Rob Maxim
@robmaxim.bsky.social
Fellow at Brookings writing about workers, tech, higher ed, and Indigenous communities. Mashpee Wampanoag 🌅
Last month’s lack of jobs report showed the importance of reliable federal economic data. However, Native communities have never had access to high-quality federal data, with significant negative impacts for Tribal governance.
My new piece for @nativenewsonline.bsky.social with Steven Estrada:
My new piece for @nativenewsonline.bsky.social with Steven Estrada:
The Absence of October's Job Report Shows Why Native American Communities Need Better Data
Guest Opinion. On November 19, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that, as a result of the government shutdown, it would not release its October jobs report—the first time in the report’s 77-yea...
nativenewsonline.net
December 2, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Last month’s lack of jobs report showed the importance of reliable federal economic data. However, Native communities have never had access to high-quality federal data, with significant negative impacts for Tribal governance.
My new piece for @nativenewsonline.bsky.social with Steven Estrada:
My new piece for @nativenewsonline.bsky.social with Steven Estrada:
Last month I had the honor of giving the fireside keynote at the @minneapolisfed.bsky.social’s Center for Indian Country Development data summit.
@camohrwriter.bsky.social has put out a great new article overviewing the summit and its takeaways for Indian Country:
@camohrwriter.bsky.social has put out a great new article overviewing the summit and its takeaways for Indian Country:
At milestone CICD event, tribal leaders reflect on leveraging economic data as a tool of sovereignty | Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Speakers at the Center for Indian Country Development’s tenth-anniversary commemoration and fifth annual data summit described how in the modern era, economic data support tribes in governing their na...
www.minneapolisfed.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Last month I had the honor of giving the fireside keynote at the @minneapolisfed.bsky.social’s Center for Indian Country Development data summit.
@camohrwriter.bsky.social has put out a great new article overviewing the summit and its takeaways for Indian Country:
@camohrwriter.bsky.social has put out a great new article overviewing the summit and its takeaways for Indian Country:
Reposted by Rob Maxim
The government shutdown revealed a major flaw in how the U.S. funds Native American Tribes.
@robmaxim.bsky.social and co-authors outline why reform is needed—and what Congress can do to ensure stability.
@robmaxim.bsky.social and co-authors outline why reform is needed—and what Congress can do to ensure stability.
The government shutdown shows the need to reform how the federal government funds Native American Tribes and communities | Brookings
This piece summarizes the challenges that the congressional funding process and government shutdowns present to Tribal Nations, citizens, and communities.
www.brookings.edu
October 31, 2025 at 3:16 PM
The government shutdown revealed a major flaw in how the U.S. funds Native American Tribes.
@robmaxim.bsky.social and co-authors outline why reform is needed—and what Congress can do to ensure stability.
@robmaxim.bsky.social and co-authors outline why reform is needed—and what Congress can do to ensure stability.
Reposted by Rob Maxim
As part of today's Center for Indian Country Development Data Summit, Director Casey Lozar will give remarks followed by a fireside chat with Brookings Metro's @robmaxim.bsky.social. Tune in live 10:15-10:50 a.m. CT to listen: https://www.minneapolisfed.org/live
CICD 10th Anniversary and Data Summit | Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Braiding the past and future of Native economies
bit.ly
October 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
As part of today's Center for Indian Country Development Data Summit, Director Casey Lozar will give remarks followed by a fireside chat with Brookings Metro's @robmaxim.bsky.social. Tune in live 10:15-10:50 a.m. CT to listen: https://www.minneapolisfed.org/live
Reposted by Rob Maxim
A good conversation about the importance of maintaining the integrity of government economic data -- and investing in improvements. @brookings.edu Here's the video
www.youtube.com/live/SnccjSu...
www.youtube.com/live/SnccjSu...
The importance of credible government economic data to business
YouTube video by Brookings Institution
www.youtube.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:19 PM
A good conversation about the importance of maintaining the integrity of government economic data -- and investing in improvements. @brookings.edu Here's the video
www.youtube.com/live/SnccjSu...
www.youtube.com/live/SnccjSu...
Reposted by Rob Maxim
“Charlene Aqpik Apok launched Data for Indigenous Justice in 2020 after trying to collect the names of missing and murdered Indigenous people to read at a rally, only to discover no government agency had been keeping track”
Colonialism is also when the state makes it hard to gather data on MMIWP
Colonialism is also when the state makes it hard to gather data on MMIWP
When the nonprofit Data for Indigenous Justice filed public records requests with the Alaska Department of Public Safety concerning cases it had investigated, the state rejected them.
Alaska vowed to resolve murders of Indigenous people. Now it refuses to provide their names.
www.adn.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:03 PM
“Charlene Aqpik Apok launched Data for Indigenous Justice in 2020 after trying to collect the names of missing and murdered Indigenous people to read at a rally, only to discover no government agency had been keeping track”
Colonialism is also when the state makes it hard to gather data on MMIWP
Colonialism is also when the state makes it hard to gather data on MMIWP
Reposted by Rob Maxim
"It is obviously disappointing that the Trump Administration continues to attack federal workers and their Unions. It is particularly upsetting that this administration has done so on the eve of Labor Day, a federal holiday intended to honor and thank workers."
IFPTE Condemns Trump Administration’s Latest Attack on Federal Workers and Their Unions — IFPTE
As the nation prepares to honor and thank working families across the nation this Labor Day weekend, the Trump Administration has issued another Executive Order (EO) attempting to strip collective bar...
www.ifpte.org
August 29, 2025 at 1:21 PM
"It is obviously disappointing that the Trump Administration continues to attack federal workers and their Unions. It is particularly upsetting that this administration has done so on the eve of Labor Day, a federal holiday intended to honor and thank workers."
This week our @brookings.edu team released a report on how public data fails Tribes and Native American people.
It comes as the federal government works to undermine confidence in public data.
Here’s a thread on why you should care about high-quality data, and how to improve it for Native people 👇
It comes as the federal government works to undermine confidence in public data.
Here’s a thread on why you should care about high-quality data, and how to improve it for Native people 👇
Good data, stronger Tribes | Brookings
This analysis aims to identify the role that regional organizations can play in solving data challenges that exist for Native nations and Native American people.
www.brookings.edu
August 28, 2025 at 6:23 PM
This week our @brookings.edu team released a report on how public data fails Tribes and Native American people.
It comes as the federal government works to undermine confidence in public data.
Here’s a thread on why you should care about high-quality data, and how to improve it for Native people 👇
It comes as the federal government works to undermine confidence in public data.
Here’s a thread on why you should care about high-quality data, and how to improve it for Native people 👇
Great piece by Jourdan Bennett-Begaye at @ict-news.bsky.social on our new report about Native American data.
We discussed how state and regional governments can help improve data for Tribes and Native American people in the wake of the federal government’s destructive actions toward public data.
We discussed how state and regional governments can help improve data for Tribes and Native American people in the wake of the federal government’s destructive actions toward public data.
'Historically and moving forward’: Federal government is not the place for data - ICT
A report from Brookings and the Southern California Association of Governments looks at how regional and state governments can step up in data work with Native people and tribes in southern California
ictnews.org
August 26, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Great piece by Jourdan Bennett-Begaye at @ict-news.bsky.social on our new report about Native American data.
We discussed how state and regional governments can help improve data for Tribes and Native American people in the wake of the federal government’s destructive actions toward public data.
We discussed how state and regional governments can help improve data for Tribes and Native American people in the wake of the federal government’s destructive actions toward public data.
With the Trump Administration undermining federal data, Native American Tribes need new partners to access high-quality data about their lands and citizens.
My new @brookings.edu report with @manannan.bsky.social and @hlstephens.bsky.social explores how states and regions can support Tribal data 👇
My new @brookings.edu report with @manannan.bsky.social and @hlstephens.bsky.social explores how states and regions can support Tribal data 👇
Good data, stronger Tribes | Brookings
This analysis aims to identify the role that regional organizations can play in solving data challenges that exist for Native nations and Native American people.
www.brookings.edu
August 26, 2025 at 1:05 PM
With the Trump Administration undermining federal data, Native American Tribes need new partners to access high-quality data about their lands and citizens.
My new @brookings.edu report with @manannan.bsky.social and @hlstephens.bsky.social explores how states and regions can support Tribal data 👇
My new @brookings.edu report with @manannan.bsky.social and @hlstephens.bsky.social explores how states and regions can support Tribal data 👇
Reposted by Rob Maxim
Legally, tribal businesses operating on trust land do not have to pay local taxes. A town in southern Oklahoma is threatening to shut off the water and sewage to Delaware Nation’s casino unless the tribe pays city taxes. www.kosu.org/local-news/2...
August 7, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Legally, tribal businesses operating on trust land do not have to pay local taxes. A town in southern Oklahoma is threatening to shut off the water and sewage to Delaware Nation’s casino unless the tribe pays city taxes. www.kosu.org/local-news/2...
Reposted by Rob Maxim
EXTREMELY BAD NEWS for economic research, per former BLS Commissioner @ericagroshen.bsky.social on LinkedIn.
BLS is suspending access to its restricted data "for the forseeable future." Applies to projects through the Federal Statistical Research Data Centers & onsite projects with BLS.
#EconSky
BLS is suspending access to its restricted data "for the forseeable future." Applies to projects through the Federal Statistical Research Data Centers & onsite projects with BLS.
#EconSky
June 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM
EXTREMELY BAD NEWS for economic research, per former BLS Commissioner @ericagroshen.bsky.social on LinkedIn.
BLS is suspending access to its restricted data "for the forseeable future." Applies to projects through the Federal Statistical Research Data Centers & onsite projects with BLS.
#EconSky
BLS is suspending access to its restricted data "for the forseeable future." Applies to projects through the Federal Statistical Research Data Centers & onsite projects with BLS.
#EconSky
Reposted by Rob Maxim
What to make of POTUS's attempt to fire the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
Let's run down what knowledgable people are saying...
Let's run down what knowledgable people are saying...
August 1, 2025 at 10:01 PM
What to make of POTUS's attempt to fire the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
Let's run down what knowledgable people are saying...
Let's run down what knowledgable people are saying...
Reposted by Rob Maxim
From @hshierholz.bsky.social: Trump's firing of BLS commissioner is undemocratic and economically dangerous. Between illegal firings, starving data agencies of resources, and now political intimidation, the US looks set to run into the next economic downturn flying blind
www.epi.org/press/trumps...
www.epi.org/press/trumps...
August 1, 2025 at 8:08 PM
From @hshierholz.bsky.social: Trump's firing of BLS commissioner is undemocratic and economically dangerous. Between illegal firings, starving data agencies of resources, and now political intimidation, the US looks set to run into the next economic downturn flying blind
www.epi.org/press/trumps...
www.epi.org/press/trumps...
Reposted by Rob Maxim
I know it’s a troll. I also know that this is an official government account sharing art that was designed to propagate Indigenous dispossession, cultural destruction, and conquest, and that whoever shared this surely knew it. It is right there in the painting.
July 24, 2025 at 2:50 AM
I know it’s a troll. I also know that this is an official government account sharing art that was designed to propagate Indigenous dispossession, cultural destruction, and conquest, and that whoever shared this surely knew it. It is right there in the painting.
Can confirm that no Native people are clamoring for the Commanders to use their old name.
However, if you’re wondering what Native people actually want from the Trump Admin, you can listen to my recent podcast ep with Allison Neswood of @nativerights.bsky.social: www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
However, if you’re wondering what Native people actually want from the Trump Admin, you can listen to my recent podcast ep with Allison Neswood of @nativerights.bsky.social: www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
July 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Can confirm that no Native people are clamoring for the Commanders to use their old name.
However, if you’re wondering what Native people actually want from the Trump Admin, you can listen to my recent podcast ep with Allison Neswood of @nativerights.bsky.social: www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
However, if you’re wondering what Native people actually want from the Trump Admin, you can listen to my recent podcast ep with Allison Neswood of @nativerights.bsky.social: www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
DC voters keep voting to raise the minimum wage for tipped workers, and the DC Council keeps voting to overturn the will of the people.
Kind of kills their credibility when they call for voting rights for DC residents. If you want to support DC voting rights, try respecting DC voters.
Kind of kills their credibility when they call for voting rights for DC residents. If you want to support DC voting rights, try respecting DC voters.
NEWS: Tomorrow D.C. Council will vote on repealing Initiative 82, which phases out the tipped minimum wage. Under proposal, base wage for tipped workers would be $8 (down from $10 now), but min. wage they’d earn would be $20. That’s more than $17.50 non-tipped workers make.
July 14, 2025 at 12:51 AM
DC voters keep voting to raise the minimum wage for tipped workers, and the DC Council keeps voting to overturn the will of the people.
Kind of kills their credibility when they call for voting rights for DC residents. If you want to support DC voting rights, try respecting DC voters.
Kind of kills their credibility when they call for voting rights for DC residents. If you want to support DC voting rights, try respecting DC voters.
Reposted by Rob Maxim
NEW: Two tribal nations are planning to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a ruling that struck down a key tool for protecting minority voters under the federal Voting Rights Act in Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
July 9, 2025 at 8:13 PM
NEW: Two tribal nations are planning to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a ruling that struck down a key tool for protecting minority voters under the federal Voting Rights Act in Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
Funding for Tribes has been under siege in Trump Administration.
In this week’s @brookings.edu Metro Blueprint podcast, I spoke with Allison Neswood at @nativerights.bsky.social about how funding cuts are affecting Native people and undermining Tribal sovereignty
www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
In this week’s @brookings.edu Metro Blueprint podcast, I spoke with Allison Neswood at @nativerights.bsky.social about how funding cuts are affecting Native people and undermining Tribal sovereignty
www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
How federal funding cuts impact Tribal communities | Brookings
In this episode of Metro Blueprint, experts examine the challenges Indian Country is facing due to the disruption in federal funding. Robert Maxim, fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Allison Nes...
www.brookings.edu
July 2, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Funding for Tribes has been under siege in Trump Administration.
In this week’s @brookings.edu Metro Blueprint podcast, I spoke with Allison Neswood at @nativerights.bsky.social about how funding cuts are affecting Native people and undermining Tribal sovereignty
www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
In this week’s @brookings.edu Metro Blueprint podcast, I spoke with Allison Neswood at @nativerights.bsky.social about how funding cuts are affecting Native people and undermining Tribal sovereignty
www.brookings.edu/articles/rob...
Come work with me! I'm hiring for a fall intern to support my research on Indigenous economies.
Ideal candidate would have strong quantitative skills and an interest in Native American policy.
Full posting can be found below, DM me with any questions!
interns-brookings.icims.com/jobs/3684/fa...
Ideal candidate would have strong quantitative skills and an interest in Native American policy.
Full posting can be found below, DM me with any questions!
interns-brookings.icims.com/jobs/3684/fa...
Jobs and Internships
interns-brookings.icims.com
June 5, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Come work with me! I'm hiring for a fall intern to support my research on Indigenous economies.
Ideal candidate would have strong quantitative skills and an interest in Native American policy.
Full posting can be found below, DM me with any questions!
interns-brookings.icims.com/jobs/3684/fa...
Ideal candidate would have strong quantitative skills and an interest in Native American policy.
Full posting can be found below, DM me with any questions!
interns-brookings.icims.com/jobs/3684/fa...
Reposted by Rob Maxim
it's disgusting that the administration is treating working for the IHS as some kind of penance
I know people who have worked for the IHS and found it incredibly rewarding. But besides the fact that you have to WANT to move to, say, a remote village in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, there is also the question of whether these posting actually need the skills these people have to offer.
Laid off HHS leaders offered transfers to remote Indian Health Service regions
Some HHS officials who received layoff notices were offered the chance to instead transfer to the Indian Health Service.
www.statnews.com
April 2, 2025 at 2:09 PM
it's disgusting that the administration is treating working for the IHS as some kind of penance
Spoke with @anaswanson.bsky.social at the Times about how foreign retaliatory tariffs will impact U.S. communities.
Great job by @lazarogamio.bsky.social building a fantastic visual of which places are most exposed to foreign tariffs, based on our @brookings.edu work
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Great job by @lazarogamio.bsky.social building a fantastic visual of which places are most exposed to foreign tariffs, based on our @brookings.edu work
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Trade War Retaliation Will Hit Trump Voters Hardest
Nearly 8 million Americans work in industries targeted by the levies and the majority are Trump voters, a New York Times analysis shows
www.nytimes.com
March 19, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Spoke with @anaswanson.bsky.social at the Times about how foreign retaliatory tariffs will impact U.S. communities.
Great job by @lazarogamio.bsky.social building a fantastic visual of which places are most exposed to foreign tariffs, based on our @brookings.edu work
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Great job by @lazarogamio.bsky.social building a fantastic visual of which places are most exposed to foreign tariffs, based on our @brookings.edu work
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Late to posting this, but spoke with Alyssa Fowers at the Post about which U.S. communities are most exposed to foreign tariff retaliation. Kudos to her excellent visualization incorporating data from our team, @markmuro1.bsky.social and @shriyared.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
A trade war could hit these communities hardest
Chinese and Canadian retaliatory tariffs are aimed at agricultural, manufacturing and energy sectors that employ millions of Americans.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 14, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Late to posting this, but spoke with Alyssa Fowers at the Post about which U.S. communities are most exposed to foreign tariff retaliation. Kudos to her excellent visualization incorporating data from our team, @markmuro1.bsky.social and @shriyared.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Reposted by Rob Maxim
Read the whole thing. I’ll just flag that “Native American” and “Tribal” are on this list, which doesn’t bode well for the regime’s interactions with 575 federally recognized Native nations and their citizens
The Trump regime expands its discouraged (BANNED) words across federal agencies. The list is long
Gift article www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Gift article www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
March 9, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Read the whole thing. I’ll just flag that “Native American” and “Tribal” are on this list, which doesn’t bode well for the regime’s interactions with 575 federally recognized Native nations and their citizens
Reposted by Rob Maxim
Tribal Organizations Say Trump’s Mass Layoffs Have Life-or-Death Consequences.
Opposition mounts to the layoff of thousands of workers in health, education and other key tribal programs and agencies.
ictnews.org/news/life-or...
Opposition mounts to the layoff of thousands of workers in health, education and other key tribal programs and agencies.
ictnews.org/news/life-or...
‘Life or Death Consequences’: Layoffs throw Indian Country into turmoil
Thousands of workers are losing their jobs in health, education and other key tribal programs and agencies
ictnews.org
February 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Tribal Organizations Say Trump’s Mass Layoffs Have Life-or-Death Consequences.
Opposition mounts to the layoff of thousands of workers in health, education and other key tribal programs and agencies.
ictnews.org/news/life-or...
Opposition mounts to the layoff of thousands of workers in health, education and other key tribal programs and agencies.
ictnews.org/news/life-or...