Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act

The Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act funds programs that work "to preserve Native American languages." It is named for Esther Martinez, a teacher and storyteller who lived to be 94 years old, and was nationally known for her dedication to preserving the Tewa language. "She was killed in a car accident on September 18, [2006], just days after receiving a National Heritage Fellowship award for her efforts to preserve the Tewa language." The Voice of America featured a four-part series in September 2012 "on keeping traditions alive", reporting: "United States Representative Heather Wilson of New Mexico wrote the bill to help stop American Indian languages from disappearing.

Source: Wikipedia — Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act (CC BY-SA 4.0)