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Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s daughter is a high-ranking member of a radical environmentalist group that was responsible for a protest at the department in October 2021 that was referred to as being ‘reminiscent of January 6.‘
Somah Haaland, 28, who is non-binary, identifies as ‘queer’ and uses they/them pronouns, is listed as the media organizer of the Pueblo Action Alliance on the group’s website.
In 2021, Haaland joined their group in protesting the Biden administration’s environmental policies in Washington DC. The PAA has long called for the government to protect indigenous land against oil and gas drilling.
Their mother was named as the Secretary of the Interior in December 2020 and in doing so became the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary.
Somah Haaland, 28, who is non-binary, identifies as ‘queer’ and uses they/them pronouns, is listed as the media organizer of the Pueblo Action Alliance on the group’s website
At the time of the protest, Haaland posted photos showing the protests on their Instagram page. They wrote in the caption: ‘What an honor it was to march with my Pueblo kin last week for #Peoplevsfossilfuels week of action. Indigenous people are so powerful, especially when we join together and share our stories.’
Shortly after the protest, Haaland posted a statement on Instagram in which they sought to distance themselves from their mother.
They said in part: ‘I have my own life and I am politically involved my own way that is separate from my mother. I have no influence or control over anything that she does.’
Haaland added: ‘I have Major Depressive Disorder and am neuro divergent in other ways.’
Prior to the protest, Haaland’s group said in a statement: ‘We will no longer allow the U.S. government to separate us from our relationship to the sacred knowledge of Mother Earth and all who depend on her […] We will not back down until our natural balance is restored.’
Secretary Haaland said in a Facebook post on her daughter’s 25th birthday: ‘I’m happy to have raised a compassionate human being, who was born to learn and love.’
In addition to their Native American heritage, Haaland is of Norwegian descent. They are a 2017 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts.
Secretary Haaland has spoken openly about raising her daughter as a single mother, giving birth four days after her graduation, also from the University of New Mexico, in 1994.
Secretary Deb Haaland raised her daughter as a single mother, giving birth four days after graduating from the University of New Mexico
The protest that Haaland’s group was involved in resulted in numerous arrests
On the week of the protest, Haaland posted multiple photos showing them with the group in DC
According to their profile on PAA’s website, Haaland is also a poet and artist. The bio says that they have also worked on several political campaigns since high school.
It says that Haaland ‘passionate about empowering youth’ and ‘creating art as a form of resistance.’
Haaland wrote a 2019 article for Teen Vogue titled: ‘How Museums and Historical Spaces Disrespect Native American History.’ They wrote in the piece of having tea with Nancy Pelosi, taking a selfie with AOC and meeting actor Mark Ruffalo.
In 2021, they narrated the documentary Our Story: The Indigenous Led Fight to Protect Greater Chaco.
According to their profile on PAA’s website, Haaland is also a poet and artist. The bio says that they have also worked on several political campaigns since high school
While in a separate interview with NBC News, Haaland complained of feeling ‘isolated’ thanks to being both Native American and ‘queer’
Haaland spoke about perceived racial disparity when it came to how little support Native American communities received during amid the pandemic during an interview with American Theatre.
They said: ‘It ties into the whole privilege thing. People just assume that everyone in America lives the same way they do. And that’s just not true.’
During the same interview, Haaland spoke about their mother saying: ‘From a very young age, she instilled in me a sense of wanting to do the right thing and make the world a better place. I get to watch her create this ripple effect of change throughout several communities.’
While in a separate interview with NBC News, Haaland complained of feeling ‘isolated’ thanks to being both Native American and ‘queer.’
They also said that hate crimes involving LGBTQ people on reservations are rarely investigated.
Speaking about the scandal involving the protest with Fox News, Protect the Public’s Trust Director Michael Chamberlain said: ‘The circumstances around the riot at Interior headquarters represent yet another instance in which an administration that promised a return to normalcy is producing anything but.
‘Meanwhile, the American public’s trust in its government continues its precipitous decline,’ he added.
Following the protest at the Stewart Lee Udall Main Interior building, police arrested dozens of activists. Video from the event showed members of the group attempting to gain access for the offices. At least one officer was hospitalized.
In a statement at the time, Interior Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz said: ‘Centering the voices of lawful protesters is and will continue to be an important foundation of our democracy. It is also our obligation to keep everyone safe. We will continue to do everything we can to de-escalate while honoring first amendment rights.’
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