High school civics classes rarely teach that 574 sovereign Tribal Nations co-exist within the borders of the United States—nations whose governments predate the establishment of states or the U.S. itself. Among them, 33 Tribal Nations—from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf Coast—are united through the United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET), which serves as a United Nations of sorts by providing program support as a 501(c)(3) organization. Its sister organization, USET Sovereignty Protection Fund, a 501(c)(4), focuses on policy, legislation, and litigation to protect Tribal sovereignty. However, when you talk with the Executive Director of USET, Kitcki Carroll, you’ll quickly learn that he believes the nations he fights for deserve an equal seat at the table of the United Nations. After all, they are all inherently sovereign nations.

This perspective frames up the understanding of USET and how it supports and advocates for the Poarch Creek Indians and 32 other nations. Like any other group of nations, the members of USET/USET SPF have varying levels of economic output. At a basic level, USET/USET SPF was established to improve the conditions for all member nations by sharing best practices and helping rebuilding nations improve their quality of life. After Poarch Creek became federally recognized in 1984, USET was an invaluable resource to the Tribe. It provided support for developing governmental infrastructure and, more importantly, a network of Tribal leaders who had walked in their shoes.

Whether it was learning how to provide public health services to their citizens, establishing a public safety agency, or an economic development authority, USET helped Poarch Creek navigate regulatory hurdles, find success, and firmly grasp self-determination. The Poarch Creek Indians now pride themselves on the model of government they have established. Today, Vice Chair Robbie McGhee serves as the organization’s Vice President. As the Poarch Creek Indians have become more successful and sustainable, they have become a resource for other member nations. They have also become a model for other governments outside Indian Country.

This is a point that Kitcki wants to make clear. Tribal governments, societies, and economies have demonstrated models of success that should be shared with municipalities, states and nations that coexist with Indian nations. When truly sovereign, with self-determination, Tribal Nations create success, provide for their people, govern responsibly and demonstrate stewardship.  Poarch Creek has a long history of sharing resources and best practices with surrounding municipalities and the state of Alabama. The Tribe regularly partners with city, county, and state governments on safety, transportation, health, and education, fostering mutual respect and understanding. These government-to-government relationships strengthen local communities and contribute to a stronger America as a whole.

This brings us to the land on which these nations live. Every nation is continually reaffirming and defending its sovereignty. One reason for this is that the title to their nations’ lands is actually held by the U.S. Government in Trust. Certainly, there are benefits and protections derived from this arrangement. Yet, as Liz Malerba, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, explains, the process of restoring and reclaiming the land on which your nation resides is not designed to be easy. In order to expand Tribal lands, Tribal Nations are frequently placed in the awkward position of purchasing land that once belonged to them and then applying to have it held in trust. The wheels of government seem to turn particularly slow in this regard.

When you consider that Creek Nation once occupied millions of acres across the southeast, the Poarch Creeks hold a tiny fraction of their original homeland. Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve is a prime example of this land reclamation process. In 2004, Billy Smith, a well-known Tribal Elder, recommended to the Tribal Council that the Tribe reacquire the land that would eventually become Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve for the Tribe from a private owner. You have to imagine that this land along the banks of a river bend with natural beaches and incredible biodiversity was once a gathering place for Creeks. The Tribe has since worked to create a public haven for relaxation to this day. While this is a small example of the land that is reclaimed each year, it demonstrates the dynamics at the center of the Land Back movement.

Ironically, the same government that drove Indians from their native lands later created programs aimed at addressing the hardships those policies created. One of those laws allowed Tribal nations to generate revenue from gaming on Tribal lands. Another 8(a) designation gave Tribal nations favorable status when bidding on federal contracts. Rebecca Naragon, Director of Economic Development for USET, explained how some Tribal nations have leveraged the two laws to generate significant revenue and reinvest it in a more diversified, sustainable economy that benefits all Tribal citizens and the counties and states where they share geography.

The Poarch Creek Indians have done a tremendous job of growing gaming revenue and diversifying through federal services and other investments. Mal McGhee pioneered using the 8(a) designation to develop homegrown businesses that have evolved into a network of companies, both acquired and bootstrapped, that provide diversified job opportunities and sustainable growth for the Tribe. Rebecca says to this day, as she talks with USET Tribal  Nations, you still hear stories of a tall Poarch Creek Indian with a thick accent, a passion for aviation, and a thirst for knowledge, who knows a thing or two about federal contracting.

There are two things that Kitcki wanted to get across about USET and the role it plays. There’s an exciting new generation of leaders emerging in these Tribal nations. Because many Tribal Nations, like the Poarch Creek Indians, provide for their citizens’ higher education, the next generation is more educated and brings a new perspective to the conversation. To Kitcki, education is critical for his member nations to achieve their potential. He demonstrates that with a simple yet powerful point – understanding the difference in mentality between a member and a citizen. 

Too often, Tribes have been programmed to refer to their people as members. This undermines the governmental and political status of Tribal Nations and frames the relationship between the person and the Tribe in a way that doesn’t nearly encompass this reality. Instead, Tribal nations should refer to their people as citizens. This more accurately defines the two-way relationship of responsibility and more fully recognizes the sovereignty of the nation. Helping 33 sovereign nations to understand, appreciate, and embody these types of distinctions is just one step in the journey that USET envisions for the people it supports.