Native Bidaské: Building a National Agenda for Tribal Early Childhood Development
In this episode of Native Bidaské, host Levi Rickert sits down with Linda Smith, president of the Child Care Trust, and Barb Faber (White Earth Ojibwe Nation), CEO of Indigenous Visioning, to discuss a groundbreaking new report:
“A National Agenda for Tribal Early Childhood Development in Practice: Prioritizing Tribal Leadership in Early Childhood Systems.”
Drawing on a major conference hosted at the University of Nebraska’s Buffett Early Childhood Institute, where representatives from more than 40 tribes came together, the report reveals that over one in four Native children live in poverty. Levi, Linda, and Barb explore:
– The goals and outcomes of the 2025 Native Nations “Honoring Culture, Shaping Futures for Native Children” conference
– How tribal, state, and federal systems can better support Native early childhood development
– The unique needs of off-reservation and urban Native families
– Funding inequities and policy barriers that limit tribal support beyond reservation boundaries
– Why language, culture, land, and identity must be at the center of early childhood systems
– Examples of strong, innovative tribal programs
– The conversation connects early childhood to sovereignty, historical trauma, and restoration, emphasizing that “tribal early childhood helps restore what was taken.”
If you care about Native children, tribal sovereignty, and the future of our communities, this episode is essential viewing.
Watch LIVE on May 29th at 12 pm ET on nativenewsonline.net, YouTube, or TikTok.
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