Membership Advocacy

NIEA members from across the nation are active in sharing their language, culture and best practices in education to other members, policy makers, tribal governments and other organizations. As a part of the NIEA family, here are ways you can be involved in increasing educational opportunities for our Native students.

Each year, NIEA hosts two events that gather our members together, share best practices and affect education policies on a national level: NIEA Annual Convention and NIEA Legislative Summit. For more information on these events, click on their logos below.

At NIEA, we are about connecting, sharing and learning from all of our members. NIEA members can attend events and bring resources back to their communities. Members can also log into the Membership Intranet and explore past Annual Convention workshops and interact in the NIEA Sharing Circle (Intranet access coming soon).

Local, tribal, state and federal lawmakers understand that, as a constituent, your voice is powerful. Here are some tips when presenting your issue to a legislator, but in writing and in person:

• Be brief and specific: Correspondence to legislators is most effective when it states one to two main points and presents the information in a page one page. What is it you would like the lawmaker to know? Use just enough facts and figures to amplify your statement.
• Be personal: You have a powerful story to tell, and you should relate your message personally to your lawmaker. Why do you care so deeply about Indian education issues? Use that determination to enhance your main point.
• Be thorough: Make sure to include your name, tribe, district and the policy or bill number that you are concerned with. The more concrete information legislators have about who you are, the better that they know their constituents’ needs.

You can contact your elected officials a few ways:

• E-mail legislators and their staff about your issues.
• Call the office and voice your opinion. If a specific bill is a part of the issue, make sure you have the bill reference number.
• Fax a letter to the legislator stating your opinion.
• Meet the legislator, their chief of staff, legislative director or legislative assistant who covers Native American affairs.

Vote

Make sure your voice is heard by voting in every election. To register to vote, contact the Secretary of State's office for your state of residence. You can also visit Native Vote to learn more.