Tuesday, June 23, 2015

NNABA Director GABE GALANDA to Advocate for Curing The Tribal Disenrollment Epidemic in Phoenix - Press Release


Phoenix, AZ - On Friday, June 26, 2015, NNABA Director Gabe Galanda will present his recently published Arizona Law Review article Curing the Tribal Disenrollment Epidemic: In Search of a Remedy.

The article, authored by Galanda and Ryan Dreveskracht, provides a comprehensive analysis of tribal membership, and the divestment thereof—commonly known as “disenrollment.” Chiefly caused by the proliferation of Indian gaming revenue distributions to tribal members over the last 25 years, the rate of tribal disenrollment has spiked to epidemic proportions. There is generally not yet an adequate legal remedy to stem the crisis or redress related Indian civil rights violations. Galanda’s goal is to find a cure, before it is too late.

“It is incumbent upon Indian Country to break the silence regarding the tribally taboo subject of disenrollment,” said Galanda. “If we don’t ask and answer tough questions about tribal belonging, others in the Congress or courts will do so, and we won’t like their answers. Candid tribal discussion and education will also lead to preventing further tribal self-termination.”

Read the full article HERE.

In April, NNABA, through Resolution 2015-6 “Supporting Equal Protection and Due Process for Any Divestment of the American Indigenous Right of Tribal Citizenship,” declared that it is immoral and unethical for any lawyer to advocate for or contribute to the divestment or restriction of the American indigenous right of tribal citizenship, without equal protection at law or due process of law or an effective remedy for the violation of such rights.

“I am proud that our national tribal bar has taken the lead in causing civil discourse within Indian Country about the human rights violations associated with disenrollment,” said Galanda.

The 2015 NABA-AZ Annual Meeting will be held at the Capital Grille in Phoenix, AZ, at Noon this Friday. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Kerry Patterson at kpatterson@lrrlaw.com. Click HERE to learn more about NABA-AZ.

Galanda is a founding partner Galanda Broadman, PLLC, a Seattle-based American Indian owned law firm dedicated to advancing tribal legal rights and Indian business interests. Gabe can be reached at gabe@galandabroadman.com or at (206) 300-7801.

Founded in 1973, NNABA serves as the national association for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NNABA strives for justice and effective legal representation for all American indigenous peoples; fosters the development of Native American lawyers and judges; and addresses social, cultural and legal issues affecting American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great to have them notice the heinous acts these leaders and their lawyers committing when they disenroll their own people. The fact that they are standing up against it is so inspiring, thank you for getting involved and showing there are still true Natives out there.

Anonymous said...

It's nice to see a high profile attorney to step up.

It would be nicer still to see more of the aggrieved Indians stand up too.

Anonymous said...

Some of the Lawyers and firms that help to continue the disenrollment problem and do not care if they ruin the Individual Indians lives are HOWARD DICKSTEIN (one of the first to start the whole idea that it could be done and all they had to claim is sovereignty), LAW OFFICES OF FRANK LAWRENCE, THE ROSETTE LAW FIRM, and DENTON'S PUBLIC LAW PRACTICE where Sara Dutschke is a member. These and others are also part of the problem they are just as responsible for the Disenrollments, these firms need to be gone, and the idea of pressing disenrollments as being ok needs to be changed. Lawyers should face fraud and corruption charges or at be released from the BAR Association, they have done a dishonesty to their oath. Any members from Pechanga that feel Marc's brother John practiced law without really being a lawyer can lodge a complaint against him because that fraud was directly geared towards you, he should be in jail for misrepresentation or impersonation.

Anonymous said...

This is a movement in the right direction. When tribal sovereignty is associated with hate crimes against Native peoples, finally Natives are standing together. Tribes that abuse their members are being called out by Indian Country for what they do. They are an embarrassment to themselves, to the tribe, all of Indian Country and the entire world. The globe is tired of hearing of the hate crimes in Indian Country.

Anonymous said...

Excellent example of what can happen when lawyers, honest and ethical advocate for the oppressed.

You won't see NARF attorneys or ACLU attorneys helping abused Native Americans.

Anonymous said...

That sara duschbag studied tribal disenrollment as part of her law degree. She has really harmed the true native people by her wrong doings and really should be disbarred from practicing law in the state of California.