Intertribal Life Newspaper -

With the 2014 election only a week away, the National Congress of American Indians opened its 71st annual convention on October 27, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The event drew thousands to an urban area not necessarily known for its Indian connections. But tribes from the South and Eastern regions provided a warm welcome to delegates as they prepared to hear from government officials on housing, education, health and other issues.

The opening day agenda included Jodi Gillette, the Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs at the White House; Gina McCarthy, the administrator at the...