Women's History Month: Deb Haaland
“Deb Haaland, center, the former congresswoman from New Mexico, chose a ribbon skirt and moccasins for her swearing in as Secretary of the Interior. Credit...Kenny Holston for The New York Times”
Making history for both women and Native Americans, Deb Haaland is no stranger to breaking ground for Indigenous women. A member of the Pueblo of Laguna, as well as having some Jemez Pueblo heritage, Haaland is a 35th generation New Mexican who as a politician has been active in the protection of both Indigenous peoples and the environment.
Haaland served as the first-ever Native American woman to head a state party after running for the Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico in 2014. In 2016, she became one of the first Native American politicians to be elected to Congress to represent the first district of New Mexico. During her time as a politician, her focuses have been to serve and protect Native communities, as well as to push forward on Environmental and Climate Change legislation, as well. Her involvement in the push for climate mitigation made her a top pick for newly elected President Joe Biden’s cabinet.
In a historic move, the president picked Haaland to be his elect for the Cabinet Secretary of the Interior, making her the first-ever Native American to be chosen by a U.S president to serve in the presidential cabinet. On March 15th, 2021, Haaland was officially sworn in as the first Native American Secretary of the Interior in history. Haaland has been a catalyst in creating space in U.S politics to amplify Native American voices in the way that they deserve to be. She has and will continue to help pave the way for better intersectionality in politics for Indigenous peoples.
Article by Regan Lenihan
References:
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/highwayhistory/peratrovich.cfm. About: Deb Haaland.
Eilperin, Juliet. Grandoni, Dino. Dennis, Brady. With Historic picks, Biden puts environmental justice front and center. Web. The Washington Post, December 17, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/17/deb-haaland-interior-secretary-biden/
Rott, Nathan. Deb Haaland Confirmed As 1st Native American Interior Secretary. Web. NPR, March 15, 2021. https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977558590/deb-haaland-confirmed-as-first-native-american-interior-secretary
Congresswoman Deb Haaland Official Photo