A Day in Memory of Chairman Arlan D. Melendez

WHEREAS, the State of Nevada mourns the passing of Arlan D. Melendez, a distinguished Nevadan, a devoted leader, and a United States Marine Corps veteran who served his country with honor and courage during the Vietnam Conflict; and;

WHEREAS, born in Schurz, Nevada, Chairman Melendez drew strength from his Northern Paiute heritage and from his family’s legacy, his parents having endured the era of Indian Boarding Schools, and he transformed that strength into a lifetime of selfless public service; and;

WHEREAS, for 32 years, Chairman Melendez held the highest elected office of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, becoming the longest-serving Tribal Chairman in Nevada history and among the most respected in the nation; and;

WHEREAS, under his steady and visionary leadership, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony experienced historic economic development, dramatic expansion of sovereign lands, and the establishment of one of the most advanced Tribal health care centers in the Western United States; and;

WHEREAS, Chairman Melendez worked closely with generations of Nevada governors, legislators, and federal officials to champion policies that improved the lives of Native Americans across our state, advocating for college tuition waivers, sacred site protections, voting rights, disaster relief, public health, and cultural preservation; and;

WHEREAS, his tireless work led to the passage of landmark federal legislation, including the Nevada Native Nations Lands Act of 2016, which returned thousands of acres of ancestral land to Nevada’s tribal communities; and;

WHEREAS, Chairman Melendez’s leadership was recognized at the national level through appointments to prestigious advisory bodies, including his service on the Smithsonian Institution’s taskforce to erect the National Native American Veterans Memorial at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.; and;

WHEREAS, Chairman Melendez was a servant leader in the truest sense, known for his humility, spiritual conviction, and deep commitment to his people; he was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and mentor whose faith, wisdom, and quiet strength inspired all who had the privilege to know him; and;

WHEREAS, throughout his life, Chairman Melendez reminded us of what it means to lead with grace and conviction; his legacy will live on in the lives he changed, the land he protected, and the community he loved; and;

WHEREAS, the State of Nevada honors the life and legacy of Chairman Arlan D. Melendez and extends heartfelt condolences to his wife Joyce, his children and grandchildren, and to the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. The State of Nevada will forever remember his decades of service and his enduring impact on generations of Nevadans;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOE LOMBARDO, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim June 17, 2025, in memory of

CHAIRMAN ARLAN D. MELENDEZ