History will be made at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City, Iowa, on August 19-20, 2019, with the first-ever presidential election forum focused entirely on the concerns of Native Americans. Image courtesy Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum

National | Politics

Tune into the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum

Monday, August 19, 2019

By Acee Agoyo

The Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum is finally here! The historic 2020 event is taking place on Monday and Tuesday in Sioux City, Iowa, in the homelands of several tribes and a crossroads for Indian nations throughout the region.

For those in Sioux City, the Orpheum Theater at 528 Pierce Street is the place to be. For those elsewhere in Indian Country, a webcast will be made available by Four Directions, a Native advocacy organization and one of the hosts of the forum, at vimeo.com/fourdirectionsvote.

Indianz.Com is reporting from the event and we will also be following along with the livestream on Twitter @indianz. Use the hashtags #NativeForum, #NativeVote and #NativeVote2020 to join in on social media.

The official social media toolkit for the forum also suggests the following social media tags: #Decolonize #RoadToOneMillion #BallotAccess #SheRepresents #SHIFT #NativeCongress #VotingSince1948 #NativeVotesCount.

Altogether, a record 11 presidential candidates -- 10 Democrats and 1 Independent -- have confirmed their participation in the event. Here is the schedule for their appearances, all times Central:

Monday, August 19

9am - Marianne Williamson

10am - Elizabeth Warren

1pm - Special presentation

2pm - Amy Klobuchar

3pm - Steve Bullock

Tuesday, August 20

9:30am - Joe Sestak

11am - Mark Charles

1pm - John Delaney

2pm - Kamala Harris (via Skype)

3pm - Julián Castro

5pm - Bernie Sanders

6pm - Bill de Blasio

Please join Ho-Chunk Inc, https://t.co/0yYFAWzrcJ's parent corporation, and Big Fire Law & Policy Group, a Native owned and majority Native women owned firm, for a welcome reception at the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum. #NativeForum #NativeVote #NativeVote2020 pic.twitter.com/cfmInCsF1h
— indianz.com (@indianz) August 19, 2019

Tribal Leaders Reception

For those in town on Monday evening, please join Ho-Chunk Inc., the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe, and the Big Fire Law and Policy Group, a new legal firm that's 100 percent Native owned and one of the first to be majority owned by Native women, for a reception at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center's Pioneer Room from 6pm to 8pm, Central time. It's at 300 3rd Street, just a short walk from the Orpheum.

Big Fire is one of the co-sponsors of the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum. The firm will be welcoming tribal leaders and honored guests at the reception.

“Never before has our country had a presidential forum singularly dedicated to issues impacting tribal nations, it is long overdue, and Big Fire Law & Policy Group is happy to work with Four Directions, tribal leaders, and our tribal advocacy groups to be a part of this important change,” said Lance Morgan, an attorney and citizen of the Winnebago Tribe who is one of the partners at the firm.

“If we’re serious about tackling the biggest problems facing Indian Country, we need our voices to be heard, for the candidates to understand the serious issues tribal governments are facing and then have conversations about solutions," said Morgan, who also serves as president and chief executive officer of Ho-Chunk Inc. “This forum will create an important opportunity for candidates to hear directly from tribal leaders and Native voters.”

Ho-Chunk Inc. also owns Indianz.Com but the website operates independently and is not involved in the corporation's activities, or with the legal firm's involvement in the presidential forum.

Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum - Social Media

Save and share your news, thoughts and ideas about the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum with these graphics, courtesy of the organizers of the historic event.