Tribal member Izayah Hall named Hatfield Fellow

Past Hatfield Fellows

1998: Pete Wakeland (Grand Ronde)

1999: Direlle Calica (Warm Springs)

2000: Alyssa Macy (Warm Springs)

2001: Bodie Shaw (Warm Springs)

2002: Kevin Simmons (Grand Ronde)

2003: Bryan Mercier (Grand Ronde)

2004: Joseph Hostler (Grand Ronde)

2006: Dennis Worden (Coeur d’Alene)

2007: Rebecca Knight (Grand Ronde)

2008: Francene Ambrose (Grand Ronde)

2009: Stacia Hernandez (Grand Ronde)

2010: Shana Radford (Nez Perce)

2011-12: Darrel L. Lawrence (Grand Ronde)

2013-14: Rudy Soto (Sho-Ban)

2014-15: Mary Bodine (Warm Springs)

2015-16: Maria Givens (Coeur d’Alene)

2016-17: Robert Ahern (Warm Springs)

2017-18: Karlen Yallup (Warm Springs)

2018-19: Traven Joseph (Koyokan Athabascan/Gros-Ventre)

2019-20: Cholena Wright (Klamath)

2020-21: Simone Auger (Grand Ronde)

2021-22: Samuel Riding In (Grand Ronde)

2022-23: Izayah Hall (Grand Ronde)

By Dean Rhodes

Smoke Signals editor

Grand Ronde Tribal member Izayah Hall has been named the 23^rd Hatfield Fellow for 2022-23 and becomes the 11^th Tribal member to be honored as a fellow.

Hall, 22, is a graduate of the University of Oregon where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies with a double minor in Sustainable Business and Native American Studies. He also is an honorary member of the National Society of Leadership and Success.

During his first year at the University of Oregon, Hall was accepted into the Native American and Indigenous Studies Academic Residential Community in the Kalapuya Ilihi dormitory. His time and experiences there had an immense effect on his educational path and passion in life.

Hall said he watched his Indigenous peers and friends slowly drop out of school and learned that the Native American and Indigenous community had the highest rate of dropouts and students withdrawing from the university.

“I knew this was an issue,” he said. “I saw just how capable and motivated every Indigenous student was in the community. I was puzzled at the rate at which my peers were dropping out of school. There is where my compassion and desire to find a way to help my people slowly integrated into my education. I knew that I wanted and needed to become a bridge for Indigenous and Native students hoping to further their education.

“Indigenous students are not only unprepared for the transition from their community to higher education, but the resources they need to succeed are not present and severely underfunded. Especially when accounting for a first-generation college student.

“It is for this reason that I was drawn to the opportunity of participating in the Hatfield Fellowship program. I feel this opportunity will allow me to explore how the higher education curriculum is influenced by policy at a federal level.”

The Grand Ronde Tribe established the Mark O. Hatfield Fellowship in 1998 as a tribute to Hatfield to honor his accomplishments as Oregon governor and U.S. senator. Each year, Spirit Mountain Community Fund sponsors a Native American to serve as the fellow and intern in an Oregon congressional office, enhancing the mutual understanding between leadership in Washington, D.C., and Indian Country.

Hall will begin his fellowship on Oct. 31 with a month-long orientation at the American Political Science Association in Washington, D.C. He will then work in Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s office.

“The Hatfield Fellowship offers a unique and unparalleled insight into the legislative process while keeping Sen. Hatfield’s strong legacy of public service alive,” Blumenauer said. “I look forward to welcoming the next Hatfield Fellow into my office this winter. At a time when Tribal communities are facing unique challenges – from recovering from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic to dealing with the ongoing climate crisis – it is essential that we maintain and strengthen partnerships between Congress and Tribal governments.”

“I am extremely excited to have an opportunity to further my journey through the Hatfield Fellowship program,” Hall said. “I believe it will serve as the perfect opportunity to continue my education and develop higher levels of critical thinking that can be used to benefit Indigenous communities. I hope to find ways to distribute the benefits of this incredible opportunity back to the Tribes and create positive change for the younger generation of Indigenous students.”

Previous Grand Ronde Tribal members who have been Hatfield Fellows include Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez and Bryan Mercier, who is the regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Portland office overseeing the Northwest.