Advocating for Native American Rights, A 50+ Year Journey Still Underway with John Echohawk

John Echohawk and the Native American Rights Fund successfully assert and defend the most important rights of Indians and tribes in hundreds of major cases.

MONTEREY/SANTA BARBARA, CA, UNITED STATES, January 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- SideBar podcast on The Legal Talk Network welcomes John Echohawk, attorney and Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). Echohawk was the first graduate of the University of New Mexico’s special program to train Indian lawyers and has served continuously as NARF's Executive Director since 1977. The Native American Rights Fund provides legal assistance to Native American tribes and individuals who otherwise may have gone without adequate representation.

Cohost Jackie Gardina noted that, “As we highlight the work of lawyers and community leaders who exemplify our theme of "Optimism in Action", we are so pleased to highlight the work of John Echohawk. John has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal and has received numerous service awards and other recognition for his leadership in the Indian law field including the prestigious 2023 Thurgood Marshall Award from the American Bar Association.”

For more than five decades, John and NARF have successfully asserted and defended the most important rights of Indians and tribes in hundreds of major cases and have achieved significant results in such critical areas as tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, natural resource protection, voting rights, and Indian education.

Cohost Mitch Winick pointed out that, “Most of us, including most lawyers, have no real appreciation of what a long battle it has been to develop the complex body of Indian Law and then to defend Native American rights under those laws.”

NARF has impacted tens of thousands of Native Americans in its work for more than 300 tribes. Some examples of the results include:
• Protecting and establishing the inherent sovereignty of tribes;
• Obtaining official tribal recognition for numerous Indian tribes;
• Helping tribes continue their ancient traditions, by protecting their rights to hunt, fish, and use the water on their lands;
• Upholding Native American religious freedom;
• Assuring the return of remains and burial goods from museums and historical societies for proper and dignified re-burial; and
• Protecting voting rights of Native Americans.

To listen to John Echohawk’s SideBar Season Three episode with law deans Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick, hear previous episodes, read our blog, learn about future guests, and to contact the co-hosts with ideas, comments, or questions, go to www.sidebarmedia.org.

Mitchel Winick
MONTEREY COLLEGE OF LAW
+1 831-241-8999
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