Interior secretary's daughter Deb Haaland is a high-ranking member of radical ... trends now
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.
