Federal Agencies Announce Native Language Revitalization Plan

The Departments of the Interior, Education, and Health and Human Services have announced a plan to revitalize Native languages, addressing the federal government's role in erasing them through forced assimilation.

The Cherokee Nation is partnering on the initiative to provide resources for the effort.

"I think the reason that we figure into this is because we've invested in our film studios," said Chuck Hoskin Jr., Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "We have a green screen technology studio, we have a new, more conventional studio. We can be a resource for tribes around the country that want to document and otherwise capture what they're doing, what they aspire to do."

The Interior Department says the 10-year plan will expand immersion language projects, boost community efforts, and develop support networks.