about Indian Health Service go here. I'm working 8-5 and take the red line train to Twinbook where our offices are. Tonight was our second class for Formation of Federal Indian Policy, we are looking at the "doctrine of discovery".

WINS- Day 7

Today, I started my position at the Behavioral Services Division of Indian Health Service. We are preparing for the Senate hearing on how to prevent Indian teen suicide. The hearing is on the 15th.

WINS-Day 6

Today we had some leadership team building exercises and then a picnic with the Udall Interns and the DOE Interns from traditionally black colleges. Also 8 of us set out on a trek to find our beloved Wal-Mart fondly known as Wally World. The round trip cost us 6 hours of time, but it was worth it.

WINS-Day 5

Scavenger Hunt
1. we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo
2. we went to Dupont Circle
3. we went to Union Station
4. we went to the Supreme Court
5. we went to the Library of Congress
6. walked the national mall stopping at the Smithsonian Botanical Gardens
7. kept walking the national mall from the Capitol toward the Washington Monument
8. passed by the Washington Monument and the Tidal Basin and stopped at WWII memorial
9. walked along the reflecting pool towards Lincoln Memorial
10. from the Lincoln Memorial, walked to the Vietnam Memorial
Then to get back home, we walked through George Wasington University to catch the Metro at Foggy Bottom-GWU station.

WINS-Day 4

Today started out attending the Senate Indian Prayer Breakfast at 8:00am. This prayer breakfast is held every Friday in the Senate in room S-120. Then we walked over to Senate Russell Building. Oklhaoma Senators Inhofe and Coburn were not in because of Memorial Day recess but I got to see where their offices are. Then, we met with the staff of the Senate Standing Committee on Indian Affairs, learning the history of the committee and the legislation currently facing Indian Country. After that, we had lunch at Union Station. Then we went to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian(NMAI). This is a very incredible museum. A must see for anyone coming to DC. Smithsonian museums here are open daily free of charge from 10am to 5:00pm. I've started publishing some of the photos I've taken to the web. Click here to view them: Dale's photos

WINS-Day 3

Today began with more orientation and a presentation by the Public Safety office of AU. Then we headed out to tour the Library of Congress. I found it to be very impressive. Actually road the Metro today (subway). Then tonight we had our first Formation of Federal Indian Policy (GOVT636)class. This is going to be a challenging summer both academic and professionally.

WINS-Day 2

Today we had our orientation, received our American University student IDs, and toured campus. This evening began our internship class (GOVT691), one of two courses of study that we will be involved in as students this summer. Getting to know the area immediately around the campus and finding the Metro station which is only two blocks away. No Wally World or Target around here though. We've heard the closest is Maryland and Virgina respectively.