J O U R N A L O F A M E R I C A N I N D I A N E D U C A T I O N — 6 0 , I S S U E 3 123 Commentary Tribal Sovereignty Is Bestowed Upon Us by the Creator PHILIP J. STEVENS, WITH LOUIE LORENZO JR., AND MARTIN AHUMADA Afirst of its kind Tribal Nation Building in Higher Education Convening was held on the University of Idaho campus just days before the United States felt the full effect of the COVID- 19 pandemic .1 Dynamic discussions of tribal self- determination, growth, and space within the academia– specifically as a means to build a better tomorrow—were shared against an abstract backdrop. As Convening participants returned to where many would unknowingly shelter for the next year and a half, the importance of nation- building discussions became even more important as we witnessed the United States struggle to provide a meaningful response to a pandemic that began ravaging the nation in spring 2020. The dreams and nightmares of personal freedoms were unveiled as some citizens fought to determine the history of the pandemic as imaginary in nature and others saw the pandemic as a reminder of societal responsibilities to and respect for each other. In essence, the pandemic allowed us to see with extraordinary clarity that our actions cannot take place in isolation but must be a collective effort requiring proper guidance. We may choose to push a narrative that simply is the loudest, or we may choose to listen and act with communities as our guidance. For this commentary, I (Philip Stevens) dialogued with Louie Lorenzo (a San Carlos Apache spiritual leader and culturally based youth wellness leader), and Dr. Martin Ahumada (President of San Carlos Apache College, whose heritage includes the Indigenous Peoples of Northern Mexico) about their experiences “acting with community” and reflections on the pathways forward for building and strengthening the San Carlos Apache Nation post- COVID- 19 pandemic. Our dialog for this reflection occurred via 124 J O U R N A L O F A M E R I C A N I N D I A N E D U C A T I O N — 6 0 , I S S U E 3 written and oral communication in the spring of 2021. As a note of voice, I use first- person to synthesize our ideas and to share my own experiences related to Apache well- being. I use direct quotes to represent specific perspectives that my co- authors, Lorenzo and Ahumada, provided in conversation with me. Tribal Resilience in Times of COVID- 19 Many tribes felt the immediate effects of the virus. Dr. Anthony Fauci, an immunology specialist and director of the U.S. federal government’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stated that minoritized communities have felt “the undeniable effects of racism” (Associated Press, 2021) in the context of the Covid- 19 pandemic. “Now, very few of these comorbidities have racial determinants,” Fauci said. “Almost all relate to the social determinants of health dating back to disadvantageous conditions that some people of color find themselves in from birth regarding the availability of an adequate diet, access to health care, and the undeniable effects of racism in our society” (Associated Press, 2021, para. 4). On an economic level, the pandemic has also severely impacted many tribes’ ability to fund their response to the virus. As reported in The Harvard Gazette: Over the past few decades, Native American nations have increasingly taken on greater responsibility for providing a wide range of governmental services on their lands; in many instances the same services that state and local governments offer their citizens. Unlike state and local governments, however, the tribes cannot collect adequate taxes to pay for these operations, making them dependent on income from casinos and other enterprises to pay for law enforcement, public safety, and social services. (Mineo, 2020, para. 5) The fear of “tribalism” is as misplaced as the euphemism “Indian- giver”; perhaps the assignment of cultural fears is more telling of the culture than that of which it is assigned. Against the backdrop of colonialist assimilation strategies, the fear...