Dive Brief:
- President Barack Obama will visit Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Nation in Cannon Ball, ND, on Friday, where he is expected to present plans for boosting education and economics for the Native American population.
- This is the president's first time visiting a reservation since entering the Oval Office, and according to the White House, the trip is meant to show his commitment to "upholding our strong and crucial nation-to-nation relationship."
- Friday's announcement is expected to cover topics such as reform measures for the Bureau of Indian Education, ways for tribal schools to get high-speed internet, and methods for teacher training.
Dive Insight:
According to the White House, the trip deals with the president's desire to advance the rights of Native Americans. Drugs, alcohol, poverty, and high infant mortality rates have become commonplace in many reservations, indicating the harm done to the native population over the years, as well as the need to help bring greater education attention and resources to these regions.