Native Lives Matter is a grassroots group that advocates for awareness and justice for missing or murdered Indigenous women and for Native lives taken by police violence. "Native Americans are killed in police encounters at a higher rate than any other racial or ethnic group, and these deaths rarely receive media attention," according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lance Powless was at the First Annual Indigenous Women March in April, and a few weeks later he was contacted by Rene Goodrich, a Bad River Tribal Elder and member of the Native Lives Matter Coalition. "She was a nice lady who showed an interest in the cause. She talked about how many Indigenous women are murdered. It's like an epidemic. As a people, we need to use our community ties to make everyone aware of these injustices. Then, she asked if I wanted to start up a local chapter."

The group is in its beginning stages, so Lance is organizing and reaching out to the community for input.

	Youth marching at the First Annual Walk for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women on May 5th. Photo courtesy of Rene Goodrich.

"During the feast and talking with community members, several commented about wanting to start a Bad River Red Shawl and a Native Lives Matter group to help support their local efforts to end violence, bring awareness, and address issues impacting Native lives and Native lands. I am excited about the interest and support and would welcome coming back to help in any way to start local groups."

Lance has been participating in Native Lives Matter activities since 2014 in the Twin Cities Chapter, that was founded in 2014 by Rene Goodrich.

Lance has many ideas that he is working on in the planning stage of the Bad River chapter. "I want to make sure everyone knows who we are, and that we are going to be at events. I have contacted Tribal Members as part of a team to get some fundraisers going. We're going to get together on a regular basis. I want to start by reaching our youth because we have no future without our kids. I am willing to donate my time. I am one person, but if everyone had the same idea and could donate some time, it would make a huge difference."

	Lance Powless, Nathan Powless and Kateri DeFord

He would like to start mentorship classes for children whose parents are incarcerated in jail or prison. "I want to break the cycle. If we can help one or two kids, it would all be worth it. There has been alcoholism and drugs present in my lifetime among people I know," he said.

Native Lives Matter will be participating in the July 4th parade. "You will see us at powwows too. We will be getting a Facebook page going to update everyone about what is coming up. I want to make sure everyone is aware we are going to be there. Basically, it breaks down to doing whatever we can help better the community and alleviate violence against women. I am willing to do whatever it takes."

Lance would like to give special thanks to his partner, Kateri DeFord, who is always by his side.

If you would like to help, Lance may be reached at 262-648-1216. You may email Rene or call 715-319-1503.

	Kiara St. Clair, Tiffany Crockett, Joseph Martin, III, and Kristi Broeniman

The school year just ended and plenty of activities will be available for members of the Mashkisibi Boys and Girls Club over the summer months. Kristi Broeniman, Executive Director, shared information on the summer hours and upcoming activities.

"The Mashkisibi Boys and Girls Club is available to every child. We do physical activities every day, and we also have the Take a Hike program once a week each Thursday. The program is overseen by Joy Schelble, who talks with the kids about nutrition, education, and picking wild edibles that are found along local hiking trails. They get a chance to hike and swim, and we will be taking a trip to Bayfield where kids will take the ferry to Madeline Island for the day."

Summer hours are Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Transportation is provided for members. "Summer school buses drop the kids off and Transit picks them up. We have around 200 registered members, and we average 20 to 30 visits a day," Kristi said. "We want to make everyone aware that there is transportation available."

The Mashkibisi Boys and Girls Club of Bad River was established in 2003. Kristi came on board in 2004, having spent the previous 10 years as the Youth Development Coordinator. Kristi has worked with youth since the beginning of her career. "I started out as a Fitness and Nutrition Program Coordinator, where I worked for 15 years," she shared "Before that I was a substitute teacher in the Ashland, Mellen, Butternut, and Bayfield school districts."

	2018 Trip

"At the end of the summer, from August 18th through the 23rd, we are planning to take a group of six kids to Washington, DC. The kids chosen for the trip must be a Boys and Girls Club member. We ask that they actively participate in our activities. We also request they write a two page essay about why they want to go on this trip and how it will benefit them. Last year we went on a trip with members of the Boys and Girls Clubs from Lac Court Oreilles, Red Cliff and Menominee, and did a presentation at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier."

The deadline to apply is July 19th. View more information here.

The Mashkisibi staff is comprised of professionally trained youth development worker and youth program workers. It is meant to provide a safe place where members can go for positive interactions with others, support from the staff, and encouragement to achieve their full potential. Nationally, there is an 85 percent graduation rate for high school students who participate in Boys and Girls Clubs according to statistics published in 2017.

For more information, call 715-685-9489. Information about membership is available on the website and Facebook page.

The 2019  Native American Tourism of Wisconsin (NATOW)  Conference was held at the Bad River Lodge & Casino last week.
On Tuesday, Mike Wiggins, Jr., Chairman of the Bad River Tribe, welcomed everyone to the community. Apache Danforth, NATOW Director, explained the importance of the conference, and thanked all of their partners. She also shared that the Tribes are moving away from just being Tribes with casinos to Tribes with places to see, places to go and things to do.

Photo Courtesy of NATOW

Mandela Barnes, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, was a guest speaker and spoke of the unique opportunity and relationship that Tribes have with the state. He stated that each Tribe offers something unique, and that it is important for the Tribes to be at the table.

When asked what he would do if he had a bigger budget, Lt. Governor Barnes replied that he would focus more on environmental tourism. Activities such as fishing, hiking, preventing and removing invasive species, improving bike and walking trails, funding mass transportation and offering more transit options were among his priorities.

"Native American tourism gives a chance to experience Native American cultures," Lt. Governor Barnes said. "There is a world of opportunity in tourism. We want to promote all parts of Wisconsin, and promote it together."

He then presented Tribal leadership with a plaque recognizing the efforts and importance of NATOW and Native tourism.

Photo Courtesy of NATOW

Sara Meaney, Secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, spoke to the group, and  Ernie Stevens, Jr., Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, presented information on how Indian gaming has affected the gaming business across the country. He noted that Indian gaming has been in the top percentage in gaming across America, surpassing Las Vegas, and that Indian Country is the 12th largest employer in the country. He stated that the Tribes are experts in the industry, and shared that the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) was created to teach, assist and protect Tribes involved in gaming. He also noted that there are over 300,000 jobs in Indian gaming, which could be doubled when jobs involving in tourism are added, and that more than $1.2 billion has been donated to charitable organizations.

An Economic Development panel featured Jeff Bowman, Fern Orie, Diane House and Rob Pero. Brian Allen of the Native Freedom Trust and members of the Red Cliff Tribal Tourism Team also gave presentations.  A traditional dinner was hosted by the Bad River Lodge & Casino, and the conference concluded with a tour of the Bad River Community and Madeline Island.

More information on the conference and the important work that NATOW does may be viewed at the NATOW website.

Click here or on the image to email Lucy Koivisto.

According to Chairman Mike Wiggins, Jr., this response is a complex, grass-roots community effort. "When the draft is released, we will be asking for feedback from the community. It is very important that we hear from as many people as possible about how to combat this problem because it affects everyone."

"In the TAP, people will see the initiatives being developed to help our folks. One big project is the development of a sober living house on property the Tribe recently reacquired, known as the Nye house, a five-bedroom home. We plan to renovate the house to serve some of our women, and will eventually expand it to include men," Chairman Mike Wiggins said.

"One statistic I remember hearing is that in the Ashland Drug Court, 90% of Drug Court participants were from Bad River. Of those, 70% were homeless because of their addictions. That's a call to action to our Drug Task Force. If our people are dealing with homelessness because of addiction, we need to find them a safe, sober living arrangement. Ultimately, we are hoping to have 24 beds available. We are searching for a sober living house manager, and  the position is now posted."

Chairman Wiggins described grant funding and other TAP projects, noting, "We received grant funds to do different activities that are listed in the TAP. We received state money to be used to launch an educational campaign, and purchase billboard space and communication materials about addiction. We received funds to promote and facilitate sweat lodges. We prioritized language and cultural revitalization, but it ties in with other things. We will be building a new Head Start building, and there will be an early immersion program for Ojibwe language attached. That's an example of building support systems to help people find their way back from addiction."

Please attend the Community Listening Session on June 25th, or the Health Fair on June 26th, and share your comments on the draft of the Tribal Action Plan. Miigwech!

We had a great first meeting and planned out the summer meetings. The first two items the youth would like to work on are a camping trip to Madeline Island and an outside dance for teens.

Summer meetings will be held at 5:00 pm at the Community Center. Meetings will be held on the following dates:

Please encourage youth ages 10 to 17 to be there June 19th for the permission slip for our first camping trip. 

Also, lacrosse will be played in the summer on Monday evenings from 4:00 to 6:30 pm at the Community Center field. Please come play: young or not-so-young, and no experience is needed. It's a healing game that is amazing to be a part of in our community.

Summer Youth workers will be receiving a call to verify their start dates. We have over 70 youth and need to move some to the second session. We have placement for our youth with maintenance, housing, food sovereignty, Moccasin Trail Center, Boys and Girls Club and will be having a weekly cookout on Fridays to fund raise for youth initiatives.

Miigwetch,

Lynn (Medweoshkakwe) Bigboy
Youth Services Director
715-682-7111, extension 1439

The Chippewa Fresh Start YouthBuild provides education, employment skills and career direction for at-risk young adults by involving them in the construction of a new house. When completed, the house is sold to an income-eligible family in the community. During the course of the program, the young adults gain valuable skills, perform community service, and prepare for post-secondary education and careers. The most important goals of the project are to build self-esteem and help young adults become self-sufficient.

The young adults who participate in the Chippewa Fresh Start YouthBuild program are ages 17 to 24 and may have a variety of barriers to self-sufficiency. A majority of program participants have dropped out of high school or are struggling to finish high school. As stated in the program name, they're looking for a fresh start.

How To Enroll
Start by completing and submitting this online application.

The Program
Participants work together for 28 hours each week (Monday thru Thursday) and over the course of one year, they will be involved in every phase of new home construction. In addition to this hands-on learning experience, part of each day is devoted to education. Participants will complete classes leading to a high school diploma, GED or HSED. Fresh Start also provides the resources and support needed to stay on the road to success including leadership development, substance abuse education, motivation, health and nutrition training, independent living skills, career planning and job search assistance.

The Outcome
These young adults, their families and the entire community benefit from the program. Upon successful completion of a 900 hour AmeriCorps term, each participant will receive a Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate from the Home Builders Institute (HBI), and an AmeriCorps educational award. The goal is for each young adult to be fully employed or enrolled in post-secondary education when they leave the program.

View the brochure. For more information, visit the website.

Click on an image to view a larger version

Healthy Living with Chronic Pain Workshop Series - thru July 16th Tuesdays from  12:30 to 3:00 pm at the Red Cliff Elderly Site. Transportation Available - Van leaves at 11:00 am	Language Table 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Head Start
Picnic in the Park Play Group Thursdays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Head Start

Traditional Pow Wow - August 23rd thru August 25th

Visit these sites for current employment opportunities:

Bad River Lodge and Casino

Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College

Job Center of Wisconsin

Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program (CEP)

2020 Census Jobs