WHATS NEW IN THE COMMUNITY

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Two Native youth attend Obama

inauguration

Two youth leaders from the Bois Forte

Band of Ojibwe attended the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama on

January 20 in Washington, D.C. Twelve-year-old Felicia Mason and 13-year-old

Corey Strong Jr., members of the Junior Presidential Youth group, joined

selected middle school students from across the country to attend the

inauguration. Mason and Strong are both 7th graders at Orr High School in Orr,

MN.

At the inauguration they learned about

democracy, the electoral process, and traditions surrounding the inauguration.

They were special guests on the National Mall as Obama was sworn in as

president and also attended a gala inaugural ball in the evening. Felicia is

the daughter of Billie Mason (Bois Forte Band member) and Tony Mason. Corey is

the son of Teresa and Corey Strong (both are Bois Forte Band members).

Mixed Blook Theater receives ILTF grant

for play

The Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF)

has awarded $5,000 to the Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis to support the

production and performance of Red Ink – a play-within-a-Powwow. Red Ink is a

drama by seven Native American authors with an all-Native cast representing

nine North American tribes. The production explores topics including

sovereignty, gaming and land.

Two of the 11 segments will specifically

relate to Indian land tenure issues. One daytime student matinee performance is

scheduled to target Indian students in the Twin Cities metro area. In addition

to the production, resource materials about the issues covered will be

available to audience members. The play will be performed in spring 2009.

Bois Forte opens urban office in

Minneapolis

Bois Forte Reservation has opened an

urban office in Minneapolis, located at 1404 East Franklin Avenue. The new

Urban Office Coordinator is Jacque Wilson, who

can be reached at 612-871-6618 or via email, at:

urbanoffice@boisforte-nsn.gov. Office hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 to 4:30

pm. An Open House is being planned soon.

Little Earth of United Tribes receive

$75,000 grant

A Youth Development Center at the Little

Earth of United Tribes in Minneapolis will be funded by $50,000 of a $75,000

grant from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. The remaining $25,000 will

help with general operating costs. The Youth Development Center is a holistic educational

center for students available in off-school hours. The center offers academic

tutoring as well as cultural, recreational, and social activities in a safe

environment. The center provides access to computer technology, mentoring

services, financial literacy programs, and educational programs for residents.

The aim is to improve educational outcomes while promoting cultural and

linguistic development.

Located in the East Phillips

neighborhood, Little Earth spans a multi-block area with 212 housing units home

to more than 900 residents, almost half

of which are under the age of twelve.

MN Humanities Commission to adapt Indian

land curriculum

ILTF has awarded a grant of $42,370 to

the Minnesota Humanities Commission of St. Paul, to adapt the Lessons of Our

Land curriculum to state standards, incorporating Minnesota Dakota and Ojibwe

history and culture, and to provide training to more than 120 educators in the

effective implementation of the curriculum.

Through the

teacher trainings, the curriculum will be introduced into 380 classes across

the state, educating approximately 11,200 students about Indian land issues.

The efforts of the Humanities. Commission will help increase the engagement of

students throughout Minnesota in Indian land tenure

history and

issues.