Ben & Jerry’s ice cream received criticism after the company said “stolen Indigenous land” in the United States should be returned to Native Americans. Instead of trying to unite everyone with a patriotic message on the Fourth of July, the Vermont-based company composed a tweet arguing the U.S. should “commit to returning” the land it sits on. “This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it,” Ben & Jerry’s tweeted.
A college grant program for tribal students in Oregon received an extension in this year’s budget. The Oregon Tribal Student Grant was funded with $24 million. It covers costs for members of the state’s nine federally recognized tribes to attend college in Oregon. Sandy Henry, education director for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, said students in her tribe who received the grant last year felt a financial burden was lifted. “This program has opened doors for them, has relieved some of the stress of trying to be a full-time student and a full-time employee and balancing that,” Henry observed. “This is helping alleviate that.” According to the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission, only 45% of Native American students complete a bachelor’s degree within six years, compared to 68% of all students.
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News center.
