Adrianna Adame covers Indigenous Democracy across the state of North Dakota for Buffalo’s Fire. While in Bismarck, she will be reporting on voting rights, tribal council, school board and rural co-op meetings, tribal college stories and K-12 education. Prior to joining Buffalo’s Fire, Adame graduated with her Masters in Journalism from Syracuse University’s S.I. School of Public Communication, where she was a Newhouse Minority Fellow and intern at Syracuse.com In Syracuse, she reported on stories from underrepresented communities in Central New York, as well as arts and entertainment. Adame has also contributed and written for local and editorial sites such as POPSUGAR, the Stand, NPR Next Gen and Flique Editorial. Throughout her undergrad years, she also held the positions of Managing and News Editor for The Cougar Chronicle, California State San Marcos’ student newspaper, where she lead, edited, reported and most importantly, first became passionate about journalism. Since her days at The Cougar Chronicle, she’s has been determined to work in local journalism, primarily focusing on diverse communities. Adame is Mexican American and a proud member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy, Montana.
Beat: Indigenous democracy in North Dakota
Nearly 40,000 American Indians live in North Dakota, making up 5.7 percent of the state population and the largest minority group. Buffalo’s Fire presents an opportunity to lead our Indigenous democracy beat. Reporting areas include voting rights, tribal council, school board and rural co-op meetings, tribal college stories and K-12 education. How are public school educators teaching an Indian education bill when the North Dakota Legislature banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory? This reporter is based in Bismarck, N.D., a thriving hub for federally recognized tribes including the Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Nation; Spirit Lake Nation; the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe; the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians; the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Nation; and the Trenton Indian Service Area.