In 2017, the City of Portland established its Tribal Relations Program, marking a significant move in a city renowned for having one of the largest Native populations in the U.S. The initiative aimed to strengthen long-ignored relationships between Tribal and city governments, signaling a crucial step forward.
The program quickly became a model for cities across the nation, demonstrating how to improve relations with Tribal leaders and Native residents. However, a series of staffing cuts, political neglect, and tumultuous firings has severely diminished the office’s effectiveness. Currently, with the office remaining vacant for over seven months, numerous programs and projects are stalled.
As Portland transitions to a new form of governance, city leaders are set to hire yet another director for the struggling office. Indigenous community leaders and Tribal officials see this as a potential turning point, provided city leaders are open to listening. William Miller, executive director of the NAYA Action Fund, voiced frustrations regarding the city’s lack of engagement with the Native community, hinting at a feeling of division.
The Indigenous community’s patience is running thin as they confront the possibility of continued setbacks, which could result in legal disputes over treaty rights. Laura John, the former head of the Tribal Relations office for five years, cautioned that failure to fulfill commitments to Native people could tarnish Portland’s reputation and lead to further harm.
The land at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers has been home to numerous Native nations since time immemorial. Following the forceful occupation of this land by settlers in the mid-1800s, the city of Portland has struggled to build trust with sovereign Tribal leaders and Indigenous residents. An historical letter from the city’s police chief to then-mayor Henry Failing in 1866 exemplified this neglect, expressing concerns over an indigenous camp outside city limits without offering any support. The archives reveal no further information about the fate of that group.
A century later saw an influx of Native residents arriving in Portland due to the federal government’s policies during the Termination Era, which stripped support from reservations and encouraged assimilation into urban environments. Observing the struggles faced by newly arrived Native residents, city officials attempted to establish an Urban Indian Program in the early 1970s aimed at improving healthcare, education, and job opportunities. However, the plan failed to gain traction.
Fast forward to the 2010s, the city revisited its relationship with Native residents amidst a series of missteps. Former city commissioner Amanda Fritz recalled instances where city officials, unaware of Tribes’ legal rights, engaged in miscommunication and legal disputes, illustrating the need for a structured approach to interacting with Tribal governments.
In 2012, Fritz spearheaded a non-binding city resolution to formalize cooperation with Tribal governments. This effort eventually led to the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Portland in 2015, and by 2017, the city hired its first full-time Tribal liaison, marking the establishment of the Tribal Relations Program. Laura John, appointed as the program’s first manager, recognized the importance of fostering connections both with Tribal leaders and the broader Native community.
Under John’s leadership, the program made significant strides, establishing Tribal liaisons across city bureaus, creating treaty rights training, and implementing policies mandating police recognition of Tribal court orders for victim protection. The inaugural Tribal Nations Summit in 2018 brought together officials from seven Tribal governments, marking a historic moment of collaboration.
Unfortunately, the momentum waned during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a withdrawal of city commitments to the program. A 2021 deadline for implementing a land acknowledgment statement and other commitments lapsed without any substantial progress. In 2023, city officials appointed former Metro Councilor Sam Chase, a non-Native, to oversee the Tribal Relations Program. During this transition, John faced challenges arising from her health and work-related stress, eventually resigning after being placed on a performance improvement plan.
Chase’s controversial handling of John’s situation sparked criticism, with observers questioning the city’s understanding of the program’s complexities. Following John’s departure, the program continued to flounder, with subsequent managers leaving shortly after their appointments. Adam Becenti, a Diné and the fourth manager in this role, faced challenges in rebuilding trust with Tribal leaders amid the city’s ongoing instability in Tribal relations.
Chase’s firing of Becenti after just five months only worsened relations, creating new doubts within the Native community regarding the city’s intentions. Becenti expressed discontent with the city’s prioritizing internal interests rather than addressing the needs of Tribal communities. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and mutual respect in fostering meaningful relationships with tribes.
As the city now considers restructuring the Tribal Relations Program, concerns remain regarding the division of responsibilities between liaising with Tribal governments and engaging Native Portlanders. City officials announced plans to hire a new Tribal Relations manager while contemplating the creation of a separate position for community engagement.
JR Lilly, the Tribal relations liaison for Multnomah County, articulated the significance of engaging with Tribal communities distinctly from other communities of color due to their unique political status. This ongoing debate has seen varied perspectives from community leaders, with some urging that the framework for Tribal relations should come from collaboration with Indigenous communities rather than unilateral decisions by the city.
Following the abrupt dismissal of Becenti, many in the Indigenous community found themselves questioning the city’s commitment to transparency and collaboration. The Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable drafted a letter to the mayor’s office urging significant reform, including the establishment of a standalone Office of Tribal Government Relations and a formal consultation process with Native Nations.
In response, Mayor Keith Wilson laid out steps for rebuilding trust, including hiring a consultant to assist with Native employee recruitment and considering the establishment of a paid holiday for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. However, community advocates have expressed skepticism about these initial efforts addressing deeper systemic issues.
As Portland appoints a new Tribal Relations Program manager—the fourth in recent years—there exists a cautious optimism surrounding the new opportunities for effective leadership. City managers have engaged with Indigenous staff to gather input and develop a sense of shared purpose regarding the future functioning of the Tribal Relations Program.
Despite the ongoing struggles and challenges, there remains hope that the city’s recent governance restructure will lead to better integration of Tribal relations into broader city policies. Councilor Angelita Morillo believes that the city must adopt a process where every new policy considers its impact on Native communities, thereby establishing accountability and responsibility among city officials.
Laura John believes the city has the chance to revive and strengthen the Tribal Relations Program, asserting that Portland can become a model for other cities seeking to establish productive relationships with Indigenous communities. Failure to do so, however, risks alienating Native Portlanders and perpetuating cycles of distrust and marginalization.
The absence of a strong Tribal Relations office has already eroded critical initiatives, such as Portland’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Week, once marked by a series of events and community gatherings to highlight the violence against Native individuals. In contrast, the last two years saw the observance dissolve into a single-day proclamation, reflecting a concerning neglect of Indigenous issues.
As Portland navigates its future, the fundamental question remains: Can trust be rebuilt with Indigenous Portlanders, ensuring their voices are heard and respected in city governance?
image source from：https://www.opb.org/article/2025/06/09/portland-tribal-relations-office-once-national-leader-what-happened/
