Indigenous Data Alliance Latest News and Upcoming Events |
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2026 U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty & Governance Summit More than 500 individuals gathered online and in person on the lands of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the traditional homelands of the Tohono O’odham Nation for the second U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance Summit. |
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Second U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty Summit Encourages Scholars, Leaders, and Data Warriors to 'Come Home' |
"The 2026 IDSov Summit, just the second of its kind in the U.S., welcomed a sold-out crowd to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s Casino Del Sol conference center, just like the inaugural event did two years before. The 2026 program included a full day of concurrent pre-conference events: a one-day seminar and workshop on Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance open only to Tribal leaders as well as the first-ever Indigenous Data Sovereignty Masterclass, from which more than 100 scholars and data actors graduated with certificates confirming their efforts. There was also a full day of conference activities in which scholars and data actors from all backgrounds were welcome, followed by a day and a half of Indigenous-only sessions, per popular demand. There were roundtable discussions, presentations on academic findings, conversations about data sovereignty and governance in practice, informal gatherings, and a series of regionally-focused gatherings organized by Indigenous people from beyond the lower 48, such as Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa." |
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As Data Becomes a Strategic Asset, Native Leaders Face a New Sovereignty Test |
"For more than a decade, Indigenous researchers and advocates have built frameworks to govern Native data. That work, long confined to academic circles, is now colliding with a broader shift in the economy. Artificial intelligence, precision health, federal data centralization efforts and global research demand are all accelerating the value of data — including data tied to Indigenous peoples, lands and cultures." |
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Data Control Will Shape the Next Phase of Tribal Sovereignty |
"Tribal nations are entering a new phase of sovereignty — one defined not just by land and resources, but by control over data. That shift was front and center at the U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty & Governance Summit 2026, where tribal leaders and researchers focused on a simple question: who controls the information that shapes policy, funding and perception?" |
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Save the Date: Upcoming June Conference |
Join Seattle University School of Law for the 9th Annual Innovation and Technology Law Conference, a virtual gathering exploring Indigenous Perspectives on AI: Appropriation, Regulation, and Innovation. |
Friday, June 5, 2025 | Virtual Event | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. PDT |
Panels will explore the historical and ongoing impacts of cultural appropriation in technological development, the ethical and legal dimensions of Indigenous data governance, and the evolving role of Tribal sovereignty in shaping AI regulation. The conference also highlights forward-looking innovation, featuring Indigenous technologists and scholars who are actively building new models grounded in community, accountability, and self-determination. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how law and policy can better align with Indigenous rights and perspectives in the age of artificial intelligence — and why these perspectives are essential to building more equitable technological futures. Featured panelists include including Indigenous Data Alliance team members: Stephanie Russo Carroll and Desi Small-Rodriguez, who will speak on Data Sovereignty and the Ethics of AI, and Lydia Jennings, who will speak on Ethical Natural Resource Use and AI. |
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Indigenous Data Alliance Webinar Series |
Catch Up on the Full Webinar Season — Recordings Available on YouTube |
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The Indigenous Data Alliance webinar season has officially wrapped up, and we extend our sincere thanks to everyone who joined us throughout the series. We are excited to return in August with a new lineup of webinars and conversations focused on Indigenous data sovereignty, governance, and innovation. In the meantime, all webinar recordings are available to watch for free through the Indigenous Data Alliance YouTube Channel. Whether you missed a session or want to revisit past discussions, we invite you to explore and share these resources with your networks. |
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Relational Infrastructures for Sovereign Data Storage: Te Pa Tuwatawata Zine |
This zine explores how Indigenous communities are carrying data sovereignty forward through the design of data storage technologies grounded in their own governance systems, relationships, and ways of knowing. Through a Māori-led case study, it offers an example of how infrastructure can be shaped by Indigenous processes and values rather than settler colonial frameworks. |
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IDSov Masterclass Booklet |
For all Masterclass participants in the US Indigenous Data Sovereignty & Governance Summit 2026 |
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Relational Science Podcast |
Hosted by WN. Flores and Sierra Hicks |
"Relational Science" is a thought-provoking podcast that delves into the intricate web of relationality in the realms of knowledge, data, information, and technology. Join PhD students WariNkwi Flores and Sierra Hicks as they engage in insightful dialogues with researchers, exploring systems of knowledge production and tackling pressing questions about our futures, pasts, and presents. New episodes are released monthly, and embark on a journey of discovery and understanding through the lens of biocomplexity systems, self-determination, sovereign praxes, and data & AI central dogma. |
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Join us in furthering the movement and strengthening our impact: |
As a Summit Sponsor you become a key supporter of our collective efforts on Indigenous data governance and enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ laws, policies, and systems for our shared data futures. |
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