On June 10, 2020 the Native Nations Institute hosted an a online panel discussion with Chairman Bryan Newland of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Councilwoman Herminia Frias of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and hosted by Karen Diver the former Chair of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Director of Business Development for the Native American Advancement Initiatives for the Native Nations Institute. These distinguished tribal leaders brought their wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience in making Indigenous Governance address the needs of their Native communities in response to the crisis surrounding COVID-19. Across Indian Country the pandemic has brought a rise in new challenges and bringing old ones to more prominence when dealing with the Federal Government for appropriate resources. The CARES Act was passed to address some of these needs but does not deal with the root of the issue many Native Nations face in asserting the methods of self-governance. The panelists provide insights on ways they are working to help the citizens of their Native Nations be resilient under constraints of emergency response.