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Native American Entrepreneur, Social Activist, and Plant Medicine Advocate: Meet Nicole Wabaunsee
Join us as we celebrate the resilience, creativity, and enduring spirit of Native American and Alaska Native peoples. Together, let's work towards a future where Indigenous voices are heard, honored, and amplified.
Nicole Wabaunsee (Walks-at-Dawn), MA, MS, is a Native American activist, social entrepreneur, clinical therapist, and plant medicine ambassador. She began her career in 2004 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) working in Tecom’s newly opened Knowledge Village, facilitating partnerships with higher education institutions and Western universities, and supporting educational growth in the UAE and the greater Middle East. During her 12 years in the UAE, Nicole spearheaded the creation of European University College Brussels (EHSAL- Dubai Branch), Michigan State University- Dubai Branch (the first American State University in Dubai), and Dual Investments, a 30M+ Emirati-owned investment company, dedicated to Retail, Fashion and F&B expansion in the Dubai economy. Following this, Nicole returned to her Native, Indigenous lands of the USA, filled with a great passion to grow her Native American economy as she witnessed the success of the Emirati people’s rapid economic growth. Through her company, Total Tribal, she began connecting Indigenous groups and Tribal Nations to FDI and foreign market entry opportunities.
Nicole currently owns and operates YOPUN TEA, a Native American tea company with a mission to honor Mother Earth and our plant brothers and sisters, while revitalizing ancient cultural practices of her People.
Nicole is an enrolled Prairie Band Potawatomi citizen (Kansas, USA), descended from a clan of tribal leaders. She is most passionate about Tribal economic development and International trade, Indigenous product development, and Indigenous food sovereignty.
What is your personal/professional story?
I am currently a Native American activist and serial entrepreneur but my journey has been meandering and surprisingly global. I went to school on a volleyball scholarship and originally became a clinical psychologist and college coach. Over time I realized that addressing psychological trauma alone didn’t work to solve my tribe’s need for economic sovereignty. I decided to go back to graduate school and study economic development which eventually led me to an opportunity to develop new and innovative trade zones in the UAE. While abroad I became fascinated with how smaller tribal environments in the Middle East were rapidly developing and I ended up staying for over a decade. While in UAE, I worked to establish the first ever higher education free trade zone and then later drove Business development for DUAL Investments, an Emirati investment fund focused on retail, tech, and F&B expansion.
I decided to return to the US to attend the Standing Rock protests and to find innovative ways to apply my expertise to tribal environments. I started by operating a social enterprise in Washington State, called Total Tribal, which is dedicated to bettering indigenous communities through FDI opportunities, supply chain engagement, indigenous trade, and product development. I am also passionate about developing healthy products for Indian Country, which led to the creation of another company, called Yopun Tea. This effort promotes revitalization and reconnection to a beloved Native American herb, Yaupon Holly, while simultaneously uplifting lost Indigenous history through Yopun’s powerful messaging. I am also involved in efforts to help tribal communities better utilize their fishing rights and build value-added products that give back to their communities.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
My struggles with autoimmune issues and long covid (and that of my tribe and family), led me to immerse myself in plant medicine and has expanded my idea of holistic health within a tribal setting. I am now a passionate advocate for health and wellness in Indian Country, which entails food sovereignty and comprehensive approaches to tribal health that also address trauma.
Where does your passion to serve come from?
My passion for serving comes from my family and my tribe. I am an enrolled Prairie Band Potawatomi citizen, descended from a clan of tribal leaders and Chiefs on my Grandfathers’ side, and powerful leaders, matriarchs, and medicine women on my Grandmothers’ side. They helped me develop my passion for Tribal economic development, indigenous manufacturing, and food sovereignty.
How can GlobalMindED help or contribute to you reaching your goals?
Real inclusion and access take a global tribe of values-aligned advocates and that is how I see GlobalMinded. I would like to continue to connect with this amazing network and hopefully enlist some willing partners in my mission to develop and decolonize Native American areas - including efforts to bring sustainable manufacturing and impact investment to tribal communities.
For more information or inquiries, Nicole can be reached at Nicole@totaltribal.com or contact@yopuntea.com.
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