FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 10, 2023
Contact: Will Pregman, wpregman@battlebornprogress.org, 702.752.0656
Friday Marks 100 Days Since Biden Commitment to Protect Avi Kwa Ame
NEVADA – Last November, during the White House Tribal Nation’s Summit, President Joe Biden, in remarks during the event, stated his commitment to declare the territory of Avi Kwa Ame in southern Nevada as a national monument, as part of his administration’s effort to strengthen Tribal relations, and to protect the nation’s diverse lands and waters.
The Honor Avi Kwa Ame coalition of Tribal members, local conservation leaders, and organizations, issued the following statement:
“Last Fall, we were elated to hear President Biden give his word to provide federal protection for Avi Kwa Ame, by designating it as a national monument. Today, 100 days later, our coalition, alongside leaders and members of Tribes in the southwest, are eagerly awaiting news of an imminent designation of this landscape critically important to preserving the history of Indigenous peoples as well as the crucial ecological resources it supplies. As the president visits Nevada next week, we hope that he will have a brief chance to view the scenic mountain ranges, enormous Joshua trees, and cultural landmarks in and around this incredible landscape, and feel inspired to designate Avi Kwa Ame as a new national monument as soon as possible. So far, our coalition has gathered unique signatures of over 160,000 people who support the establishment of this national monument, and we continue to gather more each day as we provide educational resources to our community raising awareness about Avi Kwa Ame. We look forward to continuing to work with his administration, the Interior Department, and our Nevada congressional delegation to see through this long-awaited and grassroots-led campaign to preserve this gorgeous space for future generations, before Avi Kwa Ame goes another hundred days without the highest federal protection.”
About Honor Avi Kwa Ame: A coalition of tribes, local Searchlight, Boulder City and Laughlin residents, the Nevada Legislature, conservation groups, recreation interests, and others are working to establish the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument to permanently protect these treasured lands. Avi Kwa Ame is the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain and the surrounding landscape. The mountain, located on the eastern boundary of the proposed monument, and the surrounding landscape are sacred to twelve Native American tribes.
For a full list of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument supporters, click here.
About Avi Kwa Ame (Pronunciation: Ah-VEE kwa-meh): Sacred to 12 tribes, the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument is at the center of Yuman creation stories and spiritual ideology and deserves permanent protection. Located between the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Nevada/California border, Avi Kwa Ame, the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain, could be Nevada’s 4th national monument. Covering hundreds of thousands of acres in southwestern Nevada, it is rich in both history and beauty. The proposed national monument includes petroglyphs; historic mining- and pioneer-era artifacts; rare and threatened wildlife such as the Mojave Desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep.
To learn more, visit www.honoravikwaame.org. Follow along on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
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