First Lady Pool Reports of November 15, 2022

FLOTUS pool report #1 - Native American Heritage Month reception

First Lady Jill Biden is hosting a reception in the East Room for Native American Heritage month.

The room is packed with about 350 people with many in traditional Native American outfits.

The event, which is scheduled to start at 5:30 pm ET, will be livestreamed at https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

Background from the East Wing:

BACKGROUND FROM THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY: First Lady Jill Biden Hosts the First White House Reception In Honor of Native American Heritage Month

On Tuesday, November 15th at 5:30 PM ET, the First Lady will host the first White House reception in honor of Native American Heritage Month. Attendees include Tribal leaders; Native state and local elected officials, artists, writers, athletes, education and health care advocates, and business leaders; and Native youth who participated in the White House Tribal Youth Forum at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday, November 14. The event will be livestreamed at https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

Program:

1. Remarks by First Lady Jill Biden
2. Remarks by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland
3. Performance: Native American Hoop Dance by champion Native American hoop dancer ShanDien LaRance, and her father, award-winning Native American artist and culture bearer Steve LaRance

Native American Heritage Month:
Since 1990, Native American Heritage Month has taken place in the month of November each year. "During National Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate Indigenous peoples' past and present and rededicate ourselves to honoring Tribal sovereignty, promoting Tribal self-determination, and upholding the United States' solemn trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations." [President Joe Biden's 2022 Native American Heritage Month proclamation]

The Native American Hoop Dance:
The Native American Hoop Dance is a cultural performance and in its original form, was a "Healing Ceremony" that was performed by medicinal individuals to bring patients back to balance and harmony. The circle or "Hoop" is a geometric symbol revered by many cultures, but for Indigenous peoples, often represents a beginning without end and the "Circle of Life." Today's contemporary Native American Hoop Dance celebrates the beauty of Mother Nature and all the gifts she gives us. As the dancer moves to the beat of Native drum and song, she weaves the hoops to create designs that represent elements of nature. Formations created during this performance represent animals such as the eagle, butterfly, horse, water serpent, and a native pueblo deity. Other formations include the flower, ladder of life, and Mother Earth. This dance serves as a reminder of Native American philosophy and obligations to protect and preserve this planet for those who come after us: our children and grandchildren.

As First Lady, Dr. Biden has visited several Tribal Nations and Native communities.

• April 2021: The First Lady visited the Navajo Nation. She gave a radio address to the Nation from Window Rock, met with Navajo women leaders, held a listening session with Navajo students, and thanked frontline workers at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
• July 2021: The First Lady visited the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska, to hear about how it serves Alaska Natives who live in Anchorage and rural communities across the state. Dr. Biden was briefed on the center's role in the COVID-19 response and vaccination effort, as well the role of telehealth in Alaska – particularly for rural Native communities.
• October 2021: The First Lady and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy visited the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan to hold a listening session on youth mental health and meet with families and educators.
• November 2021: The First Lady delivered remarks on Native language revitalization at the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit. She was introduced by several Native youth, who spoke in their Native languages.
• December 2021: The First Lady and Secretary Haaland visited the Cherokee Immersion School on the Cherokee Nation to highlight the importance of – and the Biden Administration's support for – Native language revitalization efforts. Dr. Biden met with students and educators and heard about the tribe's Cherokee language revitalization programs.
• March 2022: The First Lady and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra visited the San Xavier Health Clinic, a primary care outpatient clinic on the Tohono O'odham Nation, as part of the Biden Administration's Cancer Moonshot. Dr. Biden met with health care leaders about the tribe's cancer program and services, including its collaboration with the University of Arizona Cancer Center.

2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit:
In a few weeks, President Biden will host the next White House Tribal Nations Summit at the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. Since taking office, the President has prioritized strengthening Nation-to-Nation relationships, honoring trust and treaty obligations with federally-recognized Tribes, and advancing Tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Through the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act, the Administration is also making historic investments in Tribal communities. Building on the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, this year's Summit will be an opportunity for Tribal leaders to engage directly with senior administration officials on implementation of these key priorities, new policies, and other important issues facing Tribal communities.

FLOTUS pool report #2 - details of event

Dr. Biden entered the East Room with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland at 5:38 pm to loud whoops and cheers.

She started off by talking about the military service of Native Americans to the country and noted the first woman to die on the frontlines of Iraq was a Native American.

Dr. Biden: "I've seen that Native American's military service hasn't always been recognized as it should. Still, that hasn't stopped this community from serving at higher rates than any other group."

She talked about what the administration had done for the community, including funding from the infrastructure act, and noted the White House hosted a Tribal Youth Forum yesterday. She also reminded them the White House is hosting a Tribal Nations summit at the end of the month.

"President Biden is working every day to help this country reflect our shared values. He understands that representation isn't about checking a box, but about lifting up the voices we all need to hear," she said.

After FLOTUS and Secretary Haaland spoke, there was a hoop dance performed with a female dancer and a male flute player.

The flute player was Steve LaRance and his daughter, champion Native American hoop dancer ShanDien LaRance, was the dancer. The dance was part of a healing ceremony and Steve said it was dedicated to President Biden.

LaRance: "We dedicate this dance to President Joe Biden and hope he has success on his international travels and we pray for him."

The dance was quite intricate and involved the dancer twirling hoops around her limbs and making them into shapes.

Dr. Biden and Secretary Haaland watched it from the side of the room with Haaland taking several pics of it with her cell phone.

FLOTUS joined the two performers on stage afterwards. "You had the hard part," she told ShanDien LaRance.

Dr. Biden closed by inviting the crowd to a reception and left the room at 6:07 pm.

Spotted in the crowd: Rep. Sharice Davis