As November draws to a close, Native American Heritage Month has taken on a new resonance in 2025, spotlighting both the persistent challenges and emerging opportunities facing Indigenous peoples across the United States and beyond. In a rare moment of political convergence, Governor Gavin Newsom of California and former President Donald Trump each issued statements recognizing the month, albeit with markedly different tones and implications. At the same time, the entertainment industry—long criticized for its lack of authentic Indigenous representation—has seen a significant push for change, with AMC Networks launching a landmark initiative aimed at nurturing Indigenous talent in film and television.
On November 24, 2025, Governor Newsom and former President Trump each released messages commemorating Native American Heritage Month. Trump’s statement, issued from the White House, wrapped its praise of Native peoples in the language of patriotism and national unity. “As we prepare to celebrate 250 glorious years of American independence, we honor the generations of Native Americans whose service have strengthened our country,” the statement read, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The message, while laudatory, positioned Native Americans as contributors to the American project, folding them into a single patriotic narrative that left little space for their self-determination or political sovereignty.
In contrast, Governor Newsom’s proclamation adopted a tone of empathy and inclusion. He acknowledged the forced relocations, boarding schools, and assimilation policies that targeted Native peoples, and honored their cultural revival. “As Californians navigate federal policies impacting our communities … we shine a light on the first people of this nation—often relocated to this state by force through similar federal policies throughout history—who have nonetheless found ways to persist, resist, and thrive,” Newsom declared. Yet, as the Los Angeles Times analysis pointed out, even this more nuanced approach blurred the critical distinction between California’s original Native nations and those relocated from other states. By merging these groups, the proclamation risked portraying California’s tribes as guests the state had “embraced,” rather than as sovereign governments on their own land.
Despite their opposing tones, both statements shared a crucial omission: neither explicitly recognized the political sovereignty of Native American governments that predate the United States. According to Indigenous historians cited in the Los Angeles Times, this oversight is more than symbolic. When political leaders focus on “heritage” rather than “sovereignty,” they encourage the public to view Native peoples as part of the past, instead of as living governments exercising authority today. This misunderstanding, the article argued, has real-world consequences. Tribal governments across California manage forests, restore rivers, operate education and health systems, and lead climate adaptation projects that benefit all Californians. Yet, when their sovereignty is ignored, these partnerships are too often treated as acts of charity or inclusion, rather than as government-to-government obligations.
The article’s author, an assistant professor specializing in Indigenous people’s history, called for a fundamental shift: “Recognition without power is not reconciliation; it is continuity by another name.” If Native American Heritage Month is to have genuine meaning, it should mark a move from mere ceremony to real accountability, deepening partnerships with the sovereign nations whose lands make California—and the United States—possible.
While political statements have drawn criticism for their limitations, the world of arts and entertainment has seen a wave of tangible action. On the very same day as the gubernatorial and presidential proclamations, AMC Networks announced a groundbreaking partnership with Jessica Matten’s Indigenous Film & Arts Academy, 7 Forward Entertainment, and the Institute of American Indian Arts. The goal: to create new opportunities for Indigenous talent in film and television through a comprehensive training program and cross-border apprenticeship initiative spanning the U.S. and Canada.
According to Deadline, the program offers emerging Indigenous creatives direct access to the film and TV industry, with on-set apprenticeships developed in collaboration with the Indigenous Film Academy and the Institute of American Indian Arts. These apprenticeships provide practical experience and mentorship, cultivating the next generation of Indigenous storytellers. Jessica Matten, star of AMC’s acclaimed series Dark Winds, emphasized the deeper purpose behind the initiative: “This initiative is about more than representation—it’s about restoration. We are reclaiming our narratives, healing generational trauma, and building real opportunities for Indigenous youth to thrive as creators, leaders, and innovators. I’m deeply grateful to AMC Networks for their unwavering support. Our partnership is already changing lives, and the ripple effects will be felt for generations.”
Over the past three years, AMC has worked closely with the Institute of American Indian Arts and its Cinematic Arts and Technology department to provide internships on the set of Dark Winds in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Interns have gained valuable hands-on experience across production departments, from lighting and wardrobe to props and camera work. Recently, AMC and the Indigenous Film Academy extended this opportunity to the set of another major production, Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat, set to premiere in 2026.
In tandem with these training efforts, AMC+ is set to premiere Tales from the Rez, a bold new series created with graduates of the Indigenous Film Academy. Directed by Trevor Soloway and produced by Blackfoot Nation Films, Colin Van Loon, and Matten, the series stands as a testament to the power and vitality of Indigenous storytelling. Tales from the Rez will be featured as part of AMC+’s Indigenous Heritage Month programming collection, “Celebrating Native Voices,” which also includes the award-winning film Lakota Nation vs. United States and previous seasons of Dark Winds.
Matten, who stars as Bernadette Manuelito in Dark Winds, will return for Season 4, set to debut on February 15, 2026, on AMC and AMC+. The first three seasons are currently available for streaming on AMC+ and Netflix, ensuring that a broad audience can access stories crafted by and about Indigenous peoples.
These developments in the arts and entertainment sector offer a striking contrast to the sometimes perfunctory recognition found in official proclamations. While political leaders continue to grapple with how best to honor Native American Heritage Month—often stopping short of acknowledging the full sovereignty of Indigenous nations—institutions like AMC Networks are taking concrete steps to empower Indigenous voices and restore narrative agency.
As the month comes to an end, the conversation around Native American Heritage Month is at a crossroads. Public statements from political leaders, no matter how well-intentioned, fall short when they sidestep the enduring sovereignty and authority of Native nations. Meanwhile, new partnerships in the creative industries are beginning to reshape how Indigenous stories are told and who gets to tell them. The challenge—and the opportunity—lies in moving from symbolic recognition to meaningful accountability and collaboration. Only then can the promise of Native American Heritage Month be truly fulfilled.
