Introduction
Mark R. Charles is a Native American activist, public speaker, consultant on Native American issues, journalist, blogger, pastor, and computer programmer. He is an independent candidate for President of the United States in the 2020 election.
Early life
Charles, the son of a Navajo father and a Dutch-American mother, grew up in Gallup, New Mexico. He is a graduate of UCLA.
Activism and career
Charles is noted for his activism in denouncing the Doctrine of Discovery and opposition to the Dakota pipeline. He is a former pastor at the Christian Indian Center in Denver, Colorado.
He is a consultant for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, as well as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Native News Online. Since 2008, he has written the blog “Wirelesshogan: Reflections from the Hogan”.
2020 presidential campaign
In May 2019, Charles announced via a YouTube video that he is running for President of the United States as an independent in the 2020 election. On August 20, he spoke at the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum, alongside major candidates including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris.