2006/2007 CI Brochure

The American Indian Ambassadors Program

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) was founded by LaDonna Harris and a cohort of her fellow Native American activists in 1970. Many of AIO’s founding members have remained on the Board of Directors guiding its thirty-six year history. In the early nineties, these Native leaders preempted the need to pass on their experience or personal “medicine” to the next generation of tribal, national and international Indigenous leaders. The American Indian Ambassadors Program was created and has built a national Native network of over one-hundred and fifty emerging and established Native American leaders.

• Edgar A. Bowen (Coos) Coos Bay, Ore. • Mary Jo Butterfield (Makah) Neah Bay, Wash.

• Michael Chapman (Menominee) Keshena, Wis. • Kate Cherrington (Maori) Hamilton, New Zealand • Amanda Cobb (Chickasaw) Albuquerque, N.M. • Andrew Ebona (Tlingit) Juneau, Ala. • Coy Eklund New York, N.Y. • Jeanne Givens (Coeur D’Alene) Coeur D’Alene, Idaho • LaDonna Harris (Comanche) Albuquerque, N.M.

• Minerva Jenkins (Mohave) Needles, Calif.

• Louie LaRose (Winnebago) Winnebago, Neb. • David Lester (Creek) Denver, Colo.

• Charles Lohah (Osage) Hominy, Okla.

• Grace McCullah-Ryan (Navajo) Arroya Seco, N.M. • Puka Moeau (Maori) Hamilton, New Zealand • Jerry Muskrat (Cherokee) San Diego, Calif.

• Bentham Ohia (Maori) Hamilton, New Zealand • Phyllis Old Dog Cross (Mandan-Hidatsa) Parshall, N.D.

• Elma Patterson (Tuscarora) Lewiston, N.Y. • Ivan Posey (Eastern Shoshone) Fort Washakie, Wyo. • Faith Roessel (Navajo) Bethesda, Md. • Joe Sando (Jemez Pueblo) Albuquerque, N.M. • Gilbert Thompson (Mississippi Band of Choctaw) Choctaw, Miss.

• Eddie Tullis (Poarch Creek) Atmore, Ala. • Judy Winchester (Pokagon Band Potawatomi) Dowagiac, Mich.

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THE AMERICAN INDIAN AMBASSADORS PROGRAM

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r Gatherings • The u o F • Four a rs e Y R' o

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Gathering Three – Bolivia Exploring Global Citizenship through an International Indigenous Exchange

Gathering Four – Molokai, Hawaii Overcoming Barriers and Applying New Knowledge in the Context of an Ambassador"s Community

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Developing a Community Initiative Each Ambassador creates and carries out a project, while going through the Program. The objective is to address and resolve a specific problem within his/her Native community.

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Gathering Two - Washington, D.C./New York City Understanding and Influencing National Policy-Making and Introduction to International Affairs

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Gathering One - New Mexico Defining Self in the Context of Family and Tribe/Community

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Class of 2006/07 Ms. Miranda Belarde-Lewis (Zuni/Tlingit) Graduate Student of Museology, University of Washington Seattle, Washington "Securing the Sacred" Locate museums that are actively loaning their permanent collections to Native groups for use in ceremonies, evaluate the efficacy of the arrangements and develop policy guidelines for other tribes and museums who want to enter into similar agreements.

Ms. Diandra D. Benally (Navajo) Staff Attorney, Navajo Nation Department of Justice Window Rock, Arizona “Navajo Women Naat’aaniis (Leaders)” Redefine the voice of Navajo women in politics. The Navajo Nation council is made up of eighty-eight members and of those only eight are women. Can a Navajo woman become the Naa’at’aanii (the President) of our Navajo Nation?

Mr. Joshua W. Brown (Salish/A’aninin) Lead Developer, Salish Kootenai College- Language Teacher Training Program Pablo, Montana “Native American Language Teacher Training Institute” Develop a program working with the tribal communities to produce a critical pool of effective teachers who can teach in the Salish and Kootenai languages.

Ms. Chrissie Michelle Castro (Diné) Organizing Coordinator, American Indian Children’s Council Los Angeles, California “United Native Youth LA: high high school drop out rate” Establish a Native studies curriculum within the Los Angeles public school system.

Mr. Carnell T. J. Chosa (Jemez Pueblo) Director, The Leadership Institute of the Santa Fe Indian School Santa Fe, New Mexico “Summer Policy Academy” Design and Implement the Summer Policy Academy: Summer session to introduce 20 to 30 Native New Mexico students to public policy and community issues. Also, start a nonprofit community development foundation.

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Class of 2006/07 Mr. Robert “Mark” Deese (Tuscarora) Youth Development Specialist, Public Schools of Robeson County Pembroke, North Carolina “Tuscarora Indian Nation of North Carolina Summer Enrichment Program” Combat the issues of low self-esteem, drug prevention, dropout prevention, and cultural enrichment of Tuscarora youth, by developing a program that will enable our students to integrate reading, writing, and computer skills while focusing on Tuscarora culture.

Ms. Dustina Gill (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) Research Assistant, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Planning and Economic Development Department and the University of Lincoln NE, Research Center Agency Village, South Dakota “Identify and Prioritize Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Needs and Resources” Evaluate all programs and entities of the Tribe utilizing a modified version of the GPRA/PART assessment to ensure accountability in all areas.

Ms. Marci Hawpetoss (Menominee) Reporter, Tribal Newsletter, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Keshena, Wisconsin “A Creative Approach to Reclaiming Menominee Traditional Governance” Research the historical perspective of Menominee tribal governance and develop a community play that would increase awareness of traditional elements of governance.

Ms. Tamara Dawn James (Choctaw Nation) Post Bacc Research Fellow, National Institute of Diabetes Bethesda, Maryland “Choctaw Health/Science Research Institute” Research and initiate a collaboration between local research institutes, Oklahoman University Health & Sciences Center and the Choctaw Nation to produce data and statistics in regards to the tribe’s most prevalent diseases of diabetes, cardiovascular and cancer.

Mr. Darold Harmon Joseph (Hopi) Special Education Director, Hopi Junior/Senior High School Keams Canyon, Arizona “A Path to the Future: Preserving Hopi Culture and Language through Culturally Relevant Instruction” Address the rapid loss of culture and language in the Hopi community and schools by developing relevant curriculum based methodology that will incorporate a pedagogy of instruction based on core cultural values.

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Class of 2006/07 Ms. Noelani K. Lee (Hawaiian) Executive Director, Ka Honua Momona International Kaunakakai, Hawaii “AHO – Advancement of Hawaiian Opportunity” An aho is a fishing line and symbolizes casting out to bring in new knowledge.

AHO will be a Native Hawaiian Ambassadors Program in the style of AIO’s leadership development model.

Ms. Nichole June Maher (Tlingit) Executive Director, Native American Youth and Family Center Portland, Oregon “Native American Leaders Round Table” Create a regular meeting amongst leaders of American Indian and Alaskan Native organizations in the Portland Metropolitan area, so they can have safe and productive conversation about how to work collectively and unite in order to best serve the community.

Ms. Shannon Martin (Gun Lake Potawatomi) Community Education Research Specialist, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Mount Pleasant, Michagan “Anishinabek Elders Oral History Project” Build a network and nurture relationships with Anishinabek elders for the purpose of language, cultural, and historical preservation.

Record their words through audio and video.

Mr. Kevin R. Shendo (Jemez Pueblo) Education Director, Jemez Department of Education Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico “Think Globally, Create Locally” Develop the International Exchange Program at the Pueblo of Jemez’ Walatowa High Charter School and ensure its sustainability, giving students the opportunity to see first hand the real life experiences affecting Indigenous peoples around the globe. The Walatowa High International program will introduce WHCS students to the advancement of Indigenous efforts throughout the world, namely focused on Indigenous interconnectedness, the value of cultural sustainability, the development of tribal governments (sovereignty) and building an appreciation for world cultures and languages.

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Class of 2006/07 Mr. Edmund Pat Sherman (Diné/Omaha) Special Projects Manager, Colorado Indigenous Games Society, Inc. Denver, Colorado “Reassess, Redefine, Renew the Denver Indian Center’s Core Constituency” As a new board member of the Denver Indian Center, conduct a comprehensive environmental scan of Denver’s American Indian community by examining the effectiveness of its current programming, reassessing and redefining its service priorities, core constituency and constituency demography.

Mr. James Okwaho Washinawatok II (Menominee/Akwesasne Mohawk) Associate, Nordhaus Law Firm, LLP Albuquerque, New Mexico “Menominee Constitutional Reform” The current Menominee constitution was created as a result of Restoration. Therefore, James intends to research the traditional governing structures of the tribe and how the current Constitution aligns with that traditional structure.

Mr. Sweeney Windchief (Fort Peck Assiniboine) Coordinator of Special Programs, American Indian Graduate Center Albuquerque, New Mexico “Nakodabi Snonwayayati” – The Assiniboine Cultural Center Organize a core group of community members and provide a gathering place with the specific goal of revitalizing the Assiniboine language, history and culture.

Ms. Sarah Ticishway Windy Boy-Tholt (Makah) Executive Assistant to the General Manager, Makah Tribal Council Neah Bay, Washington “Youth Activities and Drug Education” Create year long activities like web development and sports for tribal youth on the Makah reservation, and provide education on the effect of drugs. Also, start a women’s group that will act as a network of support in regards to children and other life issues.

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Weaving a National Native Network and Building Strong Tribal Governments Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) catalyzes and facilitates culturally appropriate initiatives and opportunities that enrich the cultural, political and economic lives of Indigenous peoples. Founded

by Ladonna Harris (Comanche) in 1970, AIO draws upon traditional Indigenous values to foster enlightened and responsible leadership, inspire stakeholder-driven solutions, and convene visionary leaders to probe contemporary issues and challenges of the new century.

For more information, contact us at: Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) 1001 Marquette Ave NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 505.842.8677 www.aio.org

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Fax 505.842.8658 aio@aio.org

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