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.
