Misunderstandings and a lack of information have plagued the
general public’s impression of American Indian issues for
centuries, but a symposium at the UCLA School of Law will attempt
to help the media convey tribal news more accurately.
An all-day symposium will allow the general public, media and
tribal groups to explore the challenges facing American Indians,
and work toward fostering a better understanding of tribal
concerns.
As tribal gaming practices have recently caught the attention of
the public, tribal issues have become more prevalent in the
media’s eye, said Duane Champagne, a professor at UCLA and
organizer of the event.
“Ten or 15 years ago, tribal groups were not on the radar
screen for the media and California conscience … but that’s
changed,” he said.
Many tribal issues, including self-governance policies and
protection of sacred sites, however, are often misrepresented by
the media, organizers say.
“There is a great deal of context ““ historical,
political, social and economic ““ that is really needed to
understand these issues.” said Carole Goldberg, UCLA law
professor and moderator of one of the panels.
Misconceptions often occur when tribal members are unfamiliar
with dealing with the press. Conversely, the media often looks at
incidents as isolated events without paying attention to their
broader context, resulting in an incomplete understanding of tribal
governments, Champagne said.
The symposium will consist of receptions, panel discussions and
opportunities for media and local tribes to exchange
information.
The agenda for the symposium includes panels such as
“Understanding Tribal Governments and Communities,”
which hopes to clarify the legal and social status of Californian
tribal groups and discuss the methods to instilling greater
awareness about tribal government.
Questions concerning the supply of adequate and accurate
information to the media and the type of context needed to address
the issues will be answered in a later panel titled,
“Supplying the Media with Expert Commentary on Tribal
Issues.”
The symposium is being sponsored by the UCLA Native Nations Law
and Policy Center, the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic
Development, and the California Nations Indian Gaming
Association.
Event will be held at the Northwest Campus Auditorium from 8
a.m. to 6 p.m. and is open to the public.