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Who is Deb Haaland's daughter Somáh? Actress and trans-rights activist proud of mother who brought her up alone

Somáh has featured in three films, including 'Feast,' 'Thank You, 5' and 'The Last Full Measure' and works as a media coordinator for Pueblo Action Alliance

Deb Haaland, who got confirmed as the first-ever Native American interior secretary on Monday, March 15, after being handpicked by President Joe Biden to run the department, is also a single mom to daughter, Somáh Haaland. 

The Senate voted 51-40 to confirm the Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico to lead the department of the interior, which will play a crucial role in the Biden administration on issues like climate change and ecological conservation. The confirmation of Haaland, a member of New Mexico’s Laguna Pueblo, is also symbolic as history has seen the department being used as a tool to oppress America’s indigenous people.

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Haaland has made history earlier as well. In 2018, the former chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party became one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. The tribal communities were more than elated after Haaland was nominated for the key administrative post. “Indian country has shouted from the valleys, from the mountaintops, that it’s time. It's overdue,” Stephine Poston, a member of the Sandia Pueblo tribe, told NPR.

Although not much is known about her personal life, it has been revealed that she has a daughter whom she has raised as a single mom.

Who is Somáh Haaland?

Somáh is an actress who has featured in three films, including 'Feast,' 'Thank You, 5' and 'The Last Full Measure.' She has been raised by her mother from the time she was born in 1994. There is no information about her father. 

According to her Twitter bio, she lives in New York City and works as a media coordinator for Pueblo Action Alliance - "a community driven organization that promotes cultural sustainability and community defense by addressing environmental and social impacts in Indigenous communities."

"We are the descendents of Pueblo revolutionaries and carry the revolutionary spirit of the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. We have the right to our own Indigenous self-determination & sovereignty and ability to create communities and economies that meet the needs of our Pueblo people. Cultivating ancestral wisdom helps to evolve modern organizing strategies and tactics to protect our cultural integrity. We embody Pueblo-centric grassroots organizing to mobilize our people on the issues that are most important to us. We view indigenous solutions as means to dismantle and eradicate white supremacy, capitalism, imperialism, patriarchy and extractive colonialism. The liberation of indigenous peoples is the liberation for all," its website reads.

Somáh has also used her social media presence to praise her mother and endorse her nomination as the interior secretary. "Because she genuinely gives her best. Debra is the most selfless person I know and I am grateful that she raised me with the same integrity and strength that she carries. I am so proud to support my mom today and every day. #DebForInterior," one of her posts from February read. 

On Monday, she excitedly wrote, "Hey y’all - it’s been an eventful day!! In the spirit of giving you guys some BTS access, I’ve been given permission to livestream my mama getting sworn in as Secretary of the Interior this Wednesday. I’ll post updates as soon as I know what time everything is happening!"

She is also an advocate of trans rights. In an Instagram post, she writes, "TFW it’s Trans Awareness Week and Rock your Mocs week 😌 Although I don’t identify as trans, I’m grateful for the space I’ve been given to explore my enby identity. I’m very blessed that the people who raised me never enforced gender roles or expectations on me and that I had the privilege and freedom to learn many things regardless of them being “traditionally” masculine or feminine. I hope for a future where all children can be themselves and like what they like, a future where we don’t put expectations on children based on their biology. We must protect our kiddos and honor intersectional identities"