top of page

Letter from ATNI President Leonard Forsman

Dear Tribal Leaders and other ATNI members, supporters and volunteers:


Welcome to our 2025 Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) Winter Conference in the home of our corporate office, the ATNI Embassy, in Portland, Oregon. The ATNI Winter Convention is traditionally an opportunity for our tribal leaders to develop strategies to address coming challenges and prospects to our initiatives that include protecting natural and cultural resources, tribal sovereignty, protecting children and elders, preserving our languages, and promoting economic development.


The new Administration and Congress in Washington DC will present both threats and opportunities for us as sovereign tribal nations.  We will continue to rely on our cultural and spiritual traditions, the lessons of our elders and tradition of Northwest tribal unity to push back against threats like budget cuts or program eliminations that undermine the Federal trust responsibility to our tribal nations.


We will also need to continue to share strategies on how we can successfully engage with our state and local governments to support protecting our tribal interests and priorities.  Our local relationships are key for us protecting our sovereignty and we need to continue to “tell your story,” to our neighbors.


Our general session agenda, committee meetings and breakout sessions are tailored to encourage discussion and policy development that support our tribal vision for the future.  I encourage you to participate and if you are able, to volunteer to lead or assist the committee of your choice. 

Our staff, led by our Executive Director Amber Schulz-Oliver, are prepared to make this conference a success.


I wish you a happy new year and best wishes to your family and your tribal community in 2025.  Please enjoy yourselves and renew, or establish new, connections during your time in “Rip City.”

 

Leonard Forsman

ATNI President




コメント


ATNI 2025 WINTER 
CONVENTION

atni triangles white and red.png

Hilton Downtown Portland

921 SW 6th Ave

Portland, OR 97204

Copyright ©2025 Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians

bottom of page