News of Note 7/25/25: Indigenous Land Protection in Canada, Brazil Bill Weakens Indigenous Advocacy, Native Leaders Respond to Push for Racist Mascots
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Indigenous governments finalize $375M land protection deal (Canada's National Herald)
“Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories are at the centre of one of the world’s largest land protection efforts, following the signing on Monday of a landmark $375 million agreement. The ‘Our Land for the Future’ grant will put about 30 per cent of the territory — or two per cent of the entire country, an area of 380,000 square kilometres — under Indigenous care. The grant brings together leaders from Tłı̨chǫ, Délı̨nę Got’ınę, and 19 other Indigenous governments, alongside federal and territorial representatives and philanthropic funders.”
Brazilian Congress Weakens Climate Governance and Indigenous Advocacy through Devastating Bill 2159/21 (Cultural Survival)
“Several political sectors from the center and right—primarily aligned with agribusiness, and mining interests—pushed through the approval of Bill 2.159/2021 in the Brazilian Federal Congress during the early hours of Thursday, July 17, 2025. The bill passed by a vote of 267 to 116 and is being condemned by more than 350 Indigenous and civil society organizations as the most significant environmental setback in Brazil since at least the 1980s.”
Trump threatens to hold up stadium deal if Washington Commanders don’t switch back to old nickname (ICT News and Associated Press)
“President Donald Trump threatened to interrupt a new stadium deal for Washington’s National Football League team demanding the owner restore its old name of the R-word, a dictionary defined slur. [...] His latest interest in changing the name reflects his broader effort to roll back changes that followed a national debate on cultural sensitivity and racial justice. The team announced it would drop the R-word name and the Indian head logo in 2020 during a broader reckoning with systemic racism and police brutality.”
Native Leaders Respond and the History of Racist Sports Mascots in the U.S.
NCAI Condemns President Trump’s Call to Reinstate Harmful Mascot Imagery (National Congress of American Indians)
Native Mascots Are a Public Health Crisis, Not a Political Bargaining Chip (National Indian Health Board)
Statement on the Use of Racist Mascots (Center for Native American Youth)
Make America Bigoted Again? Trump’s Campaign to Restore Racist Mascots (Native News Online)
If You Want to Protect Children, You Cannot Defend Mascots (Native News Online)
Native American groups slam Trump call to bring back R–– name (Reuters)
Native Americans rail against Trump's call to change Commanders' name back. (USA Today)
The history of Native American sports name changes, from the Obama era to Trump’s latest comments (Associated Press)
Native and Investor-led Advocacy to Change the Washington Football Team’s Name: A Timeline (Tallgrass Institute)
More News
Across Southeast Asia, Indigenous women challenge extraction and erasure (Mongabay)
Indigenous climate leaders could make history at COP30 in Brazil (ICT News)
Brazil Bioeconomy Coalition Commits $2.6 Billion to Forests and Indigenous-Led Projects (ESG News)
Meliquina models Indigenous ownership in Latin America’s energy transition (ImpactAlpha)
The painful lack of urgency to end violence against Indigenous women and girls (Policy Options)
New report warns inaction on key inquiries is perpetuating injustice for First Nations people [in Australia] (National Indigenous Times)
As Canada’s economy faces serious challenges, the Indigenous economy offers solutions (The Conversation)
First Nations leaders walk out of Mark Carney meeting on Building Canada Act (The Guardian)
After Summit, UBCIC Gravely Concerned with Canada’s Shift Away from Consent and Environmental Protections (Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs)
SCOTUS Grants Native American Voters Relief in Major Voting Rights Battle (Native News Online)
Unearthed bones, land swap, expedited review: Enbridge Line 5 tunnel review leaves tribes behind (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
On the Navajo Nation, the List of Mystery Wells Continues to Grow (Capital & Main)
How a quiet climate finance model is funneling money directly to communities (Mongabay)