Office of Public Engagement Blog

Tribal Input and Agency Plans to Implement the Executive Order on Tribal Consultation

Posted by Jodi Gillette on December 14, 2009 at 7:54 PM EST

Ed. Note: the list of agency contacts below was updated on January 6, 2010.

As part of the President Obama's commitment to regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with federally recognized Indian tribes, we are pleased to update you on the implementation of the Presidential Memorandum on Tribal Consultation, which the President signed during the White House Tribal Nations Conference on November 5, 2009. The President directed federal agencies to develop plans to implement Executive Order 13175, "Consultation and Coordination with Tribal Governments." These plans are to be developed after consultation with Indian tribes and must be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget by February 3, 2010.

Through interagency coordination and other methods, agencies are presently seeking input from tribal leaders. For example, the Department of the Interior initiated a series of consultations starting on December 1, 2009. The Department of Justice is conducting teleconference calls with tribes; please visit their website for a complete schedule of calls. Through national conference calls and in writing, the Department of Homeland Security is requesting tribal input on a draft consultation policy and a plan. The Department of Veterans Affairs is also requesting written tribal input. The Department of Labor will be hosting two national consultations; more details can be found on their website.

Please communicate with the agencies directly for more information, and please click here (pdf) if you would like the latest list of agency contacts.

For general questions, please email GeneralTribalIGA@dsr.eop.gov. We encourage you to participate in these ongoing discussions, and we look forward to working together to strengthen the Nation-to-Nation relationship.

Jodi Gillette is with the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Another Giant Step Forward for America's Children

Posted by Kareem Dale on December 10, 2009 at 9:39 AM EST

Nearly seven months ago, approximately 50 disability advocates, representatives of national teacher organizations, other education professionals and Administration officials gathered at the White House to discuss restraint and seclusion in schools. President Obama and his Administration are committed to ensuring that every child learns in a safe and secure school environment. Improper use of restraint and seclusion techniques to subdue children deemed by teachers as unruly or otherwise disruptive disproportionately affects children with disabilities, many of whom fall victim to instructors and care-givers who lack proper training.

The Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act, introduced by House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Senator Chris Dodd, will protect all children from harmful and improper types of restraint and seclusion. We applaud Senator Dodd, Chairman Miller, and Representative McMorris Rodgers for their hard work and their commitment to protecting children.

Working in collaboration with these members of Congress, President Obama's Administration is committed to ending harmful restraint and seclusion. On July 31, after Congressional hearings on the subject, Education Secretary Arne Duncan wrote to all Chief State School Officers, urging them to review their current policies and guidelines regarding the use of restraint and seclusion techniques in schools and, if appropriate, develop or revise them to ensure student safety

On Tuesday, Secretary Duncan wrote to Senator Dodd, Chairman Miller and Representative McMorris Rodgers, applauding them for identifying key legislative principles and committing to work with Congress. Secretary Duncan's recommendations align well with the legislation they have introduced, and provide an important blueprint for the Administration, Congress and advocates to work together to protect America's children.

This much-needed legislation illustrates that, when we work together to find common ground, we can overcome any hurdle. We look forward to working with Congress, advocates, teachers, and education professionals to ensure that all of America's children can learn in a safe, secure environment.

Kareem Dale is an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement and Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy

Learn more about Disabilities
The 540th Anniversary of the Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Posted by Darron P. Monteiro on November 20, 2009 at 6:02 PM EST

On Friday we hosted a reception commemorating the 540^th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first guru in Sikhism. It was the first time that this holiday has ever been celebrated at the White House. Members of the Sikh community from around the country were invited to celebrate the occasion with traditional hymns led by the Sikh Kirtani Chanters from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India. Several administration officials were in attendance, including Dr. John Holdren (Office of Science & Technology Policy), Tina Tchen (Office of Public Engagement), Michael Strautmanis (Chief of Staff to Valerie Jarrett), Adolfo Carrion (Urban Affairs), and Nancy Anne DeParle (Health Reform).

Representatives from the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, United Sikhs, and other grassroots leaders came together to recognize the important contributions of Sikhs to our national life. The first Sikhs arrived as laborers in the western United States around 1899 and gradually moved around the country. They went on to become owners of successful businesses, serve honorably in the U.S. military in both world wars and other conflicts, lawyers, doctors, bankers, and members of many other professions.

Photo Credit: Yvonne Miller

Photo Credit: Yvonne Miller

Photo Credit: Yvonne Miller

Darron P. Monteiro is the Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Day by Day, Law by Law, Mind by Changing Mind

Posted by Brian Bond on October 23, 2009 at 3:53 PM EST

"These ideals, when voiced by generations of citizens, are what made it possible for me to stand here today. These ideals are what made it possible for the people in this room to live freely and openly when for most of history that would have been inconceivable. That is the promise of America. That is the promise we are called to fulfill. And day by day, law by law, mind by changing mind, that is the promise we are fulfilling."
– President Obama, HRC National Dinner, October 10, 2009

I came to work in the White House because I thought I'd be able to change people's lives in real and tangible ways here. I believed that President Barack Obama would not only be the type of leader who would bring about real change, but also that he would put in place a team of committed public servants across the federal government -- smart and gifted leaders, straight and gay, women and men, as diverse as America -- who would work tirelessly to improve the lives of all Americans, including the LGBT community. And I haven’t been disappointed.

I know many don’t think things are changing fast enough. The President shares your urgency. This month, speaking at the HRC National Dinner, he said "while progress may be taking longer than you’d like as a result of all that we face... do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach."

While our long-term focus is on major legislative goals like repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell and DOMA, passing an employment non-discrimination act, and providing domestic partner benefits for federal employees, we are also working daily to find ways to make life a little better and a little fairer for LGBT Americans.

We saw this very clearly this week: HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced a series of proposals to ensure that HUD’s core housing programs are open to all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity; he also commissioned the first-ever national study of discrimination against members of the LGBT community in the rental and sale of housing.

On the same day, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a plan to establish the nation’s first ever national resource center to assist communities across the country in their efforts to provide services and support for older LGBT Americans.

And just a few weeks ago, the Administration on Aging at HHS issued its first ever grant to an LGBT Aging Services Program through its Community Innovations for Aging in Place initiative to the LA Gay and Lesbian Community Center.

Every day so many of us working in the Obama Administration ask: How can we ensure that our time here makes the lives of LGBT Americans living across this country safer, fairer, and a little better? We know how much work is ahead of us. Some items will take longer than others. But the shift since January is clear, and progress at every level will continue.

Day by day, law by law, mind by changing mind. That is the promise we are fulfilling.

Brian Bond is Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement

Learn more about Civil Rights
White House Engagement with the Native Hawaiian Community

Posted by Kalpen Modi on September 1, 2009 at 1:42 PM EST

Furthering the President's commitment to taking the administration beyond the beltway and making the White House more accessible to all Americans, the Office of Public Engagement reached more than 150 organizations that made up and attended the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement Convention this past week. We participated in numerous roundtables with community leaders and visited with members of the Native Hawaiian community.

As the President said in his August 21st Proclamation recognizing the 50th Anniversary of Hawaii's statehood, "The Aloha Spirit of Hawaii offers hope and opportunity for all Americans. Growing up in Hawaii, I learned from its diversity how different cultures blend together into one population -- proud of their personal heritage and made stronger by their shared sense of community. Our youngest State, Hawaii faces many of the same challenges other States face throughout our country, and it represents the opportunity we all have to grow and learn from each other."

Community center mural painted by the talented youth of Papakolea. Photo credit: Lilia Kapuniai, CNHA

Among the 20 groups represented at a discussion session were folks from the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, The Kamehameha Schools, Native Hawaiian Bar Association, Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, Punana Leo, Native Hawaiian Educational Council, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Papa Ola Lokahi, (Native Hawaiian Health Care). Topics of conversation included a general briefing of each organization’s work in the areas of data, housing, renewable energy, business, education, and health care, as well as a discussion on ways in which the White House and community could work together as the administration moves forward with its priorities.

The White House attended meetings and roundtables with community groups and officials from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Commerce/SBA, at the 8th Annual Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement convention. Remarks were delivered at an afternoon session where the White House reiterated the President’s commitment to the core policy goals of S. 1011 and H.R. 2314 (The Administration is continuing to work with the Committee and sponsors as specific language relating to the bill further evolves),and discussed clean energy, education, the recovery act, and the current priority - health reform.

A sign at the Halau Ku Mana Public Charter School. Photo credit: Lilia Kapuniai, CNHA

Since 2000 alone, average family premiums have increased by 56% in Hawaii, and with nearly 8% of the population of Hawaii living with diabetes, health reform was a topic on everyone’s mind. But with the rate of diabetes among the Native Hawaiian population at twice that of non-natives (and since diabetes is one of the many conditions that insurance companies can currently use to deny coverage to individuals), this frank discussion on the dire need for health reform was a crucial part of the afternoon. Health reform includes increased access for all Americans, including Native communities, and will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage based on health. It will also end discrimination that charges folks more if they’re ill or female, and will reduce costs for families, businesses, and government, all of which is good news for everyone.

A meeting with the young leaders of the Native Hawaiian community followed the convention sessions. We were also warmly welcomed by folks at the Papakolea Community Center, who briefed us on the center’s rich history and broad scope of their mission, including health and human services programs, community activities, and afterschool programs. The students, teachers, and administrators at the Halau Ku Mana Public Charter School welcomed us to their campus, briefed us on the Native Hawaiian comprehensive and holistic approach to education, and shared the Aloha spirit with us.

Papakolea Community Center children’s recreation area. Photo credit: Lilia Kapuniai, CNHA

Like the meetings, both site visits included discussions on the perseverance of the native Hawaiian people, challenges facing the Native Hawaiian community, and ways in which the White House might work with the community to find common solutions to our common challenges.

Kalpen Modi is an Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Presidential Messages on Independence of Pakistan and India

Posted by Kalpen Modi on August 18, 2009 at 9:56 AM EST

This past weekend, the President issued two Messages: one on the Independence of Pakistan, and the other on Indian Independence. The Messages discuss the shared history among freedom fighters in India, Pakistan, and the United States, and address the many ways in which Americans of Pakistani and Indian descent contribute to the mosaic of American life. Take a look below:

INDIA INDEPENDENCE DAY

MESSAGE

As Indians stood ready to claim their own fate on August 15, 1947, Prime Minister Nehru declared that a "tryst with destiny," forged years ago, would finally be fulfilled. His words recalled a history of struggle and future filled with hope. Today, sixty-two years since this appraisal, his words still exemplify India’s ongoing journey as it strives to reach new heights.

The history to which the Prime Minister alluded took root in a decades-long struggle for independence. In the 19^th century, efforts to challenge aspects of colonial rule reached climaxes in the 1857 rebellion and the founding of the Indian National Congress. The struggle culminated in the civil disobedience movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, and the cause of independence achieved its goal when British rule ended peacefully. Praising Gandhi’s leadership of this movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. remarked, "if this age is to survive, it must follow the way of love and non-violence that he so nobly illustrated in his life."

India has attained unprecedented milestones as its democracy has matured. Boasting a vast diversity of ethnicities and languages, India constitutes the largest democratic union the world has ever known. Indian politics have given voice to women and countless minorities, and have demonstrated that Indians stand unified in their commitment to human dignity.

Economically, India is also forging a new path. Fulfilling the promise of internationally-competitive institutes of higher education, Indian professionals are leading their nation into a new phase of growth. From Bangalore to Boston, Indian scientists, engineers, and thinkers are generating ideas and prosperity that improve and save lives across India and the globe. In Bollywood and Hollywood, Indians contribute to films that captivate audiences in every corner of the world. As the Indian economy continues along this promising road, millions are being lifted out of poverty and are carrying the hope for a brighter future.

This vibrant and promising India has a natural friend in the United States. Our people are bound by common values and ideals, and Indian Americans contribute to all aspects of American life. Our fates are tied by the interconnected nature of our world and a shared vision of peace, prosperity, and respect for human rights. Marking Indian Independence Day, the United States and its people celebrate the realization of the vision Prime Minister Nehru described and the bright future it continues to portend for the people of India.

PAKISTAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

MESSAGE

At the stroke of midnight on August 14, 1947, a new Nation emerged from the plateaus of Balochistan and the mountains of the North West Frontier Province. More than one hundred years after colonial rule had arrived, it departed. The Quaid-i-Azam would later explain, "The story of Pakistan, its struggle and its achievement, is the very story of great human ideals..." Over the course of its history, Pakistan has encountered and overcome great challenges, and Pakistanis have brought life to the great ideals that Muhammad Ali Jinnah described.

In the earliest days of the Independence Movement, Muslims, Hindus, and other religious groups banded together to turn back the yoke of British rule. In the early 20th century, many Muslims began to pursue a separate homeland for the subcontinent’s Muslims. This pursuit, lead by the Muslim League, ultimately pointed a people towards self-determination and, out of this effort, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was born.

Since its founding, Pakistan has changed a great deal, but its people still carry forward the proud traditions of their forbears. The unmistakable rhythm of the qawwali and melody of the ghazal reverberate and inspire audiences in Pakistan and across the globe. Pakistani artists and poets elucidate the human experience as they explore time-honored themes such as devotion and love. World-class cricket, field hockey, and polo players participate in regional and international competitions, impressing all those who witness their skill.

The United States has been a friend to Pakistan over the course of much of this storied history, and the American and Pakistani people share deep ties and common aspirations. Americans and Pakistanis have both made sacrifices in the service of justice, democracy, opportunity, and the rule of law. Our Nation knows well the heritage of Pakistanis because of our own proud Pakistani American populations. Living in cities large and small, from the shores of New York to the sands of Hawaii, Pakistani Americans enrich our Nation’s diversity. Their professional contributions, family values, and religious traditions have strengthened our economy and enriched our culture.

As Pakistan enters the next chapter in its history, the United States supports the great human ideals to which we both aspire. Our children deserve the opportunity to receive an education and to achieve their dreams. Our families deserve the right to live freely in peace, to practice their faith without fear of insecurity, and to enjoy respect for the full range of their human rights. Today, as we mark the proud birth of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the American people recognize our common future, and reaffirm our unyielding support for Pakistan’s democratic institutions and the Pakistani people. Working together, we can ensure that Pakistan rises above its challenges just as it has so many times before.

Kalpen Modi is Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement

Learn more about Foreign Policy