DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 267 936 RC 015 563

AUTHOR Ballenger, Patricia; Reese, LillianTITLE Contemporary American Tndian Women: Careers And

Contributions.INSTITUTION Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Cass Lake.SPONS AGENCY Women's Educational Equity Act Program (ED),

Washington, DC.PUB DATE Jul 83NOTE 106p.PUB TYPE Reference Materials - Directories/Catalogs (132)

EDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORS

MFO1 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.*Achievement; American Indian Education; *AmericanIndians; *Biographies; Career Guidance; *Careers;*Females; Higher Education; Personal Narratives;*Professional Recognition; Secondary Education;Womens Education

ABSTRACTBiographies of 77 Indian women highlight professional

and personal accomplishments as well as contributions to the Indiancommunity. Biographies are arranged by area of professionalachievement in eight chapters: tribal government and politics, law,administration, education, communi.ations, special fields (the arts,armed forces, and independent business), health, and social services,Ar introduction for each chapter sums up the role played by Indianwomen in the profession and suggests career opportunities. Abibliography of references on careers follows each chapter, andorganizations providing additional information are included forseveral fields. The biographies include women with unusual careersand varied lifestyles and academic experience. The chapter on healthincludes biographies of a doctor, midwife, medical researcher,registered nurse, pediatrics nurse prsztitioner, community healthnurse, laboratory technician, medical records administrator, healthcareers recruiter, ambulance service director, and chemicaldependency counselor. Other careers represented are tribal chief,attorney, educator, editor, television reporter, writer, poet, operasinger, and social worker. A list of 8 references on careers and adirectory of 24 publishers of career information are included.Photographs accompany nearly all biographies. (JHZ)

***t***********************************************************A*******Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made

from the original document.******************************************w**********************t*****

Discrimination Prohibited: Mc, person in the United States shall, on the groundsof race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied thebenefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activityreceiving Federal financial assistance, or be so treated on the basis of sex undermost education programs or activities receiving Federal assistance.

Produced by The Minnesota Chippewa TriLe, Education Division, under a grantfrom the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office ofEducation, under the auspices of tae Women's Educational Equity Act. Opinionsexpressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Office ofEducation or the Department, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is acting only as a conduit for the publication ofthis book. Views of history, facts, or interpretations of them are not necessarilythe views, or interpretation of facts or events of The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.They are the views, opinions, or interpretations of facts and events by thewriters, who are solely responsible for them.

Copyright 1983The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe

P.O. Box 217Cans Lake, Minnesota 56633

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 3

CONTEMPORARY AMERICANINDIAN WOMEN:

CAREERS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

4

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

AcknowledgementsResearch for this book continued from 1979 through 1981. And even in that

time span, some of the women whose experiences were originally recountedwent on to other jobs...other places.

Now, some four years later, few of the subjects are still in the places theyoccupied when first interviewed. Their contribution as role models has rk, 'changed with their growing experience. And we are grateful to them.

There are many people, in fact, who assisted in the development andproduction of this book, "Contemporary American Indian Women: Careers andContributions. "

In particular, we would ii.!%-.. to express our appreciation to the members of theAdvisory Committee, who were involved from the beginning and whocontributed their experience and their expertise along with their consideredadvice. Thanks are also extended to all who took part in the review process at TheMinnesota Chippewa Tribe.

A special word of thanks to those who cooperated in supplying information andphotos, which will stimulate interest in the widely varied career fields theyrepresent. And this, titer all, is the purpose for which the book was intended.

July, 1983

Patricia Bellanger, Program CoordinatorLillian Reese, Program Researcher

t)

Table Of ContentsPREFACE v

Unit I TRIBAL GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 1

Tribal Chief - Mary Frances McCormilk 3Elected Tribal Leader - Marge Anderson 3

Special Advisor - Lucille EchoHawk 4Advocate - Owanah Anderson 4

Political Advocate - Billie Nave Masters 5

Lobbyist - Ada Deer 6

Bibliography 7

Unit 11 LAW 9

Attorney - Margaret Treuer 11Victoria Santana 12

Administration - Thelma Stiffarm 12Law Enforcement - Grace Tester 13

Advocate - Frances Feli.c 14

Bibliography 15

Unit "1 ADMINISTRATION 17

Administrative Assistant - Shirlee Smith 18

AdministratorsHealth - Deanne Fairbanks 19

Clinic - Norine Smith 20Personnel - Jan Donnelly 21

Shirley Van Dyck 22Director of Marketing - Donna Folstad 23

Business Development - Barbara Raygor 24Economic Development - Brenda Draves 25

Charlotte White - Rice 26Comptroller - Carol Guinn 27

Secretary - Joyce Yellowhammer 28

Bibliography 29

Unit IV EDUCATION 31

TeachersElementary/Alternative - Erma Jean Vizenor 33

Patricia Gordon 34Secondary /Alto :wave - Laura Fineday 35Language and Culture - Elizabeth Boyd 36

Special Education - Katherine Gurnoe 37Principal - Harriet Heisler 38

College or University FacultyMargaret Nelson 39

Beatrice Medicine 40Charlotte Wilson Heth 41

6

i

Reservation EducationDirector - Joy Peacock 42

Coordinator - Shirley Northbird 43Counselor - Patricia Doro 44

Vocational Education - Gloria Dudley 45Maxine Boswell 45

College - Bonnie Wallace 46Adult Basic Education - Elaine Salinas 47

Curriculum Development - Karen Wynn 48Lana Sue Grant 49

School Psychometrist - Ruby Ludwig 50Librarian - Priscilla Morrison 51

Head Start Teacher - Edythe Warner 52Career Education - Yvonne (Bonnie] Frazer 53

Bibliography 54

Unit V COMMUNICATIONS 55

Editor - Rose Robinson 56Television Reporter - Hattie Kauffman Wing 57

Television Host - Harriett Skye 58

WritersTechnical Developer - Rayna Green 59Editor - Laura Waterman Wittstock 60

Poet - Suzan Harjo 61

Bibliography 62

Unit vI SPECIAL FIELDS 63

Private Consultant - Margaret Peake Raymond 64Independent Businesswoman - Irene Losh 65

Armed Forces - Shirley Wallace 65Performer - Georgia Wettlin-Larsen 66

Artist - Joan Hill 67Fashion Designer - Marjorie Roane 68

Opera Singer - Bonnie Jo Hunt 69

Bibliography 70

Unit VII HEALTH 71

Doctor of Medicine - Lois Steele 75lidwife - Katsi Cook 76

Medical Research - Phyllis Williams 77

NursingRegistered Nurse - Charmaine Desjarlait 78

Pediatrics - Lorraine Duran 79Community Health - Luella Brunelle 80

Laboratory Technician - Mary Howard 81Medical Records - Barbara Norbeck 81

Senior Citizen Aide - Rose Whipple Bluestone 82Heal:h Recruiter - Kathleen Annette 83

Ambulance Crew - Ardette Warren 83Chemical Dependency - Sharon Day - Garda. 84

Bibliography 85

ii

Unit VIII SOCIAL SERVICES 87

Resource Specialist - Delia Moreland 89Social Worker - Rosalie Clark 90

Welfare Advocate - Amelia Flocken 91Patient Advocate - Annette Oshie 92Urban Ministry - Mary Ann Walt 93

Group Home Director - Theresa Johnston 94Housewife - Winnie Jourdain 96

Senior Advocate - Josephin& Madison Goodwin 96

Bibliography 96

TEACHERS GUIDE 97

PUBLISHER'S GUIDE 98

iii

PrefaceThe Women's Educational Equity Act, under Title IX of the Education Act, has

prc..,ided an opportunity for highlighting the careers of Indian women. Many ofthe women have advanced degrees from universities. Some are doctors, law:,ers,and even Indian chiefs. Others may have only a grade school education.Whatever their previous academic experience, the women often are foundworking side by side, learning from each other.

An Advisory Committee made up of women from reservations, urban Indiancommunities, and rural Indian communities assisted in the selection process.There was an attempt made to locate Indian women whose careers were unusualand whose lifestyles varied. Many of the women offered expertise beyond thedemands of their jobs, in serving as delegates, resource people, facilitators ofconferences, and meetings of national and international scope. Several are listedin Who's Who of Minority Women, Who's Who in America, The Directory ofAmerican Poets, and American Indian/Alaskan Native Women of America.

Ninety percent of :he women included served on local parent advisorycommittees and on other local councils. This reflected their individual concernsand represented diverse interests such as housing, education, juvenile justice,health, hunting and fishing rights, employment, and social service3.

Most of the women interviewed expressed a strong commitment to making lifebetter for their children, their families, their tribes. Every one of them advisedIndian youth to stay in school.

It was generally found that women who work in the mainstream hold on totheir Indian experience by sitting on advisory boards, serving in their localIndian communities, or making an impact in some way on the non-Indiansituation in which some of them function.

Many of the Indian women had gone back to school after their own childrenwere in school or were graduated. It was not unusual to find grandmothers incollege. Most of the women return to Indian country for pow-wows, feasts, andfamily events which tie them closer to their origins.

There are many Indian women who could not be included in this publication.Some chose not to, while others could not be contacted. Also, there werelimitations of space to consider. Perhaps there will be another opportunity tofocus on women of accomplishment, women who for one reason or another werenot included here.

9

P.B.

he previous numberedpage in

he original documentwas blank'

Tribal GovernmentTribal government is self-government of American Indian tribes for the benefit

of tribal members. Tribes always have 'field the opinion that as independentnations they possess "inherent" powers to govern themselves. They never haveneeded the federal government to give them this power to govern.

Tribal governments share a unique relationship with other governments. Thiswas the basis of 381 treaties negotiated with the federal, government in yearspast. The federal government has a "trust" responsibility for tribal land andresources. This means that the federal government is charged with :heprotection and preservation of tribal resources for future generations.

The Indian Reorganization Act [Wheeler-Howard] of 1934 recognized Indiantribes to be self-governing if tribal members voted to develop and adopt aConstitution and By-Laws which would govern tribal operations. This Actrequired that tribes have elected leaders instead of appointed or hereditaryleaders.

Some of the powers of elected tribal councils are:

o The power to negotiate with other governments, such as other tribal, county,state, or federal governments on behalf of the tribe;

o Power over disposition and use of land and resources;

o Power to impose a taxation plea;

o Power to enact ordinances or codes to govern, for example, hunting andfishing or to zone land and water use;

o Power to charter subordinate organizations for economir, purposes;

o Power to establish a judiciary system.

An elected tribal council is the governing body of the reservation. It generallydetermines the policies that govern reservation operations, programs andbusinesses.

Wherever a meeting is called to order today, Indian women are present.

Women were part of the decision making process long before recorded historydrew images of the American Indian. Women are part of that decision makingprocess today. Women earn their place at the council table today in being votedinto office, just as they earned that place in time past when they were chosenbecause of their wisdom, or their courage, or their knowledge of the naturalworld.

10

Indian women today often are heard in testifying before local, tribal, state andfederal committees. Programs and legislative acts reflect their influence. TheIndian Child Welfare Act, the Indian Edueation Act, and the 2415 Indian LandClaims leg4slation all show the influence of American Indian women of manytribes.

Women play important roles in the organization of tribal advisory committeesand subcommittees. They are E!ected or appointed to boards of directors in bothpublic and private sectors. They serve on education committees, housingcommittees, environmental committees, community development committees,and health committees.

F!ling public office is just another way in which Indian women contribute totheir tribes and their communities.

Women In PoliticsWhen a candidate runs for public office, women frequently do the running.

When good women are on a politician's staff, she knows a lot of earnest endeavorwill go into getting her elected.

Often Indian women are elected to local councils before they run for electiveoffice at the broader tribal level. Women who start as tribal officers frequentlygoon to being elected or appointed to positions outside the tribe, to state positions,federal commissions, regional committees and boards.

Politicians often urge the appointment of women because they recognizewomen's political numbers as voters. They represent 51 percent of thepopulation. Women have been observed getting out the vote, organizing asvolunteers, working on phone squads, stuffing envelopes, and licking stamps.More and more Indian women are running for mainstream political offices today.With their sisters' support, there can be even mcre Indian women elected tohigh places in future

2

Indian Chief

Mary Francis McCormick was thePrincipal Chief of the Sac and Fox Tribeof Oklahoma. She was first appointed toserve out the unexpired term of aPrincipal Chief who died in 1975 andthen in September 1979, Mary waselected Principal Chief. Prior to herelection, she was the Secretary /Treas-'irer of the Sac and Fox Tribe, a positionshe had been elected to fill in 1969.

In addition to her services for hertribe, Mary has been active in volunteerorganizations and serves on a numberof advisory boards. She was namedOutstanding Indian Woman ofOklahoma in 1972 and in 1975, sheattended the 117th National EducationAssociation convention as a delegatefrom Oklahoma.

Mary's father was a full-blood mem-ber of the Seminole Tribe and hermother was a full-blood member of theSac and Fox Tribe. Her father at onetime was a Second Chief of the

Elected Tribal LeaderMarge Anderson is an elected rep-

resentati- e of the Mille Lacs Reserva-tion Business Committee. Mille LacsReservation is one of the six member-reservations of The Minnesota Chip-pewa Tribe. Marge was elected to

Seininoln Tribe. He taught her a greatdeal about tribal government.

Other of Mary's accomplishmentsare completing a Bachelor of Sciencedegree at the Uaiversity of Oklahomaand writing a primer on the Sac and Foxlanguages.

MARY FRANCES McCORMICK

represent residents of a particulardistrict of the reservation.

In addition to serving on the localtribal level, Marge is a member also oftwo subcommittees, Education andEconomic Development, of The Minne-sota Chippewa Tribe. As a member ofthose subcommittees, she is involved inreviewing information and makingrecommendations to the governingbody of the Tribe on matters whichaffect Indian people and programs.

Besides holding a full-time job andher participation in tribal government,Marge is involved in other communityactivities. She currently is a member ofthe school board for the Mille LacsAlternative School, the Nay Ah ShingSchool, and she served for many yearson the parent advisory committees forthe Johnson-O'Malley program andTitle IV Indian Education Act program.

MARGE ANDERSON3

12 BEST COPY AVAILABLF

Special Adviser

Lucille Echo Hawk is a Pawneewoman who works for the CommunityServices Agency, an agency within thefederal government the slogan of whichis "People Against Poverty." She is thespecial advisor for the Director ofAmerican Indian and Alaskan NaiveAffairs for the Community ServicesAgency.

As special advisor to a federalagency, Lucille can advocate forAmerican Indians and Alaskan Nativeswithin the federal government. Sheadvises and educates non-Indianagency personnel on Indian issues. Partof her job responsibilities includeseeking out and developing careeropportunities for American Indian andAlaskan Natives across the nation. She

Advocate and Administrator"Ohoyo" in the Choctaw language

means "woman." Owanah Anderson isa Choctaw Ohoyo who is an advocate forIndian omen and is the projectdirector of the Native American IndianWomen's Resource and InformationCenter located in Wichita Falls, Texas.As an advocate, Owanah reaches out toIndian women through the OhoyoBulletin, which is published quarterly.She shares information with women ofother tribes and organizations throughtheir newspapers, radio and televisionshows.

In her role as an advocate, Owanahadvises and educates persons m non-Indian institutions and gives the aclear picture of what IP happening uiIndian country. She also keeps themabreast of pending Indian legislation.

Owanah founded a non-profitcorporation called Ohoyo ResourceCenter and with the help of a nationalCoalition of Indian women, she worksnationwide to assist American Indian/Alaskan Native women.

She and her staff also have developeda reference guide, Resource Guide ofAmerican Indian/Alaskan NativeWomen 1980. This cites skills, tribal

4

BEST COPY MUM

tries to ensure that they will be able towork effectively in their jobs whilemaintaining priue in their Indianculture and heritage.

Lucille is well known to reservationofficials across the country becalms) ofher efforts in building bridges ofunder_ anding between non-Indiansand '.merican Indians and AlaskanNatives.

Lucille completed college work for adegree in history education. She holds aminor in political science. ShePontiued her education, studying lawrelaiing to American Indian issues. Shethen completed work for her mastersdegree in education.

OWANAH ANDERSON

backgrounds and professions of 631American Indian and Alaskan NativeWomen as a reference for employmentor appointment in public agencies orprivate business.

Owanah has carried her advocacywork to the nation and to the v'orld. Sheworks on many committees at thenational level concerning women'srights and American Indian issues. Shealso is involved in working at theinternational level on questions ofhuman rights for ill people.

13

Poldical Advocate

Billie Nave Masters has been activein politics at the local, state, andnational levels and has promotedlegislation affecting American Indiansand Alaskan Natives, women's issues,educational issues and bills to aidhandicapped people. Billie sees herskills as important to herself, herfamily, to her people and to the nationas a whole.

"Representatives of all peopleaffected by political decisions ofour country should be involved inthe process of making thosedecisions."

BILLIE NAVE MASTERS

...aillik...

Education is important to Billie. Shehas a degree in education and iscurrently a supervisor and instructor atthe University of California where sheworks with prospective teachers. Billiehas used her education not only it hercareer but as a way to advocate forissues that are important to her. Shehas volunteered her skills andexperience in the classroom as amember of local, state, and nationaleducation committees and by serving asthe chairperson of the Minority AffairsCommittee of the National EducationAssociation and the First AmericanCommittee. Her leadership activitieshave taken her to every state in thenation.

Billie has been active in her districtpolitical party by serving as a delegateto the state political caucus. She was adelegate to the national platformcommittee of her political party in 1980.While on the platform committee, sheinfluenced decisions which would bene-fit Indian/Alaskan Native concerns,women's issues, and issues of thehandicapped.

14

6

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Agent of Change

Ada Deer lived most of her firsteighteen years on the MenomineeReservation in Wisconsin. She was thefirst Menominee Indian to graduatefrom the University of Wisconsin inMadison and from Columbia Universityin New York where she earned amaster's degree in social work.

The next years were spent working invarious Indian programs using theskills she developed while workingtoward her degrees.

In 1954, serious problems developedaffecting her reservation. Congressvoted to terminate the feqeral status ofthe Menominee Reservation. Thismeant the end of tribal self-govern-ment, the Menominees' trust status,their common land base; it also deniedtribal membership to Menominee child-ren born after 1954. Ada becameactively involved, along with othermembers of her tribe, in seeking toregain the Menominee Tribe's status Esa federally recognized tribe.

Ada became a lobbyist for theNational Committee to Save theMenominee People and Forest, Inc.,which headquartered in Washington,D.C. The committee's goal was toconvince Congress to restore truststatus to the Menominee Tribe. Thiswould protect the rights of tribalmembers to take part in the process ofself-government and allow for con-tinued enrollment of children born tomembers of the tribe.

6

As a lobbyist, Ada met with tribalmembers, elected state representativesand members of congressional commit-tees. She also encouraged other Indiansto make their views known to theirelected representatives. She preparedfact sheets for distribution to interestedindividuals and groups and presentedtestimony before legislative committeeswhich held hearings on the inue. Adatraveled across the United Statesattempting to make people aware of theplight of the Menominee Tribe. Sheappeared on local and national newsprograms. She knocked on doors andhanded out pamphlets.

The efforts of Ada and the othertribal members were succes..lul. In1973, Congress passed legislationwhich once again made the MenomineeTribe of Wisconsin a federally recog-nized tribe.

15

BibliographyTRIBAL GOVERNMENT/POLITICS

Caree-, in Elective Government - Robert V. Doyle, Messner, 1976.

Sources of Additional Information

National Tribal Chairmen's AssociationSuite 910, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20005

16

7

The LawLaws are made to protect people and their resources.

Laws are enacted for the protection of the group, such as the Tribe or theState; or for the protection of the individual, or for the protection of both, such asby laws against speeding, or using drugs, or against terroristic acts.

A broken law affects many people. It tou:;hes on the injured party, on theaccused, and on the public at large, which in the long run pays the bill.

The court, where the facts of both sides of a case are presented, is a neutralplace. It is presided over by a judge. An attorney is elected or appointed torepresent "the People" -- that ig, the County, State, Nation, or Tribe. Thatattorney is part of the legal system. So also are attorneys in private practice whorepresent clients in civil cases, or in suits where one individual sues another.

The judge often decides the merits of the case. This is based on testimonybrought by opposing parties. The judge then hands down a verdict upholding oneor the other party. 'A jury serves part of the same function even though itsdecision is a group finding either in favor of the Plaintiff, who is the accuser, orthe Defendant, who is the accused. It is the judge's prerogative to sentencethe guilty party or parties. The severity of the sentence reflects the seriousnessof the crime.

There are many other persons who work in the courts. One is the courtreporter, who records every word of the admissable court proceedings. Anotherposition in the court is the bailiff who polices the courtroom. The bailiff alsoswears in the witnesses taking the stand in support of one or the other of theopposing parties.

Law enforcement is another aspect of upholding the law. Police officersinvestigate wrongdoing and apprehend law breakers. One segment of lawenforcement sometimes requires the services of investigators, or detectives, whomay go under cover to seek the facts.

The Department of Corrections becomes involved once the judge hassentenced the wrongdoer. The guilty party is then turned over to the Departmentof Corrections, a public agency. This carries out the instructions of the judge.The Department of Corrections is responsible for the offender during the timethat person serves in a correctional facility. Corrections is also responsible whena probation officer is assigned to the offender at the time of release from thecourt's supervision or from incarceration.

There are many different jobs to be filled in upholding the law.

17

9

he previous numbered page et

the original document was blank.

Indian Law: Yesterday and TodayIn time past, Indian law differed from the court system of today's society. In

the old days, anyone breaking the law of the tribe or the band was brought beforea governing council. The council members listened and then decided on thernishment, if any. There were no jails, no prisons. Punishment often was

h. Ostracism and banishment were practiced. Honor and respect held mosttribal members to the law, however.

Law was by the consent of the governed. This philosophy of the Iroquois SixNation Confederacy of the Northeast Coast influenced the drawing of theConstitution of the United States.

The Treaty Making era, from 1700 to the mid-nineteenth century, gave usTreaty Law, which today is a highly specialized type of law practice. Treaties dealprincipally with land cessions. Tribes ceded land in exchange for services, suchas education or water rights as well as for per capita cash payments made over aperiod of years. Land reserved for the use of the tribes was excluded from thecessions and "reservations," or reserved land, came into being. Treaties weredrawn to stand "as long as the grass shall grow and the rivers flow."

In 1887, one federal statute was enacted that would attempt to assimilate theAmerican Indian into the mainstream of American life. This was the GeneralAllotment Act which permitted the break up of land held in common -- or tribaltrust land -- into individual Indian land ownership. The Allotment Act assigned agiven plot of land to an individual, or allottee, who was then required to keep theplot in trust for twenty-five years. During this time, it was necessary for theallottee to prove that the land had been farmed or that a profit had been realizedfrom it. At the end of that period, the Indian would be issued a certificate ofcompetency and the deed to the land or fee patent. He would thenceforth payproperty taxes on the land. Almost ninety million acres passed from Indianpossession under this law. Today, redress is being sought through the IndianLand Claims statutes which provide for inquiry in regard to abrogation of treatyrights or fraud connected with land acquisition,

Many cases involve tribes and land, water, or other natural resources. Theseaffect the tribes' ability to engage in corporate business. Often laws areinterpreted variously from court to court, proceeding from the lowest to thehighest, which is the United States Supreme Covrt.

Indian law is a special discipline within the law scho,71s of some universities,such as the University of New Mexico, the University of North Dakota, andGonzaga University. Indian lawyers have become tribal judges in some of thetribal courts. Indian lawyers are licensed to practice in county and state courts aswell as before the federal bar. One femc." Indian lawyer is now a FederalMagistrate. Another Indian lawyer is an Assistant United States Attorneycharged with prosecuting federal criminal cases. There are many Indians todaywho are court reporters, whose records are basic in the court system.

The practice of law is a needed, cnallenging profession. There are manyavenues to explore in considering t career in this profession, at whatever entrylevel. A solid basic education is a pre-requisite.

10

18

Attorney

Margaret "Peggy" Treuer is one offew Indian women attorneys. Peggy'sMinnesota license was granted to her in1977 and she was admitted to theState of Minnesota Bar to practice lawin 1979 by the U.S. District Court ofMinns iota.

Peggy studied nursing after highschool and was licensed as a RegisteredNurse. She chose to return to schoollater and become an attorney becauseshe often observed how non-Indianscontrol the destiny and rights ofAmerican Indians. She wanted to learnthe laws and use them to the advantageof Indian people...of all people.

Since receiving her license, Peggyhas entered into a partnership withanother Indian attorney in Bemidji,Minnesota. Helping her fellow tribalmembers is Peggy's first priority,which made her move back to the LeechLake Reservation very easy.

MARGARET "PEGGY" TREUER

Peggy researched on "state jurisdic-tion over Indian reservations and Indianwater rights." She used her findings todevelop legal material for use on herhome reservation, Leech Lake. Theresearch was used in an action whichwould stop pollution of reservationwaters by upstream users on theMississippi River. This was done byasserting the jurisdiction of the waterrights of the reservation.

"There is a reluctance to acceptIndian women as competentattorneys."

Peggy is a consulting attorney for theInstitute for Development of Indian Lewin Washington, D.C., for the IndianLaw Resource Center, also located inWashington, for the National AmericanIndian Court Judges Association, andthe Minnesota Agency of the Bureau ofIndian Affairs.

11

19 BEST COPY. AVAILABLE

Attorney

"My career has not been _similarto the mainstream Indian attorneys',"says Victoria Santana, a BlackfeetIndian. She is an American Indianwoman lawyer who chooses not to workfrom nine to five daily. However, ifVictoria is needed to fight for the rightsof American Indians, she is there.

Victoria received a Bachelor of Artsdegree in 1967 from Fort WrightCollege in Spokane, Washington. Shereturned to school in 1970 to study lawat the University of New Mexico Schoolof Law and was made a Doctor of JurisPrudence in 1973.

Between 1974 and 1976, Victoria wasemployed by the National Congress ofAmerican Indians in Washington, D.C.Her duties involved working as a liaison

AdministrationThelma Stiffarm is a Gros Ventre

tribal member and a Juris Doctor. In1974, she was graduated from theUniversity of New Mexico and beganwork at the American Indian LawCenter in Albuquerque, New Mexico,where she wrote several publicationsfor distribution. She is the principalauthor of Model Children's Code,published in 1977, and a model tribalcourt code for tribal child and familycourt. She also was the principal authorof New Approaches to Juvenile Justice,published in 1977, which is a book onIndian cultural juvenile justice andcorrections.

Thelma also worked at the NationalIndian Rights Fund as Director of theProject to Establish Tribal Energy andSocial Development Office. She thenbecame director of the American Indian

12

to the National Indian Brotherhood inOttawa, Ontario, Canada, whichincluded developing a plan to changethe Canadian Indian Act. She explainedconcepts of tribal sovereignty and howimportant it is to Indian people andhelped organize the Legal Foundationof the World Council of IndigenousPeople.

While employed as a senior staffattorney at the American Indian LawCenter in Albuquerque, New Mexico,Victoria did research in the area ofprotecting the rights of AmericanIndians to practice their traditionalIndian religions. She reviewed case lawand drafted testimony to be presentedbefore congressional committees toensure that Indian rights would beprotected.

Juvenile Delinquency Project for theCoalition of Indian Controlled SchoolBoards it Denver, Colorado.

Currently, Thelma is working on arevision of the Handbook of FederalIndian Law.

Thelma prefers to work not in a zourtof law as a defense lawyer or prosecu-ting attorney, but rather as an interpre-ter of Indian law and a developer ofIndian law practices as well as Indiantribal court practices.

She rcta:ns membership on severalcommittees and advisory boards re-garding American Indian law, as wellas the Native America Indian Women'sAssociation and the Colorado Women'sPolitical Caucus.

20

Law Enforcement Official

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Depart-ment has a Dakota Indian woman on theforce. Grace Tester has been working inthe field of law enforcement since May1972. Ramsey County previously hadhired female deputies, but Grace is thefirst woman to hold a supervisoryposition. She was promoted to Sergeantin October 1979 after passing a writtenexamination and an oral interview.

GRACE TESTER

Sergeant Tester attended the Bureau ofCriminal Apprehension's BasicTraining Course at Macalaster Collegeas well as attending various classes andseminars on law enforcement at theCollege of St. Thomas and the Univer-sity of Minnesota. Grace has taught ona part-time basis for the Bureau ofCriminal Apprehension, the RamseyCounty Sheriff Department and theMinneapolis Police Department.

In 1974, Sergeant Tester developed aprogram of self-defense and safetytactics for senior citizens and handi-capped individuals. The program,"Whistle for Help," distributed over2,000 police style whistles and even-tually was expanded to includediscussions and training sessions forwomen and children. Besides workingon community safety education projectsand law enforcement training, Gracehas been loaned to other agencies fornarcotics and vice assignments and alsoworked with the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation on a special project.

Grace is a member of several policeorganizations such as the InternationalAssociation of Police Woien and theMinnesota Police and Peace Oti:,ersAssociation. She also served on '..heBoard of Directors of the St. PaulAmerican Indian Center.

21

13

8E43011 AVAILABLE

Advocate and Field Representative

Frances Felix is a Field Representa-tive for the Minnesota Indian AffairsBoard. Th Intertiibal Board is anagency of state government that studiesthe legislative needs of Indians inMinnesota and reports regularly to thelegislators. The board is responsible firconducting research and acting as anadvocate for Tndians in areas whichinclude, bt . limited to, educa-tion, housii. , economic development,criminal justice, social services, healthcare, and self-government.

"I was a very shy child and Ididn't ever think. I could be a SocialWorker or a Legislative Aide. ButI kept trying."

Fran is a Dakota Sioux woman whoearned a masters degree in Social Workfrom the University of Minnesota whileat the same time working f' the Indiancommunity in Minneapolis. Currently,Fran is the field representative for theDuluth, Minneapolis/St. Pau:, and the

four Sioux Indian communities ofMinnesota. As an advocate, Franmaintains close contact with the peopleof these communities to document theirneeds and advise of state programs,proposals and plans that could affectthe members of those communities.She also advises the state governmentof tribal government constitutions,by-laws, and policies which need to beconsidered when state agencies aredealing with issues affecting Indiantribes.

Fran previously worked as a socialworker in foster care placement in anattempt to place Indian children inIndian foster homes. Her interestalways has been for Indian families andchildren which led to her testimony insupport of the Indian Child WelfareAct, mandating tribal control of Incl:ianchildren within the welfare system.

14

22

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

FRANCES FElIX

I

BibliographyLAW

Lawyers - Science Res., 1975.

Your Career as a Lawyer - Insitute for Res., 1977.

Your Career in Law Enforcement - Robert A. Liston, Messner, 1973.

23

15

AdministrationFor a long time, Indian women had to "administer" the family budget -- the

long term purchases, the capitol investments such as a car, the installmentpayments, stretching the food and clothing budget from payday to payday. ManyIndian women are still involved in this aspect of family operation. In addition,many Indian women today also hold down jobs outside the home.

In tribal government or in the operation of private agencies, administrationusually includes proposal writing, following funding guidelines, performing allthe detail work associated with program operation, including staff managementand evaluation. Women administrators in many places also have to raise moneyfor their own projects.

For a female interested in a career in Business Administration, a good startingplace is in high school. Courses in Economics, Business Math, Business English,and gaining computer experience are important.

Another way of learning business management is by holding down a part-timejob. Contributing a given amount to the family budget, functioning with aclothing or entertainment budget, or, later, owning a car offer. lessons in moneymanagement.

But it is at the post-secondary level where more comprehensive lessons inAdministration are to be learned from classwork and from field experience.Advanced courses in Economics, Statistics, Management Techniques, PoliticalScience, all contribute importantly to the background of a BusinessAdministration major. The Masters Degree in Business Administration --M.B.A. -- opens more doors to Indian women in business, or can be combinedwith other advanced degrees for going into some special field of administrationas in industrial development or manufacturing.

Many tribal organizations have places for summer internes in theiradministrative offices. This provides an opportunity for future administrators togain hands-on experience in the operation of business machines, of officeprocedure, or accounting and office management -- even just learning how toproperly answer the phone.

Jobs in Administration can be stepping stones to even better jobs ingovernment as well as in private business.

24

17

the previous numbered page inthe origins! document was blank

Administrative Assistant

Shirlee Smith is the assistant directorof the central administration office atthe University of Minnesota, a positionshe secured following graduating fromthe university with a degree in BusinessAdministration. Her duties includedeveloping and implementing newprograms.

Shirlee recently directed aSummer Institute for the university, aprogram on existing special education,which involved obtaining funds andplanning and coordinating the entireundertaking. The retention rate for theinstitute participants was 841/2 in thisinstance compared to a retention rate of61/4 to 161/2 in previous years.

Shirlee also was involved in re-searching and analyzing the health careneeds of the Minneapolis Indian com-munity. As a result of her report,Minneapolis was designated as amedically underserved area and theIndian Health Board Clinic wasawarded a grant to provide health careservices to the urban Indian population.

18

Along with her degree in business,Shirlee also earned a degree in Speech.While attending the university, she wasawarded a $5,000 journalism swolar-ship provided by Station WCCOScholarship and Internship programand the Minnesota Faculty ClubAcademic Scholarship program.

Shirlee likes to share her knowledgeto help other members of the com-munity. She has planned and conductednumerous workshops and educationsessions covering topics such asmethods of administration, how toprepare and present a speech, and howto develop writing skills.

25

Health Administrator

Deanne Fairbanks is the HealthDirector of the Leech Lake Reservationin Cass Lake, Minnesota. She is incharge of seventeen major health-,zograms for the reservation and isilways seeking ways to increase healthservices to reservation residents. Dee,as she is better known, is responsiblefor developing programs to meet theidentified needs of the Indian commu-nity and then finding the funds tosupport those programs.

Her duties include preparing prog-ress reports, staff reports and budgetreports for the Reservation BusinessCommittee. It is up to her also toconvey the Business Committee's de-cisions back to the individual programcoordinators for action.

"I see a need for a greater priorityplaced on Indian health."

Hei priority is to provide increasedservices to the community to ensurethat health needs are being met. Dee isnot only concerned with the healthneeds of the present but she also has avision of a new hospital to replace thepresent Indian Public Health He. italin Cass Lake.

Dee enjoys the role of administrator.She has worked in both health andeducation administration in Minnesotaand California. She also takes time tobecome involved is a volunteer boardmember for other community agenciesas well as working in school volunteerprograms.

An active feminist, Dee is a memberof the Women for Social Change. Afterreturning home from California toMinnesota, she helped start the Minne-sota American Indian Women's Associ-ation and continues to be a vocalmember. While living in the SanFrancisco area, she served as avice-president of the San FranciscoNational Organization of Women andwas a founder and member of the BayArea American Indian Women's Asso-ciation.

DEANNE FAIRBANKS

19

26 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Executive Director

Norine Smith is an enrolled memberof the Red Lake Band of ChippewaIndians. She was born and raised on theRed Lake Reservation but her adult lifehas been spent in the metropolitan areaof Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Norine began working at the IndianHealth Board Clinic when it firstopened. hers is an excellent example ofthe concept of career advancement. Thefirst position Norine was hired for at theClinic was that of Community HealthWorker. She worked her way up to theadministrative level and was hired asan assistant director and then asexecutive director, which is her presentposition.

"There is a need to improve thehealth status of Indians living inurban areas."

As executive director, Norine isreponsible for the administration of allprograms G,. -isored by the clinic. Someof her duties include keeping records ofprogram activities, budget control,preparing and presenting *progressreports to the clinic's board of directorsand locating funding sources for clinicprograms. Iv addition, she is reponsiblefor supervising the staff of doctors,nurses, dentists, Community HealthRepresentatives, lab technicians, andsecretarial staff. Most importantly, sheinsists that each patient must receive alot of tender loving care.

20

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Norine attends the University ofMinnesota. She is working toward aBusiness Administration degree as wellas a masters degree in Health CareAdministration. She is one of only twowomen enrolled in the health careadministration program, which has atotal enrollment of forty-two students.

Norine is an active volunteer, servingon the board of various health relatedagencies, legislative committees andacting as Chairperson for the HennepinCounty Indian Alcohol Task Force, theMinnesota Hospital Association, theAmerican Indian Health Association,the non-profit Advisory Committee toFoundations and the Health Committeeof the Join+ Religious Legislative Coali-tion.

27

NOR,INE SMITH

1

Personnel Director

A director of personnel ensures thatall employees of an organization orcompany are treated and evaluated thesame within the provisions of theestablished personnel policies. Thedirector worka closely with thema..agement staff in areas such asjob descriptions, interviewing andrating prospective staff, reviewing workperformance and explak:ng evaluationresults to employees and complyingwith state and federal fair employmentpractices. The director of personnelmaintains up-to-date, accurate files forall employees.

Jan Donnelly is one such personneladministrator for Control Data Corp-oration in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shehas a Bachelor of Arts degree and plansto attend graduate school to receive amaster's degree in administration. Janfeels this is a major accomplishment;she was a high school drop-out and hadto return to school to get her highschool diploma before she could entercollege.

Jan worked in various positions inemployment before becoming a per-sonnel director. She was a counselor toa probation officer as well as educationdirector of the Minneapolis AmericanIndian Center, a job she found particu-larly rewarding when 140 studentsreceived their General EquivalencyDiplomas under her directorship.

"My children have helped me reachmy potential because being a modelfor them to follow has been veryimportant to them and to me."

Jan is an enrolled n -ember of theFond du Lac Reservation, although shemay be considered a "True NativeAmerican Twin Citian" since she wasborn and raised in the Twin Cities.

JAN DONNELLY

28

21

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Personnel Director

Shirley Van Dyck hasn't always beenan administrator. She worked her wayup through the system to her presentposition. In 1967, Shirley was hired as aclerical worker for the Leech LakeReservation with their main officeslocated in Cass Lake, Minnesota.Shirley then became financial officer forthe reservation and in 1980, wasselected as personnel director. It tookher thirteen years to reach this step ofthe career ladder. Shirley is enjoyingher job which was a newly createdposition that she could develop. Thiswas a challenge for her in addition toanswering her interest in "peopledevelopment."

"My primary interest is in peopleand in 'people development'. "

In January 1980, MinnesotaGovernor Al Quie appointed Shirley to afour-year term on the Minnebui,a StateHousing Finance Agency Board ofDirectors. She is also a member of the

SHIRLEY VAN DYCK

Cass Lake School District AdvisoryBoard on Vocational Training.

Shirley received vocational trainingin secretarial and accounting proce-dure. She also attended the MillerInstitute in Minneapolis for additionaltraining in methods of accounting andadministration and has attendednumerous workshops to improve herskills.

As personnel director, Shirley'sduties include:

1) Designing and implementing aworkable personnel system for areservation which has diverseprograms, services, and businesses

2) Setting up a "job bank" in orderto match a prospective employee'sinterests, experience, and ambitionsto a specific job

3) Acting as a counseling serviceto division directors, program direc-tors, and employees in regard topersonnel matters

4) Organizing and updating person-nel files.

22

29

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Director of Marketing

Donna Foisted is a Chippewa en-rolled in the White Earth band. Shespent her youth in foster homes and anorphanage until she was a teenager.She was an angry teenager, she said,who eventually ended up in a detentionhome. She later married as a teenagerand her family helped her get over heranger.

Donna went back to school andearned a General Eql.. ilency Degreeand from there went to college at theUniversity of Minnesota. She has notyet completed her bachelor of artsdegree, but her determination to learnwhatever will help other Indians shouldguarantee her future success.

When the Folstads' 'douse burneddown one winter, she realized thathousing was critical for all Indians. Shebegan taking courses that had to dowith housing. She began working forIndian housing in 1976 for The Minne-sota Chippewa Tribe in the Minneapolisoffice. She helped move many Indiansof the Minneapolis area into safe,adequate housing.

Currently, Donna is working is St.Paul, Minnesota, as director ofmarketing for a cooperative housingcorporation.

The cooperative is designed forfamilies with low or moderate income.New housing units are being built andsold to persons who can qualify withinfederal guidelines. Instead of renting, afamily with low income can cwn its ownunit and also own a share of thecooperative itself. The family then has avoice in all decisions affecting thecooperative rather than having to go toa landlord who makes ..11 the decisions.This cooperative housing ventirl willmean a family with a limited incomecan own their own housing, in manyinstances for the first time.

DONNA FOLSTAD

As the marketing director, Donnachecks each application for housing tolearn whether that family qualifies for ahousing unit.

"I am striving for better housingopportunities for our community."

Donna is responsible for all of theadvertising and education in regard iothe c- operative. She visits localagencies which offer assistance to lowincome families, explaining the projectoperation and trying to reach as manyfamilies as possible. Donna says thatshe has visited every Indian agency intown as well as neighborhood centers,agencies, and also local health clinics tosee as many families as possible.Donna holds training sessions forfamilies and agency staff to explainexactly what a cooperative is and how toapply for a unit and a share.

Donna is active in the Indian com-munity, serving on advisory commit-tees and boards, trying to make living alittle easier for other Indian families.

30

23

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

1

Business Development Specialist

As Senior Business DevelopmentSpecialist with The Minnesota Chip-pewa Tribe, Barbara Raygor works withIndians who are starting small busi-nesses. She counsels clients who wantto start a small business and she assiststhem in determining whether thebusiness they would enter has a goodpossibility of success in the locationthey are considering.

If an assessment shows that thebusiness service is needed or wanted,Barbara helps clients put together afinancial "package." It is expensive tostart a business; many new businessesfail each year because there are not

BARBARA RAYGOR

24

Cori Ituruat

sufficient funds to both operate thebusiness and support the family in thestart-up period. This is whereBarbara's ability to counsel clientsbecomes clear. A financial package mayinclude individual savings, a loan, orstate or federal grants, or all of thesee:ements. Barbara knows the bankingcommunity and meets with bankofficials, public and private agenciesand marketing agencies to act as arepresentative of her client.

A portion of the business packagemay also include a management assis-tance plan to help the client run asuccessful business. In some cases, shemay provide management counselingherself or may find management con-sultants, accountants, or computerservices that the client col:1d use.

Barbara was in a foster home whenshe was thirteen and spent a lot of timelooking forward to the day when shewould be eighteen and on her own. Shetook courses in high school and collegeto help prepare herself for a career thatwould offer her independence andwould also help the community.Barbara realized from an early timethat she would probably spend manyyears in the work force and she wantedto be prepared.

For tie past five years, Barbara hasbeen able to contribute a number ofvolunteer hours as a member of anadvisory board which would develop ashopping center for the Indiancommunity of Minneapolis. Theshopping center would employmembers of the Indian community andwould have space for Indian ownedbusinesses. Part of the time wue spentwriting proposals and meeting withbankers and government officials topromote the Indian operated shoppingcenter.

31

Economic Development Specialist

Brenda Draves is the ExecutiveDirector of the American Indian Busi-ness Development Corporation locatedin Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior totaking this position in April 1977, shehad been president of the board ofdirectors under which the corporationfunctioned.

The goal of the corporation is to"enhance economic developmentopportunities for Indian people througha variety of profit-making vehicles."Tne major project has been workingtoward the realization of a shoppingcenter which would cover two cityblocks on Franklin Avenue, an areawhere many Minneapolis Indians live.

Brenda worked in banking from 1967to 1974 where she gained experienceshe is now putting to good use tobenofit Indians of her community. Sheshares her knowledge of financialmanagement methods also by con-ducting workshops and classes.

As executive director. Brenda isresponsible for securing funds foreconomic development projects whichthe board of directors is interested inpromoting. She also must secure fundsfor operation of the corporation'soffices.

"I try to enhance economic oppor-tunities for Indian people, using avariety of profit-making vehicles."

Brenda currently serves as a volun-teer on eight community-basedadvisory boards. Her activities plus herduties as executive director afford thekind of challenge she enjoys, she said.

32

BigIckA DRAPES

25

BEST COPY. AVAILABLE

Indian Business Loam Division

Charlotte White-Rice is a leader inthe field of economic development forIndian people in Minnesota. Since1973, she has been employed by theMinnesota Department of EconomicDevelopment. When Charlotte firststarted working for the department shewas a field representative assigned toassist owners of small businesses. Herduties included locating small busi-nesses owne by individuals who wereeconomically or educationally dis-advantaged and encouragi ig them totake part in a special program spon-sored by the state department. Theprogram was designed to help businessowners understand laws, regulations,management methods, and accountingmethods.

In her present job as Director of theIndian Business Loan Division, Char-lotte administers loan programs aimedat promoting the development of Indianowned businesses in Minnesota forMinnesota based Indians The fundscome from "The Severed MineralRights Act," which has monies derivedfrom taxes on subsurface land whichwas pert of tribal land cessions.

Director

Charlotte is a member of the LeechLake Band of The Minnesota ChippewaTribe. She was born and raised on thereservation, but has lived in the TwinCities for many years.

To further her education, Charlotteattended the Industrial DevelopmentInstitute in Oklahoma and wasgraduated from there in 1915. Shecompleted coursework for a bachelorsdegree in Business Administrationfrom Metropolitan State University, St.Paul. She also regularly attends work-shops, seminars and conferences tokeep up-to-date and learn more aboutprograms and funds available to helpIndian busine .3 owners.

She is currently vice-president of theAmerican Indian Business Develop-ment Corporation, a member of theNational Association of Women Busi-ness Owners and the Minnesota IndianAffairs Intertribal Board.

CHARLOTTE WHITE-RICE

26

bi.1 666 MitiLkikE 33

Comptroller

Carol Guinn is the comptroller andsenior bookkeeper for the Leech LakeReservation Business Committee innorthern Minnesota.

As comptroller, Carol is responsiblefor all financial operations for thereservation. Direct supervision of alltribal personnel involved in accountingprograms, payroll staff, and all triballyoperated business enterprises is herresponsibility.

As senior bookkeeper, Carol is alsoresponsible entering information into acomputerized system and for drawingout the information when necessa y.

When a new reservation projectstarts, Carol sets up the books for itsfiscal management and closes out thebooks when a project ends.

Another of Carol's duties is to N irkwith local bank personnel and aue orsof all reservation fiscal arrangements.

Carol is an enrollee of the WhiteEarth Reservation. She attended theGlobe Business College in St. Paul,Minnesota. Her major was computeroperation. She earned certificates incnmptometer and keypunch operation.

Carol is also treasurer of the localcommunity council which sponsorscommunity activities in the ales inwhich she lives.

CAROL GUINN

34

27

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Secretary

Joyce Yellowhammer is the secretaryof the National Indian Education Asso-ciation a title which she feels some-times is regarded as "unimpressive."

"Many times we hear people say,'She's just a secretary,' but if peoplewere more aware of the demands of theposition, there would not be such aput-down," she believes.

Joyce knows that people in thiscareer fill an important role and havemore responsibility than they are givencredit for.

A good secretary is the backbone ofany organization. As an example, assecretary in her current job, Joyce'sspecial duties include making sure thatall phases of the conventionwhichdraws from three- to five-thousandparticipantsoperate smoothly.

JOYCE YELLOWHAMMER

28

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

7,

There are many types of secretarialjobs and the duties and responsibilitiesdiffer from job to job. Medical secre-taries, secretary receptionists, legalsecretaries, real estate secretaries, andexecutive secretaries all have differentresponsibilities and require specialskills or training.

Duties which are similar in mostsecretarial positions include greetingpeople, making appointments for theemployer, receiving and making tele-phone calls, working with the mail,typing and maintaining filing systems.Other duties which may require specialtraining or experience include havingknowledge of medical or legal terms,filing legal documents in state orfederal courts, answering correspon-dence, supervising other office staff,and occasionally operating a switch-board, planning meetings and con-ferences, and being able to takedictation and keep books. Many officesnow use a wide range of businessmachines from simple dictationmachines to complex word processingcomputers.

"During my high school years, Istayed with my grandparents. It wasa rough time for them, but somehowmy grandparents always managed."

Secretaries generally are high schoolgraduates or have a General Equiva-lency Diploma. Many have attendedbusiness college or taken advancedsecretarial training courses.

Joyce suggests that anyone planningto be a oecretary should take courses intyping, shorthand, business machines,business English, communications, andbusiness math. It is also important thata secretary be dependable and able towork well with other people.

35

BibliographyADMINISTRATION

Business Economics Careers - National Association Business Econonust,1975.

Challenges Careers in Urban Affairs - Sterling McLeod, Messner, 1976.

Consider the College Student Development Profession - Council of StudentPersonnel Association, 1975.

Urban Careers Guide - National Association of Housing, 1973.

3629

EducationEducation needs are included in most treaties that were negotiated between

American Indian nations and the United States government.

In the treaty making period, it was thought that through education Indianchildren would become part of the mainstream of society. When Indian childrenbegan attending government or church boarding schools, cultural practices andreligion they had previously known were forbidden. Indian children learnedEnglish and practiced the religion of whatever Christian denomination theirvillage happened to fall under.

The government boarding school operation was modeled on military life. Thisdiscouraged attenda by Indian students or resulted in failure by those whowere in school. The B, iu of Indian Affairs boarding school continued to be runon tight, highly structured lines into the modern period. Indian parents, in themeantime, were demanding education opportunities suited to their children'sneeds. In the 1970s, Indian communities, tribal leaders, and parents becameactively involved in designing education programs which would meet the uniqueneeds of Indian students.

Federal education policy states that each state is responsible for the educationof all the children of that state. However, it is also a federal responsibility andtribal prerogative to ensure that schools provide the unique educational andcultural experience which Indian children need Education policies also permitIndian communities to educate Indian children in tribally operated schools.Federal education policy for Indian children also recommends that more Indianadministrators, teachers, and curriculum materials be introduced in the schoolsfor the benefit of all children.

The programs listed below specify certain educational opportunity for Indianof all ages. They include Head Start, Indian Education Act (Title N),Johnson-O'Malley Act, Higher Education Scholarship Program, BilingualTeacher Training Project, and Adult Vocational Education.

One of the great needs in Indian education is for Indians themselves to enterthe profession. There is a need for Indian teachers at every level, in various kindsof schools, a need for Indian teachers of every subject. There is a need also forIndian teachers in the mainstream society, particularly in areas with denseIndian populations. There is a need for Indians to be part of the educationalsystem, part of the establishment, part of the administrative structure whichplans curriculum.

It has been demonstrated that professions such as these lend support for theIndian student who otherwise feels alienated in schools in which there are manywhite students. It has been shown also that schools with Indian administrators

37

31

the previous numbered page Inthe original document was blank

t'

and Indian school board members uphold the high standards expected in a publicschool system.

A person interested in entering the field of education has a world of choicebefore her. There is a need for pre-school teachers, for early childhooddevelopment specialists, for teachers in the elementary schools, for reading andmathematics tutors, for teachers of science, for secondary school teachers whoperhaps might utilize their hobby interests toward their vocational calling, as, forexample, teachers of home economics or shop. Indians are needed as teachers ofthe handicapped, teachers in the adult vocational schools.

"If you can read, you can do anything." This may be a good maxim to hold upto a person interested in entering the teaching profession. Persons wanting toteach need solid basics before going on into the special requirements of teaching.After completing the requirements, teaching candidates then gather actualclassroom experience as practice teachers or interns, working under a certifiedinstructor. Before teaching in public school, a teacher must be certified by herstate's Department of Public Instruction or Department of Education.

One can see how many subjects there are to be taught simply by pagingthrough a high school directory or a college catalog. Consult high school andcollege advisory people to learn what pre-requisites are needed. Talk to peoplewho are currently teaching or working as administrators. Talk to members ofParent Advisory Committees for other insights.

There are other jobs in education in a number of unexpected places. Teachersfrequently write textbooks. They work as advisors to librarians. They helpprepare material for enclopedias. They act as tour guides on trips abroad in thesummer. Teachers are most adaptable to almost any professional sideline. Theyalso enjoy a lot more vacation than most of the rest of us ... simply becauseteaching is a demanding taskmaster, though one filled with satisfactions.

One clue as to whether you might be interested in teaching may be found inyour own attitude toward younger people, possibly your little brothers andsisters, and in other children. Have you enjoyed being a camp counselor...atutor? Do you like to be around children, young people, those of college age?Such feelings may be indicators as to your true vocation.

Most people in education feel that there is no more worthy endeavor thanpassing on what they know to coming generations, which in turn will teach thosestill to come.

32 38

Elementary/Alternative Teacher

Erma Jean Vizenor teaches elemen-tary students at the Pine Point Schoolon the White Earth Reservation inMinnesota. Course work for this alter-native school has been designed tomeet the educational noeds of Indianchildren of that community. A schoolboard comprised of residents of thecommunity is elected by the voters tomake decisions concerning curriculum,staff, and school activities.

Erma teaches basic educat.inal skillssuch as reading and writing and prefersworking in small groups in order toprovide individual assistance tostudents. She also teaches Chippewalanguage and culture classes. Fre-quently, Erma invites Indian elders intothe classroom to assist her in teachingcultural practices.

"When I left high school, I realizedhow much Indian children needIndian teachers."

Erma is involved in many phases ofeducation on the reservation. Inaddition to teaching, she serves onseveral committeeq which set edu-cational policy.

39

ERMA JEAN VIZENOR

33

BEST COPY AVA

Elementary/Public Teacher

Patricia Gordon combines twocareers: she teaches in an elementaryschool and she also owns a gift shop.She teaches in an elementary school ina school district located near, but noton, a reservation.

In addition, she is Chairperson andSecretary of the Duluth Indian Educa-tion Advisory Board, which makesrecommendations to the Duluth SchoolBoard on matters affecting the educa-tion of Indian students. Patricia alsovolunteers her time by giving presen-tations about Indian based pre-schoolcurriculum materials and activities.

Patricia promotes placing moreIndian teachers in the classrooms andmore curriculum relating to Indianculture. She says, "I feel my visibility isimportant for Indian students."

Patricia was born in Minneapolis,Minnesota. She is an enrolled memberof the White Earth Reservation, whichis a member reservation of TheMinnesota Cluppewa Tribe. In 1972,she received her Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Education at the University ofMinnesota-Duluth.

34

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

40

PATRICIA GORDON

Secondary/Alternative Teacher

Laura Fineday is an English andOjibwe language teacher at the Circleof Life School, an alten -tive schoollocated on the White Earth Reservationin Minnesota.

Alternative education offers theacademic basics together with culturaleducation, giving students and theirp rents the choice of a different type ofschool answering the particular needsof a certain student.

Laura is an enrollee of the WhiteEarth Reservation, a member reserva-tion of The Minnesota Chippewa TribJ.While raising ten children, there wasnot much time left for career explora-tion. It was not until 1969 that Lauri,could begin to e famine variouscommunity service, offering employ-ment opportnnities.

Laura's first job was ac, a communityhealth aide. She then taught Ojibwelanguage and culture at a boys' grouphome. She has continued teachinglanguage and culture at schools nearthe reservation and has earned herAmerican Indian Language and CultureEducation license. She continues toattend workshops and seminars onbi-culturel and bi-lingual subjects toincrease her teaching skills.

"I spent most of my younger yearsraising my family of ten and wasalso licensed as a foster pnrent."

LAURA FINEDAY

41

35

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Language and Culture Teacher

Elizabeth Boyd is an elder and ateacher of Ojibwe culture of the BemidjiSchool Dist_rict, Bemidji, Minnesota.

She speaks Ojibwe and teaches thelanguage and culture both at home to'ter own family and to both Indian andnon-Indian students in the publicschool.

She attended Bemidji State Univer-sity for two years and attendedworkshops to learn teaching methods inregard to Indian culture and languagethrough Bemidji State University andthe University of Minnesota. It was herknowledge, howevAr, that made her anexpert in the &Id.

She has taught Ojibwe language andculture since 1970 in elementary andsecondary schools.

ELIZABETH BOYD5 ;

36

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

As a culture teacher, Liz makeslesson plans that fit certain age groups.Lesson plans for elementary schoolmight include a lesson in beadwork andan Indian story which would include alesson in living. A h;gh school classmight get a practical lesson in bead-work which would also teach thesignificance of symbols and colors.The Ojibwe language also enters intoclasswork of this kind.

Culture teachers, such as Liz, spendpart of their days with teachers andsometimes with parents, explaining theimportance of culturally related sub-jects.

Liz is also called as a consultant toother schools because of her knowledgeand expertise as a teacher.

Liz wrote the outline and lesson planfor teaching units currently in use atBemidji State University for the collegelevel Ojibwe Culture course.

42

Special Education Teacher

Katherine Gurnoe today is a retireefrom a career as a special educationteacher who taught for twenty-fiveyears. Her work centered on work withchildren with learning problems andthe identification of those problemswhich may have to do with hearing, orspeech, or the interpretation of whatsuch children see or hear.

KATHERINZ GURNOE

Katherine worked in public schoolsystems in several states tryingways of teaching children who spoketheir own native language but whounderstood little English. She alsoworked with students with physical ormental handicaps.

In whatever community she foundherself, Kay Gurnoe was active in theIndian community. In Minneapolis, shewas a member of the Indian AdvisoryBoard to the Superintendent of PublicSchools and helped plan and implementthe first public school department ofIndian educatior in the entire nation.Her concern was for students who"dropped out" or were "pushed out"of public schools, or who found publicschools too different from their cultureto be successful. She cited the need forspecial education in conjunction with aculturally related curriculum and theneed for involvement of Indian familieswithin the school system. Both Indianand non-Indian communities heededher counsel, and as a result, Indianstudents have a choice of attendingpublic school classes or studying inIndian controlled alternative schools,receiving basic education as well ascultural studies.

37

43

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Principal

Harriet Heisler is the principal at theHeart of the Earth Survival School inMinneapolis, Minnesota. Her presentposition followed service there first as acounselor and then as acting principal.

Harriet was born on the White EarthReservation until her first year of highschool when her family moved to theMinneapolis area. Harriet chose to goto Pipestone Indian School rather thanthe Minneapolis Public Schools and shelater graduated from Flandreau IndianSchool.

HARRIET HEISLER

.+C

38

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

She was supported by the staff of theIndian Studies Department at theUniversity of Minnesota when shedecided to continue her education andenter the field of social work. In heropinion, more Indian students wouldsucceed were they given the supportand encouragement given her. After anumber of difficult years struggling tosupport her family and at the sar-d timeattend classes, Harriet was graduatedin 1979 with a masters degree in SocialWork from the University of Minne-sota.

From 1976 through 1978, Harrietworked at the American Indian ChildNeglect and Abuse Center. Theprogram was called Ah-Be-No-Gee,which means "young child" or"baby." This offered her valuableon-the-job experience while she wasstill a university studer

"Receiving my masers degree insocial work was a personal triumphfor me and I want to sha. e what Ihave learned in my life and myformal education with others."

One of her former teachers used tocall her 'Dynan, o." Her friends say itis easy to see why.

44

College Professor

As Margaret Nelson was growing up,the importance of education was alwaysstressed in her home. She did a lot ofreading which helped improve hergrades in school. Her teachers inspiredher to become a teacher and aftergraduation she attended college for twoyears. Her family was very poor and atthe time there were no Bureau of IndianAffairs education grants so she workedas a theater cashier while she wasattending college.

After two years she married anddropped out of college to live on a farmwith her husband and five children.When Margaret's youngest child was infourth grade, she started school again.It was not easy. She had to driveforty-five miles each way to attendclasses. Oklahoma has hot, humidsummers and in the winter the roadsare sometimes wet and slippery.Margaret was willing to sacrifice to getwhat she wanted, and, in 1969, shereceived a double degree in Englishand Psychology.

MARGARET NELSON

Margaret Nelson went on to larn herdoctorate in English at Oklahoma StateUniversity. She is now a professor ofEnglish there. She teaches courses inEnglish and in American Indian Litera.ture and also works with the NativeAmerican Students Association oncampus.

Margaret maintains membership inseveral professional organizationsrelating to modern languages, folklore,and American Indian historical associa-tions and has published articles andreviews about American Indians. She isa member of both the OklahomaFederation of Indian Women and theNorth American Indian Women's As-sociation.

"We must realize there is noway back in time; instead, we mustmake a new place for ourselves."

Margaret believes it is important forIndian students to set goals for theirlives and work toward those goals. Shealso urges Indians to keep as many oftheir traditions as possible.

45

39

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Professor of Anthropology

An anthropologist traces the originand development of the human race bystudying changing physical character-istics and cultural and social practices.Anthropologists reconstruct the dailyactivities of people who lived thousandsof years ago, trying to trace changeswhich have occurred up to the present.

Dr. Beatrice Medicine is a pyscho-logical anthropologist with a strongemphasis on the study of AmericanIndian people and cultural change. Sheresearches and writes about family andchild social structures and mentalhealth practices of American Indians.She studies the problems of bi-culturalism which affects AmericanIndians growing up in one culture,American Indian, and living in another,White America.

Dr. Medicine is a Lakota Sioux fromthe Standing Rock Reservation of SouthDakota. She grew up on the reser-vation, graduated from high school andthen attended college where she

40

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

studied anthropology. She has been ateacher, counselor, researcher,professor or visiting professor, andlecturer in the United States, Canada,Europe, and Peru.

Dr. Medicine has received honorsand awards for her work from universi-ties, cities, and states. Various Indiancommunities across the United Stateshave honored her and her own nationhonored her by making her the SacredPipe Woman at the Sun Dance, areligious ceremony of her people. She isa respected elder of the Great SiouxNation.

"I find that many Indian studentsdo not know what is encompassed ina career and the requirementsinvolved to make reasonablejudgment."

46

BEA MEDICINE

"ft

Professor of American Indian Music

Charlotte Wilson Heth is a womanwho has used her education for her ownbenefit as well as for that of others. Shereceived a doctoral degree from theUniversity of California, Los Angeles.Since then, she has taught both musicand English to high school students inNew Mexico and Oklahoma. Afterseveral years of teaching, Charlottejoined the Peace Corps and was sent toAmbo, Ethiopia, to teach Englishlanguage and literature. She hastraveled widely, teaching or tutoringwherever she went.

After returning from her tour withthe Peace Corps, Charlotte continuedher studies, concvntrating on AmericanIndian music. She now teaches anAmerican Indian music course at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles,where she works closely with AmericanIndian college students. She is alsoDirector of American Indian StudiesCenter there.

She has compiled a library ofAmerican Indian recordings which alsoincludes video cassettes of interviewswith American Indian musicians fromfour tribes, performing their music andexplaining the significance of eachsong.

"I plan to continue teachingAmerican Indian music at theuniversity level so that this impoetantart form will be appreciated."

Charlotte also has compiled a biblio-graphy of books, articles, discs andfilms about Indian music. Other of heraccomplishments have been developingcurriculum materials and designingcourses for use in teaching AmericanIndian music.

_ 4

CHARLOTTE WILSON HETH

4741

BESI. SOPI.AVAILABLE

Reservation Education Director

Joy Peacock has been Director of theEducation Division of the Leech LakeReservation in Minnesota since 1976.An enrolled member of the Leech LakeReservation, Joy attended BemidjiState University and was graduatedwith a bachelors degree in PoliticalScience and Business Administrationfrom the University of Minnesota. Forseveral years she worked as IndianEducation Coordinator in the CloquetPublic Schools, Cloquet, Minnesota,serving as an advocate for Indianstudents and parents whose view shecommunicated to school administ :a-tors, staff, and school board members.

The role of advocate has expandednow in her present situation. Joyreports to the Reservation BusinessCommittee, the elected governing bodywhich determines priorities for reser-vation education projects. She is in-

volved in assessing the needs of Indianstudents, developing programs to meetthose needs, and then seeing that theprograms ..re implemented by educa-tion staff. She must monitor eachprogram and report progress or prob-lems to the elected reservation officials.

Among the programs Joyadministers are Head Start, Adult BasicEducation, the Chief Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig Alternative School, and specialneeds programs which are developedfrom time to time.

She is also involved -..yith nationaleducation issues and is a member of theIndian Education Task Force of theUnited States Education Commission aswell as a member of the United StatesCitizenship Education National Work-shop.

JOY PEACOCK

. K

42

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 48

Indian Education Director

Shirley Northbird is the IndianEducation Director for the Cass Lakeschool district located on the LeechLake Reservation. The school districthas both Indian and non-Indian stu-dents; most of the students are Indian.

Shirley helped develop an Indiancomponent for the school district whichcoordinates a combination of programsdesigned to keep Indian students inschool and to improve their per-formance. Federal and school districtfunds specifically designated for Indianstudents are used to provide cultureteachers, counselors, curriculummaterials, parent and student supportgroups.

Community workshops andpow-wows are sponsored to promoteunderstanding between Indians and

non-Indians. In her present role,Shirley supervises and coordinates theprogrtgps.

She also decides what type ofcounseling is indicated for Indianstudents and then provides that ser-vice.

Relatonships between the Indian andnon-Indian students, parents, andcommunities become a responsibilityfor Shirley.

Shirley holds a bachelors degree inElementary Education from BemidjiState University. She works as avolunteer on committees and councilsfor the entire community. She evenorganized the grandmothers of herschool 41:-4,ict to address several schoolissues.

II,

'1

SHIRLEY NORTHBLRD

43

49BEST COPY AVAILABLE

r

Career Counselor

The career counselor at NorthlandHigh School in Remer, Minnesota, isPatricia Doro, an Ojibwe originally fromthe White Earth Reservation of Minne-sota. She counsels both Indians ant!non-Indians and is advisor to thestudent council and the National HonorSociety. Pat helps students plan theircourse schedules to make sure theytake courses needed to graduate andand prepare themselves for the future.Patricia advises students about the jobmarket, vocational education, anddegree education programs.

She has a bachelor's degree inHistory and Sociology as well as ateaching certificate and a master'sdegree in Water Resource Manage-ment. She is deeply concerned aboutthe water quality on Minnesota Indianreservations which is one reason shereturned to school.

Her past experiences include a tourwith the Peace Corps. She spent sixmonths in Europe and was then sent toBrazil where she taught in a smallcommunity.

"Stick in school. Take classes thatwill be beneficial to you."

On her return, Patricia worked inWashington, D.C., as a health educa-tion specialist in a program called"War on Rats." Results, she said, didnot happen as fast as she would haveliked.

PATRICIA DORO

Laorieto

MI&4

MI44

ro*

..,

BEST con MAILABLE 50

allfitillalaINIMI1111112111A

Vocational Education Counselor

Gloria Dudley is a vocationalcounselor in the Education Division ofThe Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.Students seeking assistance in regardto vocational training under the Tribeare served by this young woman. Sheprovides information about differentkinds of full-time vocational programsand assists students by providingpre-enrollment counseling andorientation as well as financialassistance counseling.

"I enjoy working with youth andguiding young people towards ameaningful education and asatisfying career."

As liaison between the Tribe andeach of the vocational schools, Gloriamaintains regular communication withthe schools. She works closely withcounselors and financial aid personneland regularly visits with students. Acomplete record is kept of eachstudent's progress, based on academicreports, attendance, and financialstatus. Emphasis is placed on the

Vocational Education Counselor

A vocational education counselorprovides counseling services tostudents attending or planning toattenu a vocational school. They assiststudents in selecting courses tocomplete all requirements, in jobplacement after graduation, and withspecial problems. The counselor alsoserves as an advocate for the studentsin the school. The counselor should beable to establish a good workingrelationship with school administrators.

Maxine Boswell is a vocationalcounselor at the Detroit Lakes AreaVocational Technical Institute. Theschool is located south of White EarthReservation where Maxine recruits newstudents by offering workshops,visiting schools in the area, and

identification of individual goals andthen the process of achievement.

Gloria was born and raised on the LeechLake Reservation. She attended HaskellIndian Junior College, in Lawrence,Kansas. She majored in Business.

GLORIA DUDLEY

counseling students one-to-one. Shealso helps in locating employment forthe graduates.

Maxine was elected Indian Educatorof the Year at the Second AnnualMinnesota Indian Education Con-ference in 1980. She is a White Earthenrollee and has always been active inthe community and in reservationactivities. She tries hard to work withIndian women to help them attain theireducational and career goals.

Maxine is in the process ofcompleting work for her masters degreein Education. She would like to seemore women in administrativepositions.

45

51BEST COPY AVAILABEE

American Indian Program Coordinator

Bonnie Wallace is an advocate forIndian education ;ad for Indian stu-dents at Augsburg College inMinneapolis, Minnesota, where shealso assists in developing courses inIndian Studies.

One of her duties is to assist studentsin solving problems having to do withhousing, job placement, or finances.

In her work, Bonnie also advocatesfor students, trying to make the collegeexperience as rewarding as possible.She also keeps up-to-date files oncareer opportunities toward assistinggraduating students in job placement.

Bonnie earned a bachelors degree inSocial Welfare from the University ofMinnesota, Minneapolis, after severalyears of working at raising a family andattending school. Her first job aftergraduation was as a higher educationcounselor for The Minnesota ChippewaTribe.

"We can do anything and beanything we want and still beIndian."

Bonnie is deeply involved in issuesaffecting Indian women particularlyaware of welfare guidelines and regul-ations. At one point in her life sheviewed welfare guidelines as obstaclesfor Indian women to get financial aid forthemselves to attend college withoutgiving up general assistance they werereceiving for theit children.

As a member of various committees,Bonnie worked with others wanting tosee welfare guideline changes so thatwomen might be encouraged to becomebetter educated and better equipped tosupport themselves and their familiesand not have to depend on programssuch as Aid to Families of DependentChildren.

Bonnie also belongs to an Indianorganization that explores domesticviolence issues. She is the vice-chCr-person of American Indian Women ofMinnesota and an active member of theNational Organization of Women. It isimportant to her, she says, to take thetime as an advocate on behalf of Indianwomen struggling to make it throughthe educational system.

BONNIE WALLACE

46

BEST COPY AVAILABLE52

Adult Basic Education...In The Prisons

Elaine Salinas is an adult basiceducation teacher. Her students areIndian inmates in Minnesota penalinstitutions Elaine is the administratorand teacher of the program which offersa General Equivalency Diploma, orG.E.D., to persons who areincarcerated and who have notcompleted high school.

Adult Basic Education offers coursesin reading and compositior , mathe-matics, and other basic skills. A batteryof tests is given to rate the student ongeneral knowledge of each subject,leading to the G.E.D.

As a teacher, Elaine tests eachstudent and prepares an individualizedlesson plan. Some students may befurther advanced than others in asubject, but may need more help withanother subject. She helps plan for eachstudent accordingly. Courses in Indianstudies are offered for an entire class,which brings into the prisons consul-tants on Indian culture, elders,traditional healers and career guidancepersons.

ELAINE SALINAS

As an administrator, Elaine mustconvince prison officials that theprogram will be smoothly conducted,that it is good for the prison as well asfor the inmates. She keeps carefulrecords on each student which arerevised as progress occurs.

"It is "mportant to offer a linkto the home and a hope for a newstart to that part of the communitywhich is often neglected."

The program is the only Indian AdultBasic Education project in the countrywithin a prison. Elaine promotes theprogram among prison officials, legis-lators, and state education officials.The program is a part of the Heart of'he Earth Survival School, an alter-native school for the Indian communityin Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ten percent of the inmates of prisonsand juvenile institutions in Minnesotaare Indian inmates who are uncles,aunts, brothers, and sisters of theIndian community. It is widely recog-nized that family ties are important toIndians and help in any treatmentprogram for Indians in trouble.

53

47

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Curriculum Development

Karen Wynn of Tucson, Arizona,develops curriculum materials both inher private consultant business and asthe director of youth services at theTucson Indian Center.

She develops curriculum for pre-school and General EquivalencyDiploma classes designed expressly forAmerican Indians. Her present positioninvolves a program which providesmedia training, special G.E.D. classes,job counseling, and leadership skills toyouth. Most of her time is spentdeveloping and writing grants in orderto receive state and federal funds foreducation programs.

Karon is also co-owner of an educa-tion consultant business whichassesses, develops, and evaluatesIndian education programs on anationwide basis. Basic sk91 games andcurriculum kits are produced and soldby her company.

One of the definitions of curriculumis "All of the planned experiences

provided to assist people in attaining,to the best of their abilities, thedesignated learning outcome."Curriculum may be thought of as aroute for a student to follow from oneplace to another and developed curri-culum products are the means used tohelp the students travel that route.Curriculum products may includebooks, worksheets, slide shows, or awide array of other teaching aids.

Karen was graduated from theUniversity of Arizona with honor,majoring in elementary education.Her teaching at the elementary schoollevel led to her involvement incurriculum development for schools.

In 1980, Karen ws nominated forOutRtanding Young Woman ofAmerica. She has received other honorsand awards and is an active member ofmany community-based organizations.She is a member of the Yokut Tribe ofCalifornia.

KAREN WYNN

48

BEST COPY iiVAILABLE

54

Curriculum Developer

Lana Sue Grant of Norman, Jkla-homa, has a masters degres in LibrarySciences from the University of Okla-homa. Over the past fifteen years, Lanahas worked at several different jobs.Each of these involved working in apublic service capacity. She has writtencurriculum, served as a public relationsperson, training public service em-ployment coordinators throughoutOklahoma and worked as a counselorfor hardcore unemployed pertinns.

Currently, Lana is employed by theSac and Fox Tribe as a coordinator of abasic education program. The goal ofthe program is t" develop a cultural;,',/oriented curriculum directed towardlearning life coping skills.

Luna is a member of both theOklahoma and the National IndianEducation and American LibraryAssociations. In 1976-77, Lana was acommittee member at the White HouseConference on Handicapped Minori-ties. Lana, who herself is handicappd,uses braces and crutches and if she is ina hurry, will use her wheelchair. Sheattcr_ded another White House Con-ference in 1978 as a representative ofthe Sac and Fox Tribe. This conferencedealt with Indian libraries and informa-tion services on or near reservations.

Lana also contributes articles to theNorman, Oklahoma, Native AmericanCenter's monthly newspape.. She alsowrites short stories.

LANA SUE GRANT

5549

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

School Psychometrist

Ruby Ludwig, a Cherokee fromOklahoma, is a school psychometristemployed by the Delaware CountySrecial Education Co-op in J Okla -

,ma.

What is a school psychometrist?

These are the duties of a person insuch an occupation:

1. They administer several differenttypes of tests such as intelligence,aptitude, achievement, and othe:.psychologi ;al tests.

2. After a test is completed, thepsychometrist interprets test resultsaccording to a standard set ofclitoris.

3. A determination is a;so made as towt. 3ther test results are valid. V.orexample, minc.ities question thereliability of intelligencel tests givento minority students because of tl'language #,nd culture difference: thatmay be encountered.

Ruby worked as a secretary to ajudge for many years and was alsoChief Clerk of Court. When she retiredfrom these jobs, she returned to schoolat Phoenix Junior College. In 1972, shereceived a master's degree in Educa-tion, with an emphasis in SpecialEducation. She then took the neededcoursework to become a CertifiedSchool Psychometrist, certified byNorthern State University of Colorado.

"I am a believer in fightingfor the rights available in theunique education of Indian,:udents."

50

BE& COPY AVAILABLE

In 1976, eLe was recognized as aNotable American an Personality inthe South and in 1978 was votedOutstanding Intiian Woman ofOklahoma. P.uby was appointed byPresident Carter to serve on theNational Advisory Council 'n IndianEducation.

RUBY LUDWIG

56

Librarian

Priscilla Morrison is the librarian atthe Nett Lake Elementary School,which is a small school on the BoisForte Reservation of Minnesota.Priscilla was born and raised on theBois Forte Reservation. She was forcedto drop out of high school to help raiseher younger brothers and sisters. Shelater returned to school and receivedher General Equivalency Diploma andis now accumulating college credits andplans to continue her education towardone day attaining her goal: a collegedegree.

Priscilla was hired by the Nett LakeSchool as the librarian when the libraryhad few books. Priscilla worked withother school staff, various educationagencies and the community to addmaterials to the library and haswatched it become a useful resourcecenter for the community.

PRISCILLA MORRISON

"My love for reading and beingaround children makes my lifeenjoyable and self-satisfying."

Priscilla's duties as librarian includeordering, accessioning or Ciassifyingbooks, and marking them and otherprint and audio materials for thelibrary. All new material must becatalogued by filling out cards listingtitles, authors, and subjects. Specialreading activities are also conducted toencourage children to develop goodreading habits. A "tree house" hasbeen set up in the library along withother nooks and crannies wherechildren can curl up and enjoy a book.At certain times during the year,children also can "buy" books withpoints they have earned by completingschool assignments or performing otherschool related jobs.

51

57 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

1

Head Start Teacher

The Head Start teacher at Ball Club,Minnesota, is Edythe Warner, whosays she has worked at this center fromthe very beginning. hi May of 1967, shebegan working as a teacher's aide eventhough she was not sure at that timethat this was her type of work. The jobwas available, however, and sheneeded a job. She soon discovered thatshe liked being around children andafter fou years was selected fortraining as a Head Start teacher. Thetrainees spent part of the time workingin classrooms under close supervisionand were required to prepare their ownlesson plans, complete with objectivesand activities.

"I was fortunate to be one of the firstto be sent to Wisconsin for HeadStart training."

Edythe likes to watch the develop-ment of children; it fascinates her. Sheemphasizes the importance of talking tochildren since they learn from talkingand listening. She gave this example: Alittle boy asked her for more beansduring lunch. She saii, "These arepeas, not beans," as she gave himmore. "They Are green peas." Thus,with only ta o short sentences shestarted two concepts -- one color, andthe other, the difference between peasand beans.

52

As the lead teacher in a Head StartCenter, Edythe plans all of the dailyactivities and provides supervision andleadership to the staff. She plans mealsand snacks, making sure they have tharight nutrients. Edythe also stressesthe importance of establishing a goodworking relationship with the parents ofstudents.

Edythe started college at BemidjiState University, but had to stopattending because of illness in herfamily. She still thinks of returning andsays, "Maybe someday." She has aChild Development Associate Certifi-cate which she received after com-pleting the Head Start In-ServiceTraining Program. This includescoursework and being evaluated byindependent observers from Washing-ton, D.C.

Anyone wanting to work withchildren, as for example in a Head Startprogram, should major in early child-hood, nursery, or kindergarten educa-tion in working toward a collegedegree. That person also should bewilling to complete the necessarytraining to be certified as a ChildDevelopment Associate. It is helpful tohave actual work experience in anursery school, day care center, orelementary school.

58

Career Education

Yvonne Frazer, or Bonnie as she isbetter known, is a Career Educationteacher at the Cass Lake High School inCass Lake, Minnesota.

Bonnie coordinates a Work Ex-perience Program. She assists specialeducation students in designingrealistic plans for their future careers.The planning includes placing thestudent at a work site where she gainsexperience and training for part of theschool day.

Bonnie also teaches her students inwork skills seminars as part of the sameprogram.

She has developed a number ofschool work stations in the community,visiting each site regularly where sheassists the student and the employertoward developing the student's goodworking habits and basic skills.

She is a' enrolled member of theWhite Earth Reservation but lives onthe Leech Lake Reservation.

Bonnie completed work forvocational certification from BemidjiState University. She has been on thestaff of the Cass Lake School since1974. Prior to that, she was the school'sJohnson-O'Malley Program Home-School Coordinator.

YVONNE [BONNIE] FRAZER

I....1.i.i.,

59

53

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

BibliographyEDUCATION

Anthropology and Jobs - Bernard H. Russell and Willis E. Sibley, AmericanAnthropology Association, 197.

Aside from Teaching English, What in the World Can You Do? -Dorothy K. Bestor, University of Washington Press, 1977.

Careers in Education - Christopher Benson, Lerner Publications, 1974.

Opportunities in Library and Information Science - Peggy Sullivan,Vocational Guidance, 1977.

Your Future in Library Careers - Alpha S. Myers and Sara A. Temikin,Rosen Press, 1976.

Sources of Additional Information

American Council on Education1 Dupont CircleWashington, D.C. 20036

National Merit Scholarship Corporation990 Grove StreetEvanston, Illinois 60201

National Honor Society Scholarship Program/National Association of SecondarySchool Principals1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20036

American Scholarship Association225 Park Avenue SouthNew York, New York 10003

National Indian Counsi bra AssociationOklahoma UniversityP.O. Box 26901, BSES 302Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73190

National Indian Education Association1115 2nd Avenue SouthMinneapolis, Minnesota 55403

54

6U

CommunicationsPerhaps among the earliest communicators of record were those who left the

drawings of deer in caves.

Communicating is an endeavor which takes at least two people: the sender andthe receiver. Persons sending mirror semaphore messages from ships arecommunicators. So are the people reading the message.

Communications principally involves the written word and the spoken word.

To date, no one has replaced the written word. There are places where writtenstatements are the only kind which will do, as, for example, in contracts,proposals, agreements, any detailed messages which require review, evengrocery ads.

It is true, however, that the spoken word and the visual presentation docombine in television. This is a wide open field. Consider the growing number oftelevision channels through the use of sattelites and dish receptors.

Print communication is also in need of good people. Consider the writtendirections needed to bake a cake. Think, also, of the tons of sales literatureproduced by people in advertising. Think of the broad field of graphics, neededboth by print and audiovisual employers.

As to job categories, there are writers, copy writers in advertising, technicalwriters for giving directions, continuity writers in radio and television. There arenewspaper and television reporters, advertising people who know make-up, orprinciples ;..volved in laying out, or designing, printed pages. There are editors,promotion writers, program directors, radio and television traffic personnel,technical illustrators, photographers, map makers, creative writers, headlinewriters, poets, novelists, biographers, and yes, hacks, too.

Most important to a communicator is the need for truth and accuracy. In thefield of reporting, add the need for speed.

Persons interested in communications careers usually begin by liking to read,liking to talk, liking to express themselves in visual ways. Again, high schoolcounselors should be consulted as to pre-requisites. There are other routes tocommunications besides by way of higher education. There is on-the-jobtraining, apprenticeship. Vocational schools offer technical courses needed tolearn offset printing. Would-be writers first and foremost need to write. Anddon't forget, somewhere along the way, learn to use the typewriter or wordprocessor.

66

61

Editor

Rose Robinson was voted 1980 IndianMedia Woman of the Year and washonored at the American Indian MediaConference for the work she has done insome twenty-three years of experience.

Rose, a member of the Hopi tribe ofArizona, completed elementary andsecondary school in Carson City,Nevada. Following graduation fromhigh school, Rose attended HaskellInstitute in Lawrence, Kansas, andcompleted course work there for adegree in commercial art. Since thattime, Rose continued her educationwith courses in journalism to improveher communications skills.

Currently Rose serves as Vice-Presi-dent and Director of American IndianPrograms at the Phelps-Stokes Fund, aprivate foundation, in Washington, DC.She edits Phelps-Stokes Fund publics..tions and also does some independentconsultant work.

56

BEST COPY AVAIIABEF

Over the years, Rose has served as aworking committee member or anexecutive officer of various organi-zations concerned with issues affectingAmerican Indians. Frequently her con-tribution has involved preparation ofnewsletters and directories. Rose her:self is listed in the Directory ofSignificant 20th Century AmericanMinority Women.

ROSE ROBINSON

62

Television New Reporter

If you lived in Seattle, Washington,you might see Hattie Kauffman Wingon the evening television news whenthe anchor person says "And now foran on-the-scene report, standing byis...." Hattie is a general assignmentnews reporter, which means herreports are made on any subject thatcomes up for coverage. Recently shedid a three-part series on illegal alienscoming into the United States fromMexico. She also did a live telecastoutside the nurses' union headquarterswhen 4,000 nurses threatened to strike.

HATTIE KAUFFMAN WING

Hattie was graduated from highschool in Seattle, but most of hercollege years were spent ut the Univer-sity of Minnesota. Along the way,Hattie received a number of scholar-ships and awards in recognition of hergood work.

Most of Hattie's work experience hasbeen in the field of communicationsalthough she has also been involved ineducation. After graduating fromfrom college, Hattie taught at severalMinnesota high schools before decidingto devote herself to work in communi-cations.

She is a Nez Perce Indian and enjoystaking time off to spend with her familyin Idaho. She confesses to enjoyingpicking huckleberries with her familyinasmuch as the yearly tradition ofpicking huckleberries together hasbeen an important part of the Nez Perceculture for generations.

63

57

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Television Host

The host of "Indian Country Today,"a television show sponsored by theDakota Association of Native Ameri-cans is Harriett Skye. The half hour talkshow appears weekly and is devoted todiscussions of Indian culture andcurrent issues. Harriet started pro-ducing and directing the show in 1974when she worked in the public hl-formation office of the United TribesEducation Technical Center inBismarck, North Dakota.

Harriett studied at Haskell Institute,the Unversity of North Dakota and theUniversity of Arizona.

68

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Harriett sits on a number of advisoryboards including th,) Board of Directorsfor the Indian Affairs Commission ofNorth Dakota and in 1980 she attendedthe International Women's Year Con-veution in Houston, Texas, as adelegate from the Standing Rock SiouxTribe, of which she is a member.

HARRIETT SKYE

64

Technical Developer

Dr. Rayna Green is the Director ofthe Project on Native Americans for theAssociation for the Advancement ofScience. She has worked six years inthe areas of economics, energy, health,education, and professional develop-ment.

As an administrator of the project,Rayna must look at ways to improve theparticipation of Indians in scientific andtechnical education and careers. Shestudies statistics on Indians currently inschool concentrating in those fields andsuggests ways to increase theirnumbers.

Rayna has assisted several collegesand universities with sizable Indianenrollments in developing programssuch as "Indians into Medicine," aNorth Dakota program in which Indianstudents are assisted toward entranceinto medical school and throughout thevarious aspects of this educationalprocess.

_walira.r111111110...

DR. RAYNA GREEN

The project searches nationwide forcapable Indian students; in addition, itconducts studies in trying to determinewhy more Indian students are not inscientific fields and what barriers theyencounter while in school. Rayna holdsworkshops and seminars and haswritten articles about Indians inscience.

"In Indian communities, statusimplies an obligation to share withothers in the community."

As the project director, Rayna acts asan advocate for American Indian stu-dents by contacting universities andcolleges, legislators and tribal officialsto promote scientific careers for Indianstudents.

Dr. Green completed work for herdoctorate at Indiana University whereher concentration was Folklore andAmerican Studies. She has worked as aProgram Director of the SmithsonianInstitution, Washington, D.C., and asan assistant professor at severalcolleges and universities. She volun-tem ed for the Peace Corps and workedin Ethiopia.

She is the author of works onAmerican Indian women, folklore, andstereotypes. She is a frequent lectureron Indian-related subjects, on science,and on Indian culture.

65

59

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Editor

Laura Waterman Wittstock has had avaried range of work experience asprint writer, editor, continuity writer,and proposal writer.

In 1971, Itrara was hired as editor ofLegislative Review, a publication dis-tributed from Washington, D.C., andwhich carried information on legislationaffecting American Indians. Later,Laura became the Executive Director ofthe American Indian Press Association,a press service which collected anddistributed news about Indians, forIndians, nationwido. She also served asDirector of Project MEDIA, a NationalInc liar. Education Association informa-tion service, which centered on allwritten materials in the various mediaconcerning Indians movies, tele-vision, radio, and print.

If

LAURA WATERMAN WITTSTOCK

60

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Laura also was a founder of MigiziCommunications which today producesradio programs such as "First PersonRadio" and "Indian Country." She ispresident of the board of directors ofMigizi Communications. As apublished writer, Laura was acontributor to a book of commentary,Comparative Perspectives of ThirdWorld Women, with a chapter entitled"American Indian Women: Twilight ofa Long Maidenhood."

"Despite colonialism, the Indianpeople are exceedingly strong anddynamic. The stereotypes of womenare fading and we shall soon seeour Indian women as they havealways been throughout time -- halfof a race of great people."

In September 1979, Lauraestablished a consultant business whichinvolves developing programs, con-ducting needs assessments, evalua-tions and staff training. Two of herclients are the Juel Fairbanks AftercareResidence and the Heart of the EarthSurvival School. She also has doneconsultant work for other school dis-tricts, Indian organizations and Indiantribes.

Laura is a Seneca Indian of the HeronClan.

66

Poet

Suzan Harjo works as a legislativeliaison person for the Native AmericanRights Fund -- or NARF, as it isfamiliarly known -- in Washington,D.C. Suzan was born in Oklahoma andis a member of the Cheyenne andArapaho Tribes.

Suzan worked for NARF once before,prior to obtaining a political appoint-ment in the Office of the Secretary ofthe Interior. Her job in the Interior wasas Special Assistant for Legislation andLiaison to the Assistant Secretary forIndian Affairs to prepare the AmericanJndian Religious Freedom Report.Since rejoining the NARF staff, she hasbeen working on the ArchaeologicalResources Protection Act which willestablish guidelines which scientistsmust follow when they conduct "digs"to unearth materials from previousgenerations for study. This Act also isespecially important to Indian tribeswanting to protect their ancestral burialgrounds from being destroyed orremoved due to the construction ofdams or other development projects.

Until 1977, however, Suzan's careerwas focused on communications. Sheis a published poet, beginning at agetwelve. Her poetry is included innumerous collections. Until 1974, shewas a faculty coordinator of a lectureseries on contemporary issues at NewYork University. She also co-produced abi-weekly news and analysis program,"Seeing Red," which was aired onseveral New York City televisionstations.

"A poet and writer can use her penalso in important legislative activityon Capitol Hill."

Suzan's accomplishments are listedin directories such as The Directory ofAmerican Poets, International Who'sWho of Poetry, and The 1979 Directoryof Significant Minority Poets of the 20thCentury.

SUZAN HARJO

61

67 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

BibliographyCOMMUNICATIONS

Careers in Journalism for the New Woman - Megan Rosefeld, WattsPress, 1977.

Education for Careers in Journalism - John Tebbie, Vocational Guidance,1977.

Looking Forward to a Career: Radio and Television - Billi Haeberle,Dillon Press, 1974.

Looking Forww -1 to a Career: Writing - Second Edition. Ethel Tigue,Dillon Press, 1976.

Opportunities in Freelance Writing Hazel C. Maxon, Vocational Guidance,1977.

Opportunities in Technical Writing Today - Jay R. Goulc and WayneA. Losano, Vocational Guidance, 1975.

Writing Careers - Gurney Williams III, Watts Press, 1976.

62 6 8

Special FieldsCerhin careers do not neatly fit under discussions of other job categories

collected elsewhere in :his publication.

Therefore. women who are artists or businesswomen, or performers -- thosewho help deco-ate or beautify, making life more interesting, more enjoyable --these are the women whose careers are highlighted in this section.

Each is essentially a businesswoman, one managing her own car "he isself-employed. In additior to being talented then, women such as ..nest alsomust be good administrators, handling their own public relations, finances,schedules, and money management.

Operating a business requires hours of record keeping and detail work.Besides running the business aspect of their careers, performers and artistsmust find time to work on creative ideas, to study, to practice.

Routes to careers such as these are various. Some ' "omen in this section havearrived via intensive study and practice, or via instruction. Others have foundthemselves in the creative field by experimentation and self-taught lessons, or bylearning from another experienced person. One thing these women have incomet 9» however. That is a strong determination that they can succeed. Theycan dt, it.

63

69

Private Consultant

Margaret Feake Raymond owns andoperates a busines8 called the FirstPhoenix American Corporation whichprovides consultant services mainly toprojects concerned with treatingchemical dependency. She formed thecorporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota,in 1978.

It provides consultant services ix

areas of program development andevaluation, determining the needs of aparticular group to be served. Margaretalso offers counseling techniquestraining for staff members working withchemically dependent individuals. Sheis also in touch with legislationwhich might affect American Indianchemical dependency programs. In1980, she testified before a congres-sional committee on the CommunitySocial Service Act, to help offsetwhatever detrimental effect such legis-lation might have on chemical depen-dency programs.

A

64

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

"As an Indian, I believe my firstprofessional obligation is to otherIndian people."

Margaret is an enrolled member ofthe Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Shewas born and raised in Tahlequah,Oklahoma, and was graduated fromNortheastern Oklahoma State Univer-sity with a masters degree in SocialWork. She taught school in Oklahoma,Missouri, and New Mexico, after whichshe became interested in working moreclosely in fields dealing with socialproblems and affecting change at thecommunity level. These interestsdecided her return to the academicworld for further education, where sheearned other advanced degrees.

MARGARET PEAICE RAYMOND

70

Independent Businesswoman

Irene Losh is a senior citizen living onthe Leech Lake Reservation in Minne-sota. She is an independent businesswoman who has been making andselling Indian craft items for overtwenty-five years. She learned craftswork as a young woman, and the moneyshe now makes is the basis of hersupport. Beading, moreover, she findsis relaxing; it is what she does best, shesays.

"My son, whom I taught, is nowout-doing me. A lot of times hetells me how to do something. Imust have been a good teacher."

Armed Forces

Shirley Wallace is an enlisted mem-ber of the United States Army. She wasborn on the Fond du Lac Reservation ofThe Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

While still in high school, Shirleywon a number of awards for her posterdesigns for local and national organiza-tions. Her interest in the arts continuedand in 1975, Shirley completed work fora Bachelor of Fine Arts degree fromMankato State University, Mankato,Minnesota.

"At, next goal is to become anofficer. After that, who knows,maybe I'll be a General in thearmy."

After working as an interior decora-tor, Shirley joined the Army in Feb-ruary, 1980, as a Private First Class.After completing basic training, shemade Specialist Four in the field ofmilitary intelligence. Her particular jobtitle is "radar interceptor," whichmeans she intercepts or receives mes-sages from satellites in space.

Shirley says she has always been ableto reach any goal she has set forherself. Currently, her sights are onbecoming an officer.

Irene also designs Ojibwe dancedresses. One of her celebrity clientswas Roy Rogers, for whom shedesigned and fashioned a beaded belt.Most of her work goes to a retail outleton the Red Lake Reservation althoughshe also sells direct to a client inGermany, a connection made when shemade a pair of baby meccasins whichended up in Germany

Irene's mother 'aught her how tobead and Irene, in turn, has taughtsome of her children, but of her eightsons and daughters, only two currentlyproduce handcraft to sell.

71

SHIRLEY WALLACE

65

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Performer

Georgia Wettlin-Larsen, anAssiniboine Sioux, is a lecturer andperformer and currently a member ofDaystar, an American Indian TheaterCompany. Georgia has been per-forming professionally since 1974. Herinterest is in educating and sensitizingnon-Indians so they are better able toappreciate traditional forms of Indianmusic. Georgia works toward this goalby performing and by conductingworkshops.

Her knowledge of music stems fromtwo different sources: bile received aclassical education at St. Olaf College,Northfield, Minnesota, and fromthe University of Minnesota, whilegaining her knowledge of traditionalIndian music from elders of variousIndian communities. Georgia says shereceived encouragement and motiva-tion from the elders, and she empha-sizes the importance of tribal traditionsin which the young learn from theelders.

"It is through the songs of theAmerican Ildian songwriters thatthere comes an Indian voice, tellingof our history -- of our presentand of our future."

Georgia's goals include continuing todevelop her own skills aid to lean .

more about traditional Indian musicwhich she plans to pass on to others.She wants her knowledge to be used forthe benefit of Indian pc 1ple.

66

REST COPY AVAILABLE

Someone opting for a career in musicmust be willing to make sacrifices, to bewilling to practice for long periods oftime. Ability and aptitude also count inorder to be successful as a performer orteacher.

GEORGIA WETTLIN-LARSEN

72

Artist

An artist is a person who createswork which is designed to attract theattention of the viewer, whether to sellproducts or ideas or simply for thepleasure of the eye. Each piece of artwork reflects something of the artist, afeeling, or thought she would express.

Joan Hill is an artist of Cherokee andCreek descent. After teaching fouryears in the public schools of Tulsa,Oklahoma, she decided to leaveteaching to study painting.

Her work is represented in museumsand private collections all over theworld today and has been reproduced inforty publications. In recent years,Joan has traveled and studied abroad.

,

i

"I am expanding the culture-consciousne:4 of my American Indianheritage to other cultures through myart work,"

She attributes part of her success toher family, which encouraged andsupported her passion for painting.

i

JOAN HILL

A .

4

67

73BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Fashion Designer

Marjorie Roane, a designer of con-temporary Indian fashions, began hercareer six years ago. She attendedOklahoma State University and studiedfashion design. Although her originalplan was to major in fashionmerchandising, Marjorie becameinterested in designing clothing, usingtraditional Indian designs in highfashion clothing and utilizingtechniques such as applique and ribbonwork.

Marjorie currently heads a companyin which fashions are adapted fromtraditional styles of different tribes. Shehas shown her fashions to both Indianand non-Indian audiences who can seethat contemporary designs can besuccessfully created from traditionalapparel that has been around forhundreds of years.

A fashion designer creates originaldesigns for new styles of clothing. Thedesigner's original idea is sketched andthen a pattern is cut from the sketch.The pattern pieces must be drawn toactual size on paper or fabric and thenmodified when changes are necessaryto make a garment fit properly. Anyonewith an eye to becoming a fashiondesigner needs a creative inclination,but also needs a background in mathand textiles chemistry.

68

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

1 want to inspire respect innon-Indians for the Indian woman;to show that our designs, our colors,are enviable."

Courses helpful in a fashion careerinclude art, design, clothing construc-tion, patteramaking, costume history,literature, and business mathematics.

74

MARJORIE ROANE

Opera Singer

When she was ten years old, BonnieJo Hunt knew that she wanted tobecome an opera singer but did notshare her dream with anyone for fear ofbeing laughed at. Finally, Bonnie Joshared the dream with her grand-mother who said, "This is the mostridiculous thing I have ever heard."Bonnie Jo says that even Indiansstereotype themselves: "Who everheard of an Indian opera singer?" ButBonnie Jo had a goal and she wasdetermined to reach it, and would shareher life and talent with young people,emphasizing that one can attain herdream if she :.:s willing to work.

Hard work and a few breaks contri-buted to Bonnie Jo's success. She saysthere are no shortcuts for seriousmusicians.

She is a founder and board memberof the newly formed "Artists of IndianAmericas." In this capacity she ishelping establish a strong body ofprofessional Indian artists, reaching outto Indian communities where exposureto the arts seldom occurs.

BONNIE JO HUNT

Bonnie Jo also has worked under theFord Foundation and toured schoolsattended by Indian children, lecturingand performing for them. She feels thather contribution to the education ofstudents is through entertainment. Shehas traveled, performed, and lecturedextensively in the United States as wellas in many foreign countries.

"I continually re-set goals for myself.It's fun to always work towardssomething new. One can and onemust plan one's life. "

Bonnie Jo is a Sioux Indian from theStanding Rock Reservation. Her motherwas a descendent of the Hunkpapachief, Mad Bear.

In 1978, she received a mastersdegree from the American University inCairo, Egypt, and studied voice there.English, Arabic, French and Germanare four of the languages thatBonnie Jo speaks. She id also fluent inher own native language of Lakota.

75

69

BUT COPY AVARARtE

BibliographySPECIAL FIELDS

Art Careers - Louise Horton, Watts Press, 1975.

Career Choices: Working Toward a Better Environment - 'U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, 1975.

Careers for a Changing World: The Arts - New York Life, 1976.

Your Career in Art and Design - Carolyn Harves, Judith Hy len, and MargaretJohnson, Arco Press, 1977.

Careers in the Services - W. E. Butterworth, Watts Press, 1976.

Careers in Theatre, Music, and Dance - Louise Horton, Watts Press, 1976.

Environmental Careers - James Hahn and Lynn Hahn, Watts Press, 1976.

Jobs in the Armed Forces - Catherine Colvert, Mademoiselle, 1976.

Opportunities in Environmental Careers - 0. Don Fanning, Vocational Guidance,1976.

Your Future in the Military Services - Monroe MacCloskey, Arco Press, 1976.

70 76

HealthToday, there are more than four million professionals working in health

services in the United States. Their work grew from an ancient calling dedicatedto safeguarding the good health and lima of the people.

Opportunities for a health career are many and varied. At whatever level ahealth career is entered, it is of a highly technical nature and demands a strongcommitment.

Some of the health care positions involve patient care, disease prevention,epidemic control, research, administration and tfaching, and emergencyservices.

The work requires the services of the physician, the surgeon, nurse,pharmacist, laboratory technician, midwife, laboratory and x-ray technicians,physical and occupational therapists, hospital administrator, and many others.There is a place, too, for the teacher in health careers.

Doctor of Mec:icineA Doctor of Medicine might be a Family Practitioner. Then there are specialists

who work in more than thirty-four different disciplines, such as surgery, sportsmedicine, dermatology, psychiatry, or a vast number of other concentrations.Among the familiar specialists are the pediatrician, or children's doctor;obstetrician, working in a branch of medicine that deals with childbirth;gerontologist, or doctor to the elderly; an ophthalmologist, or eye doctor; anorthopedist, or bone specialist and the radiologis:, or doctor of the use of radiantsin medicine.

The Doctor of Medicine might have a p-mte practice or she might be amember of a clinic or work for an industry as a company doctor. She might workin public health, in a hospital or health agency. She might teach in a university,or be attached to the military.

Doctors of Medicine are increasingly involved in preventive medicine -- seeingto it that a healthy body stays that way.

71

NursingNursing is the health career entered by the largest number of people. Nurses

provide direct care to patients in the hospital, in homes, gn schools, or inindustry. A nurse has the overall responsibility of meeting the patient's nursingrequirement as prescribed by a physician. A nurse also is responsible forresponding to emergency situations.

Nursing, like Medicine, includes specialization. A nurse may specialize inpediatrics, obstetrics, community health, or be part of a Visiting Nurse programin which people ate cared for in their homes.

In addition to making patients comfortable and overseeing their care, nurseswork alongside physicians and surgeons in making rounds, or in the surgery, orin the emergency room.A nurse may have a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing, be aRegistered Nurse, a Licensed Practical Nurse, a Midwife, or Nurse Practitioner.Each of these categories demand different academic requirements and training.

Public Health Professions

Public Health is a field dedicated to meeting the health needs of the public atlarge or among certain groups, such as Indian tribes or for counties or schools.Public Health careers may include hospital administration, health education, orsanitation and environmental health.

Public Health is an important field in the control of disease. It includesplanning programs so that certain goals can be met in the eradication of disease.For example, tuberculosis today is virtually non-existent because public healthexperts and medical research specialists worked together in stamping out thisdisease. Public Health doctors are also involved in questions of quarantineagainst communicable disease.

Another function of Public Healt;t is to ensure water and environmentalquality.

Technicians

.2,fany persons are employed behind the scenes in health services. X-raytechnicians and laboratory technicians assist the doctor in her diagnosisihysical therapists teach the use of disabled parts of the body through physical.ctivity, while occupational therapists teach re-use of parts of the body through

certain activities such as weaving or woodworking. Medical technicians also workin areas of nuclear medicine or radiation therapy.

All technical careers have been developed to help physicians arrive at theproper diagnosis and treatment. Individuals in technology work in hospitals,clinics, doctors' offices, universities, or research facilities.

72

78

Medical ResearchResearch is to study thorough4, to search again, to engage in a scholarly or

scientific investigation or inquiry.

Medical researchers study diseases, the possible causes,and attempt to findcures. Research is highly specialized field and requires that an individual be wellgrounded in the sciences. The researcher must have the ability to pay closeattention to detail.

Another important part of research is keeping records. Researchers writereports and articles about their work. A medical researcher might work for aprivate research corporation, a hospital, a university research project, or agovernment research agency.

Those considering careers as health professionals should be in close contactwith school advisers, to make sure that necessary pre-requisites are scheduledduring high school.

Traditional Indian Health Practices

The teachings of traditional healers or doctors are based on common sensehealth care and observation of the natural world. This often has beenmisunderstood by non-Indians.

Many medicines now used by modern hospitals and physicians have been inuse by American Indians for many centuries. However, there are medicines stillused by men and women of Medicine Lodges that have not yet been"discovered" by non-Indian researchers and will only be "discovered" whentraditional methods and medicines are more fully recognized.Traditional healers always have known that in order to cure an illness of thebody, the whole person must be treated. Non-Indians are now beginning tounderstand the importance of this concept and the current trend is toward thepractice of holistic medicine.

The healing songs and prayers used by traditional healers are seen asimportant as the medicine itself. When a healing plant is picked, a prayer ofthanksgiving is said for that plant which is giving its life to help another livingbeing who shares Mother Earth; respect is shown for the life giving process andthe medicine plant. There is no "payment" involved since the medicine cc onesfrom Mother Earth which no one owns.

In recent yecrs, Indian healers have been allowed to enter hospitals and shareprayers and songs at the same time medicine is being g;ven. Since enactment ofthe Indian Freedom of Religion Act, such treatment is available to hospitalizedIndian people. The procedure would be better understood were there moreIndian professionals in health services. Indian doctors, nurses, dentists, andtherapists are needed.

73

Indian Health Services

The Indian Health Service is the federal agency created to improve the healthof American Indians. A disease control program for tribes living near militaryposts in the 1800s was administered by the U.S. Department of War, From thosebeginnings emerged health services to Indian people. In 1849, the healthprogram for Indians was undertaken with the establishment of the Bureau ofIndian Affairs. Indian health remained a BL4 concern until 1955, when Congressconveyed th, responsibility to a new agency, Indian Health Services, adepartment within U.S. Public Health Service.

Most Indians have access today to IHS clinics or hospitals. Nevertheless,according to IHS data, Indian people are still years behind the general populationfrom the standpoint of health. An NS report in 1980 showed higher infantmortality rates, higher rates of degenerative disease such as diabetes and heartailment, and a life expectancy twenty-six to thirty years less than that of the

population at large.

The need for American Indians trained as health professionals has beenemphasized by the Association of American Indian Physicians. Even thoughincreasing numbers of Indian students are enrolling in health careers, the need kgreat. There are not yet enough people in the field.

74SO

Doctor of Medicine

Lois Steele, M.D., an Assiniboine ofthe Fort Peck Reservation in Montana,is one of the increasing number ofAmerican Indian women becomingphysicians. She is in her third year ofresidency at the University of NorthDakota hospital, specializing in familypractice. Residency offers specializedclinical training.

Dr. Steele also directs a program,"Indians Into Medicine," at theUniversity of North Dakota, a programdesigned by Indian medical profes-sionals to encourage Indian students toenter health-related fields in an anattempt to provide better health carefor Indians all over the country. Therassociation of American Indian Phy-sicians newsletter, dated December,1980, says of the program:

"INMED represents twenty-two In-dian Reservations in Nortk Dakota,South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, andWyoming, and is designed to produceIndian health professionals of thehighest degree. It identifies Indiantudents possessing aptitudes for

medical training and places them inmedical school and assists them in allaspects of this educational process."

In addition to her busy workschedule, Lois volunteers time andexpertise in providing heall,h educationand improved health care for Indianpeople. V") is a member of theAssociation of American Indian Phy-sicians and the American MedicalAssociation. She has served on com-mittees reviewing and recommendinglegislation to meet the health careneeds of the Indian population.

"Obtain the best backgroundpossible in the bask sciences while in

secondar) school."

LOIS STEELE, M.D.

____JobuilLok

Si

75

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Midwife

Katsi Cook is a Wolf Clan daughter ofthe Mohawk Nation in New York. Shebegan taking traditional Mohawk waysseriously when she was fifteen yearsold when she became aware of theimportance of self knowledge. Firstlearn who you ale, she recommends toyoung people. and only then, investi-gate what area of work in yourcommunity interests and needs you.

Katsi followed in the footsteps of hergrandmother, an earlier midwife, whodelivered half the children on herreservation, including Katsi herself.

Katsi is a different kind of midwife;she combines the best of both worlds,using what she learned from the eldersin the Long House with what shelearned from the midwives' certificateprogram.

"It is entirely possible to becomelicensed as a physician, a nursepractitioner, a certified midwife, ora physician's assistant and stillpractice this knowledge relyingheavily on tradiannal attitudes."

Katsi's training as a lay midwife wasmuch %afferent from a midwive'straining program conducted in a

76

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

hospital. Much of her training tookplace in the homes of expectant womenwhere she learned techniques byobservation. She also read extensivelyon obstetrics, gynecology, and relatedsciences, and talked to women on herreservation. In addition, Katsi spent ayear in the mountains of New Mexico,assisting doctors in clinics. Duringtraining, Katsi began to notice a lot ofhealth problems that could have beenprevented. Alcoholism and poor nut-rition were among the causes. Shebecame aware also or how women areprimarily responsible for the health oftheir families.

Katsi has completed her midwiferytraining and shares her knowledge andexperience with other Indian people.She worked with Indian women of othertribes in developing a program called"Women's Dance Health Program," aprogram for Indian women based ontraditional values.

Some of the duties of a midwifeinclude providing care for mothers andnewborns before, during, and afterbirth. In addition to teaching childbirthclasses, midwives counsel pregnantwomen and their families. They super-vise patients daring labor, performdeliveries in normal births, and counselparents in regard to child care andfamily planning.

TCATSI COOK

82

nS

Medical Research

Phyllis Williams, a Sendca from NewYork, entered the field of medicalresearch after earning a bachelorsdegree in Nursing. Phyllis is a seniorcancer research scientist at RoswellPark Memorial Institute in Buffalo,New York, where her job title isResearch Coordinator for the Depart-ment of Experimental Surgery.

She coordinates research assign-ments, determines personnel needsand time requirements, determines theavailability of experiment materials,and maintains detailed records ofexperimerts. She is also responsible forprep r. __g the surgery schedule, main-ta: a store of surgical supplies andensuring that the surgical and equip-ment are scrupulously clean.

Phyllis has co -aut' d thirty-eightpublications on cancer .esearch. She isactive in her community, working incareer - oriented education projects. Shevolunteers her ti ne and visits schoolsneer her rese, nation and discusseshealth careers with students.

PHYLLIS WILLIAMS [Center]

goy

Phyllis served as chairperson for theTitle IV, Indian Education ParentAdvisory Committee for Silver CreekCentral Schools, is an active member ofthe New York Iroquois Conference,Inc., past chairperson of its board ofdirectors, and worked with the steeringcommittee for the Tenth AnnualNational Indian Education AssociationConvention held in Niagara Falls, NewYork, in 1978.

,..111=11111111111110MIMINI

ew

77 1

83 UST COPY AVAILABLE

Registered Nurse

Charmaine Desjarlait, R.N. anenrolled member of the Red Lake Bandof Chippewa Indians, is the Supervisorof Nurses at the Indian Health BoardClinic in Minneapolis, IvImnesota.

Charmaine r' mind that there wasa demand for i *.-En nurses when shewas in school and since she had areal interest in science and health, Thedecided to become a nurse.

"All persons in the Health CareDelivery System should be treatedequally; each is important andcontributes to the care of thepatient."

She is qualified to assist inemergency situations when they ariseas well as to administer treatmentprescribed by the physician. Shemonitors vital signs such as bloodpressure, temperature and pulsereading. Another of her duties is tokeep accurate records of each patient'streatment so that the medical team, ofwhich she is a part, can fully treat thepatient. The medical team is comprisedof nurses, nurses aides, rt. edical labora-tory and x. ay technicians, and phy-sicians who work together to diagnose,prescribe, and treat the patient.

78

BEST COPY INURE

Charmaine is interested in improvingthe health of Indian people. She helpswork toward that end by being active inher community. She belongs to severaladvisory boards and committees onIndian health and nursing, includingthe American Indian Nurses Associa-tion, the NatLnal Student NursesAssociation, and the MetropolitanHealth Board, which is a MinnesotaState Health Board which sets prioritiesfor the metropolitan area ofMinneapolis-St. Paul.

84

CHARMAINE DESJARLAIT

Pediatrics Nurse

Lorraine Duran is licensed as aRegistered Nurse and as a PediatricsNurse Practitioner. She administers ahealth center on her reservation, theSouthern Ute Res.mvation in Ignacio,Colorado.

Lorraine was graduated from theUniversity of Cobrado Nursing Schoolwith a bachelors degree in Nursing andcontinued there to bec,me a PediatricsNurse Practitioner. it s such, Lorraine isqualified to provide care in certaintypes of ailments and injuries ofchildren when a physician is not on dutyor is busy attending other patiente. Sheis able to suture wounds put casts onbroken limbs, treat wino burns, and,at the direction of the physician, treatpatients with chronic illliesses such asdiabetes and asthma.

Lorraine is also involved in preven-tive health care. She conducts physicalexaminations, provides informationon health care to individuals andfamilies, and makes regular visits topatients on the reservation who are notable to come to the clinic.

Lorraine maintains memberships inprofessional organizations such as theAmerican Nurses Association, ColoradoNurses Association, and the AmericanIndian and Alaskan Native NursesAssociation. She has been honored byher peers in the medical profession,receiving the Health Service Admini-strator's Award for Excellence in 1976and the American Nurses AssociationAward for Excellence as a PediatricsNurse Practitioner.

"Since I was very young, my goal inlife was to be a health professionaland to become an integral part ofimproving the health of IndianPeople."

In addition, Lorraine is the healthliaison person to the Southern UteTribal Council and takes part in othercommunity service activities.

LORRAINE DURAN, R.N., P.N.P.

a,79

85BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Community Health Nurse

Luella Brunelle is a Registered Nurseand a certified Community HealthNurse. She began her career bybecoming a Licensed Practical Nurseafter taking required training. Luellaworked mainly in hospital wardswhich meant taking her turn workingdays, evenings, and night gas, plusweek-ends and holidays. She wasresponsible for monitoring patient'svital signs and giving prescribed medi-cation.

"As an Indian, I am able tounderstand the health needs of otherIndians. This understanding helpsme perform my duties as aprofessional nurse."

Luella worked on a surgical floorcaring for patients before and afteroperations. This involved careful obser-vation along with performing theroutine tasks connected with patientcare and education. She also worked inan intensive care unit attendingcritically ill patients.

LUELLA BRUNELLE, R.N.

80

BEST COPY MAILABLE

4r.

After years of developing her nursingskills, Luella felt she was ready to takec more responsibility. She returned toschool and received a bachelors degreein Nursing from the College of St.Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. Sheis now a licensed Registered Nurse aswell as a certified Public Health Nurse.Luella assumed a new role as a chargenurse, responsible for supervisingother nurses, patient care, and main-taining accurate medical records andreporting progress and problems todoctors.

Luella returned to the izech LakeReservation where she had arcvm up.She currenily works as a CommunityHealth Nurse out of tha Cass LakeIndian Hospital, Public Health Service,as well as in the community. Sheprovides nursing care to home-boundpatients and tea ea familiestechniques of good health care. Shealso reports special health needs of thecommunity to the Leech Lake Reserva-tion Business Committee, thegoverning council, and makes appro-priate recommendations for any actionthat should be taken.

86

Laboratory Technician

Medical laboratory techniciansperform various tests which are basic tomedical diagnosis.

Mary Howard is a lab technician atthe Indian Health Board Clinic inMinneapolis. She is an Ojibwe enrolledon the Leech Lake Reservation. Sheattendei the University of Minnesotabefore entering the Medical institute ofMinnesota, where she completedtraining in conjunction with a medicalschool. She completed a four monthinternship at Fairview Hospital beforebeginning her job at the Indian HealthBoard.

There are two types of training formedical laboratory technicians. A certi-ficate level is offered at vocational-technical institutes for one year. Anassociate level or two-year program isoffered at some colleges. Four yeardegree programs are offered by uni-versities. A national registry certifica-tion is recommended inasmuch as thereare no state license requirements.

Medical Records

"Medical librarians are now knownas Medical Records Administrators,"says Barbara Norbeck. Barbara worksin the medical records department ofSt. Mary's Hospital in Duluth, Minne-sota. She was graduated from theCollege of St. Scholastica. Barbara

BARBARA NORBECK

Mary likes her job because it offersfrequent contacts with Indian people.

MARY HOWARD

believes that a job in medical records isa good career for women because itoffers an opportunity for professionaladvancement and may be used as astepping stone to hospital adminis-

"For myself, my two priorities aresimply my two children."

As a medical records administrator,Barbara maintains the medical recordsof all patients seen by a doctor ortreated in a particular hospital or clinic.She prepares reports of births, deaths,operations, illnesses, and treatment ofall patients and prepares summaries ofcase histories to keep in a permanentfile. Barbara is responsible for makingsure that the medical records for eachperson treated are complete, accurate,and filed in the proper place. A personinterested in entering this field needs tobe familiar with medical terms and tolike work involving detail.

81

87 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Senior Citizen Aide

Rose Whipple Bluestone is a DakotaIndian, descendent of Red Legs, a greatDakota Chief. Her mother died whenRose was only two, so she was raised byher grandmother and an aunt. Roseattended the Bureau If Indian AffairsBoarding School at Flandreau, SouthDakota.

All her adult life, Rose worked inhospitals. When she first started hercareer as a nurse, hers was often theonly brown face on the hospital staff.She had to learn to deal with racism andcultural misunderstanding found inmany hospitals at the time. It wassometimes difficult to work under thoseconditions but Rose had learned thevalue of Atience and tolerance fromher grandmother and other elders whotold her not to give up. They also taughther self-discipline and told her thatonce you start something, stick to it.

Rose retired from hospital nursing atthe age of sixty-two, but felt that shecould still heap others, so she startedanother career this time working asan aide in the Native American SeniorsAdvocate Program. She visits theelders of the Indian community who arein hospitals or nursing homes to see if

there is any way that she can helpthem. The elders are often better ab'eto explain their needs to her and shecan interpret Indian customs to hospitalstaff so they can better 'inderstand andtreat patients.

"'Respect to the Elders' thatphrase is drummed into Indianchildren's ears at all times, in allplaces. Wat.dt sometimes at a feastof honor. The elders sit :ind talk andwatch, and the young children bring:hem their food... white in the hairreflects age and experience, whichhelp make elders sure in theirdecisions. Peaceful eyes, calm andstrong. watching youth, livingunspoken approval of a song wellsung, a dance that has shomn graceand beauty."

Rose was one of the original foundersci the Upper Midwest American IndianCenter located in Minneapolis. Shecontinues to participate in communityactivities.

ROSE WHIPPLE BLUESTONE

nl

82

BEST COPY AVAILABLE88

Health Recruiter

As a Health Careers RecruitmentOfficer, Kathleen Annette promotescareers in the health profession bypresenting information to studentsvarious health careers. She visitsschools and agencies, using film andprint materials on schools offeringtraining and health careers. She alsoprovides information regardingfinancial aids such as scholarships,fellowships, and loan packages.

Iit

..-takirk,',A11111

Ambulance Crew

Ardette Warren is director of anambulance service on the White EarthReservation in Minnesota. This serviceis important to many Indian communi-ties located many miles distant from thenearest hospital or clinic and whenindividuals must be transported somedistance in emergency situations.

As director of the ambulance service,Ardette is respoLsible for schedulingthe Emergency Medical Technicians forstaffing three ambulances and makingcertain that there are always trainedpersona available. Ardette also checkson reports in regard to ambulance runs,which detail their destination, the typeof call made, and the result.

Ardette is a Certified EmergencyCare Instructor. As such, she provides

Kathy may bring in various healthprofessionals as well to discuss theirduties in greater detail.

"I feel fortunate to be able to talkto students and encourage themto enter the health professions."

If Kathy talks enthusiastically aboutthe duties of an M.D. Doctor ofMedicine, this might be because sheherself has almost completed medicalschool at the University of Minnesota.She earned a bachelor of arts degree inChemistry at the University of Minne-sota-Duluth, where she was lateradmitted to Medical School.

Kathy was born on the White EarthReservation and later attended highschool on the Red Lake Reservation. Assoon as she completes her study andher internship, she plans to enterfamily practice on one of ene Chippewareservations of northern Minnesota.

KATHLEEN ANNETTE

extensive training to her staff and othercommunity health personnel. Sheteaches eighty-one tours of EmergencyMedical Technicians instruction, fortyhours of refresher courses, classes incardiopulmonary resuscitation as v.311as monthly in-nervicc training for thetwenty-two technicians on her staff.

Ardette says she has worked its milerfields bat always returns to healthservices. She maintains contacts withother professionals in her field and iscurrently a board member of the OtterTail' cleck-,..r L'eunty Red Cross. Ardettealso served as past presider.t of RegionXI, Minnesota State Emergency Medi-cal Technicians.

83

89 WI Wet AVAILABLLAMIIIMMIIMON-ANIMfilM1111.

Chemical Dependency Counselor

Sharon Day-Garcia is a CertifiedChemical Dependency Counselor at anIndian halfway house in St. Paul,Minnesota. A halfway house is aresidence for chemical dependentpersons who have been throughprimary treatment but who are stillrecovering Emma the effects of drug oralcohol abuse.

Sharon counsels residents who wantto change their lifetime patterns tobecome free of chemical influence.Sharon counsels on a one-to-one basisas well as in group sessions to stimulatediscussion. Residents help one anotherin understanding their dependency anddrugs and sharing what helped themand their families to create change intheir lives.

"Things are not going to changeunless we make them change."

Sharon herself was a dependent enalc6hol for a time in her life and washelped by counseling offered in hercommunity. She uses her experience tohelp others rebuild their lives and thatof thee families

As part of her counseling duties,Sharon may counsel residents in regardto job hunting, housing, e.rdi workingwith their families. Sharon also workswith the resident and the court systemwhen proceedings are pending inregard to drug or alcohol relatedoffenses.

Si

REST COPY AVAIME

Out-patient or non-resident servicesare offered at the halfway house.Sharon also counsel, those who live athome and request counseling.

Sharon is active in the community,concerned about women's issues aswell as issues affecting Indians. Shehas taken part in many workshops andat one time edited n paper devoted toIndian women. She was selected as aMinnesota delegate to the IntermitionalWomen's Year Convention held inHouston, Texas, in 1979. Policiesdeveloped at the convention will affectwomen for the next decade.

SHARON DAY-GARCIA

90

BibliographyHEALTH

Aim for a Job in the Allied Health Field - Fenton Keyes, RosenPress, 1974.

Careers in the Health Field - Essie Lee, Messner, 1974.

Careers in Mental Health- U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare,Public Health Service, 1975.

Guide to Health Professions - A. Weiss, Laura Burstein, and Ann BennettSpence, Harvard University Press, 1973.

Licensed Practical Nursing as a Career - Wilfred E. Belleau, ParkPublishing, 1974.

Looking Forward to a Career: Medicine - Betty Kane, Dillon Press, 1975.

Nursing as Your Way of Life - American Nurses Association, 1974.

Opportunities in Nursing - Keville Frederickson, Vocational guidance, 1977.

Opportunities in Psychiatry - Fenton Keyes, Rosen Pres:, 1974.

Psychology and the New Woman - Mary McHugh, Watts Press, 1976.

What is a Nurse-Midwife? -American College Nurse/Midwives, 1976.

Your Future in a Mental Health Career - Fenton Keyes, Rosen Press,1976.

Your Future in Nursing Careers - Alice Robinson and Mary Reyes, ArcoPress, 1974.

Your Future in Pharmacy - James E. Kraemer, Rosen Press, 1974.

85

91

Sources of Additional Information

The Association of American Medical Colleges1 Dupont Circle, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20C36

American Medical Women's Association, Inc.1740 BroadwayNew York, New York 10019

American Scholarship Association225 Park Avenue SouthNew York, New York 10003

National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses, Inc.250 West 57th StreetNew York, New York 10019

American Dental Association211 East Chicago AvenueChicago, Illinois 60611

U.S. Public Health ServicePublic Inquiries BranchOffice of InformationWashington, D.C. 20025

86 92

Social ServicesHuman Services -- or Social Servicen - is a vocational category in which

provision is made for the basic needs of persons -- "from the cradle to the grave"-- unable to cope for themzelves, either for short-term periods or on an extendedbasis.

Human Services agencies serve people nationwide. Programs are ad-ministered at various levels of government as well as by private agencies. Manyof the needed services increasingly are provided by Indian professionals inprograms conducted by their tribes or in auxiliary situarions as operated bychurches or private foundations.

Indian Social Workers work with professionals in county and state systems.Counties and states generally regulate their work. However, regulatory powersin the area of Human Services are being sought more and more by the tribesthemselves under elected Indian leadership.

Human Services planning professionals work with information availablethrough demographic channels such as the U.S. Census. This helps determineneeds based on unemployment figures, average wages, job force numbers, andlevels of educatio and training.

Human Services is a field in which them are various professional andsemi-professional jobs to assist dependent persons.

Indian ProgramsCultural differences between American Indian and non-Indian societies can

create obstacles for Indian people. Practices of the prevailing society aresometimes miscnderstood by Indians and vice versa. In obtaining their ownHuman Services programs, incrians have had to show that these would provide amore effective delivery system. As a result, recognized Indian agencies today areworking for more Indian people, often in cooperation with -ounties or with othersocial service organizations.

In an attempt to improve the quality of treatment for Indian people, programsha' ? been developed which reflect traditional Indian values. These have beenreinforced by input from the Indian community itself. Foster care programsrecruit Indian foster parents. Chemical dependency treatment programs havebeen developed for Indians and are staffed by Indians. Indian adoptive homesare continually being sought for permanent Indian child plat.ment. Reachingsolutions for various problems of Indians also include consultation with eldersand with traditional healers.

87

93

Workers in the Human Services dystem find many job categories. Some ofthem are:

Poste.. Care - In addition to placing children in foster homes, Foster Careworkers are here involved in the licensing of foster homes, determining howprospective foster parents are regarded in the community. how these parentshave raised their own children, and what their overall attitudes are towardchildren. The Social Worker closely weighs the needs of the foster child in thecontext of its past experience, toward trying to correct a family situation so thatthe child eventually can be returned to its biological parents. Foster homes aresimply intermediate places in which children are cared for.

Adoption - This occurs when a child is in need of a long term, permanentfamily, when it is decided that the child's biological parents are unable toproperly care for him or her. Social Workers and Adoption Placement Workersare essential to adoption programs.

Chemical Dependency Progra as - These are conducted for the benefit of bothyouth and adults. Counselors work with the individual as well as with families inattempting to help the chemically dependent person. Women professionsls inthis field are fewer than men simply because the number of chemi2allydependent women is lower -- 5% to 10% of the chemically dependent poptilat:.;...Chemical Dependency workers themselves usually are recovering alcoholics.

Elderly Programs - Elderly Nutrition Projects are among the activitiessponsored for seniors. The philosophy of such programs is not based solely onproviding nutritious meals, but also by affording an opportunity for older peopleto get out, to have something to look forward to on a regular basis. There are anumber of jobs for women with the elderly in this category -- nutritionists, cooks,waitresses, bus drivers, and meal delivery people. The Senior CominunityService Employment Program funds jobs for older women in administrative,clerical, and personal service work. Social workers, counselors, and programadministrators work extensively in projects for the elderly, most of which areunder governmental auspices.

. 2-operated social service programs are not the only answer to socialneed . Sometimes successful treatment of Indian clients can be accomplished in.ion-Indian agencies and treatment centers. In those agencies, it is beneficial tohave an Indian person on staff to help both Indian and non-Indian clients andstaff members relate to each other. Qualified Indian people are needed in allagencies, not just those which are Indian controlled.

Those conside. ,g 'J.- ::uman Services career may contact Indian educationadvisors, who can help them :7.1 fulfilling certain pre-requisites necessary toentering post-secondary schools of social development.

88

94

Resource Specialist

Delia Moreland is a CommunityHealth Representative for the Fond duLac Reservation, one of the memberreservations of The MinnesotaChippewa Tribe. She serves as a liaisonbetween community residents andhealth resources to keep the agenciesadvised lf the health needs of thecommunity and to make sure thatresidents know what health resourcesare available to them. Part of her dutiesinclude special community projects andgroup sessions on subjects such asdiabetes and high blood pressure.

Delia visits homes on the reservation,providing follow-up on medical referral,doing some counseling especially tomothers of newborns, and visiting theelderly and handicapped. She alsovisits residents in nursing homestoward satisfying any health servicesneed they might have.

Screening for health problems andclinical participation gives Delia evenmo-e opportunity to promote healthservices to the reservation residents.

PFILIA MORELAND

She helps patients get to differentclinics and hospitals by providingtransportation for those who need it.

As a Community Health Representa-tive, Delia has completed a trainingprogram specifically designed for thisjob category and offered in Oklahoma.Emergency procedures such asCoronary Resuscitation Process(C.P.R.) training and how to check vitalsigns, such as temperature, bloodpressure, and pulse readings are taughtin the program.

"I really feel fulfilled becauseI know I am helping our Indianpeople."

Delia is the mother of eight grownchildren. Each child followed theirmother \ their determination to get aneducaLon. Delia is a graduate ofHaskell Institute, Class of 1939. Shealso attended night school, seminars,and workshops toward attaining hergoals.

95

89

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Soc:Al Worker

Rosalie Clark is a social worker whoteaches in the Social Work Departmentof Augsburg College in Minneapolis,Minnesota. The college also recentlyappointed Rosalie as chairperson of theProfessional Studies Division. Sheteaches concepts of social work prac-tices, counseling groups and coordi-nating community services.

As the only minority instructor in herdepartment, Rosalie tries to presentsocial work from different ethnic view-points. She may bring in Black, Asian,or Hispanic social workers or resourcepeople to show cultural differences tostudents and discuss how these affectthe types of services needed.

Rosalie has had a varied career. Sheworked in the Minneapolis PublicSchool System as a school social workerin a high school with a high Indianstudent enrollment. This job entailedvisiting homes to talk to the family if astudent were having problems. Shefrequently acted as a liaison betweenstudents, family, and school staff, andreferred students or families to otheragencies when more help was needed.

Prior to that, Rosalie worked as awoman's counselor in an Indianhealth clinic. She worked at Ah-Be-No-Gee Center, which was maintained forfamilies in an attempt to prevent childabuse and neglect. The center, whosename means "young child" in Chip-pewa, was located in a housing project,pre''- minantly Indian, and focused onthe family unit. Counseling serviceswere provided when needed and peoplewere taught how to identify cases ofchild abuse or neglect and encouragedto report them so that child and abusermight be helped.

Rosalie was born on the Red LakeReservation, and was raised in the TwinCities area. She has a masters degree inSocial Work and :s active on commit-tees related to social work and Indianissues.

ROSALIE CLARK

90

0

BEST COPY AVAILABLE,96

Welfare Advocate

Amelia "Amy" Flocken is a memberof The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe fromthe White Earth Reservation. Amylived her early years on the reservationbut mored to Minneapolis when shewas in high school. Her family, whichconsists of ten children and eightgrandchildren, was raised in the TwinCities.

Amy completed a cosmetology courseat vocational school and bectne alicensed beautician and eventuallly themanager-operator of a beauty shop.However, like many other Indianpeople, she felt a need to work with andfor the Indian community.

Amy began working for the Uppe-Midwest American Indian Center inMinneapolis. Her first position was thatof education and welfare research aideand then she became manager of abranch office of the Center. Part ofAmy's duties included researching thedelivery of welfare services to Indianpeople and, after completing herresearch, she convinced the IndianCenter and the Indian community of theneed for an Indian advocate officewithin the county welfare agency. Sheorganized meetings so the Indiancommunity and welfare agency officialscould discuss the recommendation;both sides agreed, and Amy Flockenwas hired as the first Indian advocate.AMELIA "AMY" FLOCKEN

Amy began waking on her edu-cation. She has completed all therequired subjects for her Associate ofArts Degree through the College forWorking Adults at the University ofMinnesota. She transferred to theUniversity Without Walls, a degreeprogram at the University of Minnesotawhich gives credit to students who areworking or studying independently.Amy attends evening classes, as well asattending on week-ends and earlymornings. She also earns credits atten-ding workshops and seminars in thefield of Social Work.

As an Indian advocate, Amy counselsIndian clients who come to the welfareagency for assistance and refers themto the offices which can provide thespecific aid that a client needs. Amymay also appear in court on behalf of aclient, and assists the court, the welfare.;envy, and the client in arriving at thebest possible solution to the problem athand.

A manual which Amy developed *,sdistributed to housing, health, lawenforcement and other agencies toacquaint their personnel with Indianresources available in their areas. Amyalso conducts a workshop for the countyweltar... agency entitled. "ExpandingYour Knowledge of the Indian Com-munity:"

91

97BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Patient Advocate

Annette Oshie, a White EarthChippewa, is the Patient Advocate forHennepin County Family PracticeClinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Annette's office is located in thecounty general hospital where sheprovides many services for Indians inthe hospital and for those who are out-patients, who stay at home but who justcome to the clinic for treatment.

For Indian patients who may notunderstand the treatment the medicalteam is providing Tmette helps thestaff explain to them. She may helpexplain treatment at home after thepatient is discharged from the hospitalSome may need special treatment andAnnette helps locate other types ofclinics or centers and assists inreferrals. Locating nursing homes andspecial medical equipment such aswheelchairs or braces can be a hardshipto the family of a patient so Annettehelps provide those services, toc, to thepatient and her family.

Annette is there in emergencies,when a family must be close to thepatient. She may need to locate housingor find emergency assistance for thefamily and will counsel them in theirtime of need.

92

BEST COPY AVAILAZIE

Understanding between the Indianpatient and the medical team must bestrengthened, she believes. Annettealso provides in-service educationabout Indians and their culture andtraditions. Traditional Indian doctorshave been called in for healing at thehospital and Annette helps the medicalteam understand this process used in ahealing ceremony and with traditionalmedicines.

Traditional Chippewa ways a: efamiliar to Annette. Part of her successhas been her firm belief that knowledgeis power. She is in her third year ofcollege and working for a teachingcertificate. Her belief in educationextends to the Indian community. Shesees the need for community educationto strengthen the Indian spirituality andIndian ways to survive as a people.

"Indian women can work and growbut must keep Indian values inmind."

Education and youth service havealways been part of Annette's life. Shehas worked in the community on almostevery committee or council associatedwith Indian youth and education. Shecoaches Indian girls basketball, broom-ball, and softball teams. Annette findsit hard sometimes to be a single parentholding full time job, being a collegestudent, a foster parent, and coach. butwhen someone in the community needshelp, Annette is there.

ANNETTE OSHIE

9

Urban Ministry

One of the goals of Mary Ann Walt isto see better relations develop betweenChristian congregations and Indiancommunities. Currently, Mary Ann isNorthern Coordinator of Indian Workfor the Minnesota Council of Churchesand the American I i,biran Church.Her responsibilties L helpingIndian families in crist. locatingchurch grouts that have i ,,r1, clothing,or money to donate. Often Indianfamilies cannot afford the funeralexpense or moving a member of tncfamily from an urban area to thereservation for burial, so Mary Anntries to find money to help pay suchexp( ses.

MARY ANN WALT

........

Mary Ann visits church groups toexplain the Indian way of life, what typeof assistance Indian families mightneed, and how to contact Indianorganizations and agencies. Manytimes church groups are willing to helpbut they are unaware of wl,:ch agencyor office should be approached inworking with the Indian community.

"It is important to build cralitionsfor concerns of women who abusealcohol and for women who arevictims of abuse."

In addition to her church job, MaryAn is the chairperson of the Minne-sota Task Force for Battered Women.Ths. task force researches violentbehav: -3- in the home and alcohol anddrug abuse which seems to be anincreasing problem among women, shefinds. Mary Ann is also chairperson ofthe American Indian Women of Minne-sota, an organization concerned withissues affecting women and with thespecial problems that Indian womenface in the home, the community, thejob market, and the education system.

99 93

MT COPY AVAILABLE

Group Home Director

Theresa Johnston, who retired in1978, is a well-known and respectedIndian woman on the Leech LakeReservation in Minnesota.

For the past four years, Theresa wasthe director of a boys' youth lodgelocated on the reservation. She was alsoa mother, grandmother, disciplinarian,counselor, and always a friend to theboys, many of whom placed there bythe courts.

In her work, Theresa was responsiblefor financial and program managementand supervised other staff who workedwith the boys. She established goodworking relationships with local, state,and federal agencies, which sometimesmeant appearing before legislativecommittees to present testimony aboutthe needs of Indian youth andappearing in court on behalf of youthlodge residents. Theresa also counseledthe boys and conducted group meetingsto discuss holm.) activities and n&a,and met individually with residents whowere experiencing problems. Theresas tys she was strict but fair with theb. ys.

Her previous place of employmentwas a group home for Indian andnon-Indian boys and girls locatedoff-reservation. She worked there from1970 to 1974 as a Child Care Worker.

94

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Theresa's experience in the healthfield included training as a nurse's aideat the Public Health Indian Hospital inCass Lake and as a practical nurse atAh-Gwan-Ching State Hospital nearWalker, Minnesota. Ah-Gwah-Ching,which means "outside" in Ojibwe, wasa tuberculosis sanitorium and later ahome for the elderly and disabled.Because of her background in health,Theresa was selected to teach First Aidclasses on the Leech Lake Reservationin OK we. The Amsrican Red Crossalso employed her to instruct nurses onhow to provide good home nursing careto Indian patients.

Theresa is concerned about thefuture Indian children and is activelyinvolvea in the community, especiallyin matters affecting the education ofIndian children. She wants to seequality education and care for Indianstudents.

THERESA JOHNSTON

100

Housewife

Winnie Jourdain is one of the elderswho has spent her life working hard forIndian people. She never attendedcollege herself but she helped manyyoung Indian students to attend andwas the founder of several services toassist Indian students. Winnie keptstudents in her own home andpersuaded other families to providehousing for students, too, studentswho would otherwise would have beenunable to afford higher education.

Winne also made it a point to visitwith students to make sure they werecomfortable and to encourage them.Winnie sewed, beaded, and cooked toraise money to help :young people stay

Senior Advocate

On October 4, 1899, JosephineMadison was born. Her father was oneof the last hereditary chiefs to serve thepeople of the White Earth Reservation.He named his daughter Mashquo-ogagow-eqay, which means "StrongTall Stunding Woman.' JosephineMadison Goodwin fully lived up to thisname throughout her life.

In 1943, when she moved to Min-neapolis, Josephine and her husbandworked with others to form the Ameri-can Indian Evangelical Church. Therewas no way to separate her church workfrom any other aspect of her life; shewas always helpful to others and livedas a traditional tribal elder.

There never was a problem too bigfor Josephine Goodwin to handle, or sosmall that it was overlooked. She wasinstrumental in starting many pro -grains that provided help to seniorcitizens. Among these were the NativeAmerican Senior Advocacy Program,the Senior Companion Program, andCongregate Dining Services. She alsomade sure that some of the congregatedining sites were located in Indiancommunities.

in college. With the Broken ArrowSewing Guild, she also helped organizebazaars, picni :a, pow-wows, and pot-lucks to earn money to buy books andsupplies for needy students.

VI inde is fluent in the Ojibwelanguage and knows a lot about theculture. With that background, sheworked in the Indian Studies Depart-ment at the University of Minnesota,compiling and developing the first textthe university used for Ojibwe languagecourses.

Winnie's career? Mather, wife,teacher, grandmother, auntie, andfriend.

For many years Josephine served onthe Mayor's Advisory Committee, onthe Indian Health Board, as well asholding many other committee posts. In1979, Mayor Charles Stenvig honoredJosephine by giving her the title"Sweetest Day Queen." The procla-mation was made on behalf of localbusinesses and social service agenciesin Minneapolis.

For the past ten years, Josephinefocused most of her time and attentionon the establishment of an all-Indiannursing home for elders in the Min-reapolis Indian community. Aftercollecting data and talking to manypeople, she was convinced there was aneed for such a home. Josephine keptmoving forward until it looked as if thehome might be a reality...

Now this wonderful woman hasdeparted from the earth. She will beremembered as Strong Tall StandingWoman.

95

BibliographySOCIAL SERVICES

Guidance Counselor - Chronical Guidance, 1977

Look Into Social Work Jobs in Health Care Settings - American HospitalAssociation, 1974.

New Ca'eers for Social Workers - Adrianne Richmond, Regnery, 1974.

Your Future in Social Work - Fenton Keyes, Rosen Press, 1975.

Sources of Additional Information

National Associadon of Social Workers2 Park AvenueNew York, New York 10016

96 102

Teacher's GuideCareer Concise Guides - Franklin Watts, Inc., 730 Fifth Avenue, New York, NewYork 10019

Career Development Opportunities for Native Americans - The Bureau of IndianAffairs, U.S. Departruent of Interior.

The College Handbook - Douglas D. Dilleback and Sue Wetzel, CollegeEntrance Examination Board, Publications Order Office, Box 592, Princeton,New Jersey.

Encylcopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance - William E. Hapke,J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company, Chicago, lllinois.

Messne- Career Books - Jt:lia Messner, Simon and Schuster, Inc.,1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020.

Minnesota Career Information System, 670 American Center Building,150 East Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101.

Occupc7ional Outlook Handbook - U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, 300Wacker Drive, Eighth Fluor, Chicago, Illinois 60606

The Very Important People Series - Children Press, 1224 West Van BurenStreet, Chicago, Illinois

1113 97

Publisher's GuideAmerican Hospital Association840 North Lake Shor., DriveChicago, Illinois 60611

American Anthropological Association1103 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.Washington. D.C. 20009

American College of Nurse /Midwives1000 Vernon Avenue N.W.Washington, D.C. 20005

American Nurses Association2420 Pershing RoadKansas City, Missouri 64108

Arco Publishing Company219 Park Avenue SouthNew York, New York 10003

Bureau of Indian AffairsU.S. Department of the InteriorIndian Education Resource Center123 Fourth Street, S.W.P.O. Box 1788Albuquerque, New Me: ; co 87103

College of Student Personnel AssociationGerald L. SaddlemireBowling Green State UniversityBowling Green, Ohio 43403

Chronicle Guidance Publications, Inc.Moravia, New York 13118

Harvard University Press79 Garden StreetCambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Institute for Research610 South Federal Street - 7th FloorChicago, Illinois 60605

Lerner Publications241 First Avenue NorthMinneapolis, Minnesota b5401

MademoiselleBox 3389Grand Central StationNew York, New York 10017

98

104

Julian MessnerSimon and Schuster Building1230 Avenue of the AmericasNew York, New York 10020

National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials2600 Virginia Avenue, N.W - Suite 404Washington, D.C. 20037

National Association of Business Economists28349 Chagrin BoulevardCleveland, Ohio 44122

New York Life Insurance Company51 Madison AvenueNew Yo-k, New York 10010

Park Publishing House516 Viewbridge DriveAngwin, California 94508

Regnery, Henry Company180 North Michigan Avenu3Chicago, Illinois 60601

Rosen, Richard Press, Inc.29 East 21st StreetNew York, New York 10010

Science Research Ass"iates259 East Erie StreetChicago, Illinois 60611

University of Washington PressUniversity of WashingtonSeattle, Washington 98105

U.S Environmental Protection AgencyAttn: Personnel Management DivisionWashington, D.C. 204060

Vocational Guidance MaterialsNational Textbook Company8252 Niles Center RoadSkokie, Illinois 60076

Watts, Franklin, Inc.Department G.P.730 Fifth AvenueNew York, New York 10019

I. 0 5 99

The Minnesota Chippewa TribeThe Minnesota Chippewa Tribe consists of six separate member reservations.

They are Bois Forte [Nett Lake], Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, MilleLacs, and White Earth.

The constitution and by-laws of The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe were validatedon June 20, 1938, and later amended on March 3, 1964. The prcsentdaystructure of the tribe is a representative democracy. In this leaders are elected byeligible tribal members in regular tribal elections held on the reservations.

The six member reservations hold their own elections and thereby select theirgoverning bodies. But all elections must follow guidelines established by TheMinnesota Chippewa Tribe. The governing body of each reservation, known asthe Reservation Business Committee, consists of a Chairman, c Secretary-Trea-surer, and three committee members who are elected by the eligible voters oftheir particular reservation districts or of the reservation at-large. The Chairmanand Secretary-Treaeurer of each of the reservations form the governing body ofthe Tribe, which is known as the Tribal Executive Committee.

Members of the Tribal Executive Committee in turn elect their officers. Theyare a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. They officiallyrepresent the tribe, conduct meetings, and maintain records and legally bind thetribe by signing documents.

106

BEST COPY AVAILABLE