BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT, Utah, Nov. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition (BEITC) was recognized nationally for excellence by the Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s prestigious Honoring Nations Awards. The announcement recognizes BEITC’s groundbreaking leadership in Indigenous stewardship, Inter-Tribal governance and the collaborative management of Bears Ears National Monument.
The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition was honored by Harvard’s Honoring Nations Awards for advancing Indigenous-led stewardship, cultural protection, and Tribal–federal collaboration in the management of Bears Ears National Monument. [L-R] Charissa Miijessepe-Wilson (Prairie Band Potawatomi/Kickapoo) presents at NCAI; BEITC spotlighted at the awards ceremony; Charissa and Davina Smith (Diné) accept the award on behalf of the Coalition.
Founded by the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Zuni Tribe, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, the Coalition was honored for advancing a model of Tribal collaboration, cultural stewardship, and consensus-based decision-making rooted in Traditional Knowledge.
“This award affirms what our elders and leaders have taught us, that Indigenous governance is powerful, effective, and necessary,” said Anthony Sanchez Jr., Head Councilman of the Zuni Tribe and Co-Chair of the BEITC. “Our work at Bears Ears is about responsibility, healing, and protecting the cultural legacy of our Nations for future generations. For the Zuni people, these lands hold the footprints of our ancestors, and it is our duty to care for them with reverence and humility.”
One major milestone considered by the Harvard Project was the 2025 finalization of the Bears Ears Resource Management Plan, the first management plan to implement Tribal–federal collaborative management for a U.S. national monument. The plan, shaped by the Bears Ears Commission and grounded in Traditional Knowledge, affirms the role of Tribal Nations as co-stewards of their ancestral homelands. Through initiatives like youth leadership programs, cultural landscape protection, and educational partnerships, BEITC’s model is already inspiring other Indigenous efforts across the country.
The Honoring Nations award is the premier national recognition of Tribal governance excellence, administered by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center. As an honoree, BEITC joins 142 alumni awardees and receives national recognition.
“This recognition belongs to our entire Coalition, the five Tribes have stood together and continue to lead with vision and care,” said Davina Smith (Diné), Co-Chair of the BEITC. “I’m deeply grateful to our partner organizations, agency partners, and all who have supported our shared mission. Most of all, thank you to the Tribal members, leaders, and knowledge holders of the Hopi, Zuni, Ute Mountain Ute, Ute Indian Tribe, and Navajo Nation. Your prayers, strength, and teachings make this work possible. This is what stewardship can look like when Tribes help shape the future of the lands they’ve cared for since time immemorial.”
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the outstanding programs recognized by the 2025 Honoring Nations awards,” said Charissa Miijessepe-Wilson (Prairie Band Potawatomi/Kickapoo), Director of the BEITC. “Each of these initiatives reflects the strength, innovation, and deep cultural grounding of Tribal governance in action. From language revitalization to food sovereignty, environmental stewardship to intergovernmental partnerships, these projects are powerful examples of Indigenous leadership meeting the moment. We’re honored to be in your company and inspired by your work.”
This year’s High Honors awards recognized the transformative leadership of the Cherokee Nation, whose tribally affiliated medical school is reshaping rural and Tribal healthcare; the Jicarilla Apache Nation, whose water-sharing agreement strengthens ecological stewardship and Tribal sovereignty; and the Lummi Nation, whose Sche’lang’en Village provides a powerful model of healing, reunification, and culturally grounded wrap-around services. We celebrate their achievements and the powerful momentum of Indigenous governance across Indian Country.
Learn more about the Honoring Nations program at https://ash.harvard.edu/
About the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition (BEITC):
The BEITC is a fiscally sponsored project of the Resources Legacy Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Founded by the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Zuni Tribe, and Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, the Coalition supports the Bears Ears Commission in leading the first-ever Tribal–federal collaborative management of a national monument.
Through advocacy, cultural stewardship, youth engagement, and the integration of Traditional Indigenous Knowledge into land management, BEITC works to protect the Bears Ears cultural landscape and ensure that future generations of Tribal people remain connected to their ancestral homelands. Follow the Coalition on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.
SOURCE Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition
