It's Official: Indian Country Today Is Back In Business

Reprinted with permission from Indian country Today

(February 28, 2018) Indian Country Today has new leadership and will be fully back in business soon. At the beginning of this month, the ownership of the digital platform was transferred from the Oneida Indian Nation in New York to the National Congress of American Indians in Washington, D.C. Indian Country Today has been on a hiatus since September.

Heading up the Indian Country Today editorial team is Mark Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock) as Indian Country Today Editor and Vincent Schilling (Akwesasne Mohawk) as Associate Editor. The digital publication will continue on "publishing lightly" until this spring when there will be a build up of its operation, a shift to a new web platform, and an increased staff.

Mark Trahant, 60, brings a wealth of experience to Indian Country Today as a well-known publisher of Trahant Reports, and is a multi award-winning Journalist and a faculty member at the University of North Dakota. He will join the staff full-time at the conclusion of the spring semester.

As the former editor of the editorial page for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Trahant chaired the daily editorial board, directed a staff of writers, editors and a cartoonist.

He has also worked at The Seattle Times, Arizona Republic, The Salt Lake Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, the Navajo Times, Navajo Nation Today and the Sho-Ban News. Trahant is also former president of the Native American Journalists Association.

He has been a jury finalist for the Pulitzer Prize as well as a judge for the Pulitzers. This fall, Trahant was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

"We are excited to have Mark Trahant on board to help us lead this next chapter for Indian Country Today," stated NCAI President Jefferson Keel said in a news release. "Mark is respected in and out of Indian Country for his professionalism and journalistic skills."

NCAI Executive Director Jacqueline Pata said: "We are eager to add to this important platform for Indian Country. We will work to make sure that this next chapter of Indian Country Today is both sustainable and useful while maintaining the primary goal of dedicated service others have forged before us."

Trahant said, "Schilling has been doing a remarkable job of keeping Indian Country Today vital during the transition. This is important and will make it that much easier to build the next journalistic platform."

As associate editor, Vincent Schilling, 50, brings his 10 years of experience with Indian Country Today as a former Arts and Entertainment, Sports and Pow wow's Editor as well as many years experience as a contributor, photographer and as part of the White House Press Pool.

Schilling is also a former contributor to such publications as MSNBC, NBC, Arthritis Today, Woman's World, Winds of Change, The Tribal College Journal, Children's Digest, and The Virginian-Pilot, Inside Business and Tidewater Parent in Virginia.

Schilling is an author of four books promoting role models in Indian Country and is a U.S Army veteran that served as a Lieutenant in Field Artillery.

He shared his excitement with the rebooting of what he has long called Indian Country Today, "a much needed voice for Indian country."

"A lot of readers out there noticed that I was still contributing to the site with breaking news and I want to sincerely thank them for their continued words of support over the past few months."

"I also want to say thank you to the NCAI for their great work behind the scenes and for making an excellent choice with Mark Trahant as editor. He brings a world of knowledge to Indian Country Today and to be part of such a team as this is incredibly exciting," said Schilling.

Indian Country Today plans to share its content with tribal newspapers, radio stations, and websites, at no cost with proper credit attribution.

Vincent Schilling told Indian Time via email that he is excited to be named associate editor not just as a Native American, but as a member of the Akwesasne Mohawk community.

"I am humbled to be representing Native people, but also excited to represent the Mohawk community. Considering there are so many Mohawk individuals who do so many great things for the benefit of others, I want to assure everyone that I will work diligently to represent myself well."

"Considering I am often in the public eye, I take such a responsibility seriously and I hope to continue to work hard, be respectful and honor our elders as well as do the best I can to serve as an example for Native youth. I promise to do the best I can as a journalist and will work to be a positive force for the good of Indian country."

You may reach out to him on Twitter at @VinceSchilling.