By Dennis Worden chats with young Native Americans making a difference for the
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Chris James is the President & CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED). He returned to the show where we discussed current trends in business, leadership development in Indian Country, and the upcoming Northwest Enterprise Development Conference.
The event will take place in September 5-7 2017 at the Tulalip Casino. The NCAIED will also celebrate its 2017 class of the 40 Under 40 in Indian Country.
We talked several trends in business, living away from home, taking on new challenges, disconnecting from technology and identifying the priorities in work and personal lives.
A great conversation with one of Indian Country’s leaders in business!
Lance Morgan on the decline of federal Indian law:
“What we’re not teaching in law school is the other half of the system, where tribes are aggressively using their newly educated lawyers, their economic power, and their desire to do good to really change the equation.”
“Once you make the mental leap that the entire system is ridiculous...you don’t ever go back.”
Lance Morgan (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska) is President & CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc. He is also the managing partner of the law firm Frederick Peebles and Morgan. And if you know Lance, or have read his previous work, you know that he is always good for a big idea, or an idea that pushes boundaries, in Indian Country. Lance returned to the show to discuss one of those ideas: the Rise of Tribal Law and the Decline of Federal Indian Law and he recently published an article by the same name in the Arizona State University Law Journal.
Many NextGen Natives are practicers of, or generally interested in, federal Indian law. Lance’s article is great because it forces readers to ask themselves the question how can tribal law be on the rise and federal Indian law be on the decline? The basic point is that tribal law is an exercise of tribal sovereignty whereas federal Indian law is the enforcement of restrictions imposed upon tribes over the last few centuries. And the decline of federal Indian law may not be a bad thing necessarily, if tribes exercise and use tribal law. You should go read it (after you listen to our discussion, of course).
The article is great for a few reasons. First, it forces us to re-think the way we approach law and policy in our communities. Even people who are thinking about how to proactively make a difference often use federal Indian law as an anchoring point. And it’s a losing one for us. Lance captured it succinctly when he wrote “We need to stop playing their game because we cannot win it. If we have any hope of progress, we need to play a new game.” Second, although it is published in a law journal, it is deliberately written so that non-lawyers (such as myself) can read and understand it. People should share this with tribal council members, business people, and community members to think about what Lance is suggesting and how to approach it.
We could have focused the entire conversation on the article, but that would not have been nearly as much fun. And I think the conversation about the other topics packs as much, if not more, food-for-thought for listeners.
Here’s the tip of the iceberg of a few of the topics we discussed:
We packed a lot of ideas into the 60-70 minutes we spoke. Each topic could be its own show. I hope it sparks some conversation, and thought. Tell me what you think on the Facebook page! Tell me what kind of action it inspires you to take!
When Joe Sarcinella and I spoke, he was days away from becoming a father. As of publishing this episode, he is now a proud father (congrats!!). As a recent parent, I thought it would be fun to have Joe on NextGen Native to get the perspective of a recent first-time parent and a to-be parent. For those that aren’t parents, or have kids out of the house, this episode is also for you.
Although we talk about being parents, the conversation occurred in the same context that our conversations did below. That is, the topic of parenting is centered within living life with intentionality, in control. How does one intentionally raise their child? How does one intentionally plan the rest of their life? One example: how do you raise a child in a 500 square foot apartment?
We also discussed Joe’s latest diet (previously vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, paleo), and his latest approach to physical fitness (weight lifting, to ultra marathons, to weight lifting, back to ultra marathons), and minimalism.
It’s a fun episode, and I hope that you benefit from it as much as I’ve had. Personally, I’m trying to apply more minimalism into my life, or at least rethinking it, thanks to Joe.
http://nextgennative.com/joe-sarcinella-the-100k-runner/
http://nextgennative.com/joe-sarcinella-100-miles-awesome/
“People like genuine people. People like people who are authentic, people lke people who show up with their true identity. And being Chickasaw is part of who I am.”-Heath Clayton
One of the areas in which I love to dabble is what I call “life system hacking.” The basic idea is finding ways to create a life, circumvent expectations or bypass the norms of which we all are led to believe cannot be bypassed or circumvented. There are a lot of people who write about the subject online, and it can get a bit of a reputation as self-help like content. But I continue to expose myself to it because I think there are gems that can be found, if you know what you are looking for. I was excited to interview someone I think hacked the system quite successfully. That person is Heath Clayton (Chicksaw).
Heath earned a Bachelor’s degree for about $3,000 without stepping foot onto a university campus. After “college” he worked in the White House at age 21. Not after 21 years of working in politics. At 21 years old.
After home school and then earning a bachelor’s degree without going to college, he earned a Master’s from Carnegie Mellon University Heinz School of Public Policy.
Oh, he also achieved a goal of visiting 100 countries by the time he turned 30.
Now he is working to give back to other young Native people with the goal of showing them that much more is possible than they may realize. He’s mentored 40-50 people by his estimate.
It’s a story that you need to hear. It’s a good reminder that there are amazing resources out there to utilize, and there are amazing people that will help you along the way. Have a listen.
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Heath's bio
When he is not busy working in corporate philanthropy for a consulting firm, Heath Clayton is usually visiting a new country to feed his insatiable curiosity of the world. He spent the last few years working towards a goal of visiting 100 countries before his 30th birthday, a goal he achieved in January 2017. Heath is Chickasaw Indian and attended Carnegie Mellon University for graduate school on a tribal affairs fellowship. Heath previously worked in The White House under the George W. Bush Administration and on Capitol Hill before beginning his consulting career. Mentoring native youth on potential careers in corporate America or public policy excites him, and he is always looking for ways to stay in engaged with his tribe and Indian country.
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Some random links mentioned in this episode:
“There is a trap [in decolonization] that hinders a lot of potential growth. And that is centered in how we think about things. If you are only trained [to deconstruct] then you are stuck in a gear of deconstruction, which is important and useful. But if the goal is to increase capacity in Indian Country, then you are asking for builders, not destroyers, and that is a completely different type of thinking.”
Ryan Red Corn (Osage) created the design firm Buffalo Nickel Creative and is also a member of the 1491s. He joined NextGen Native for a wide-ranging conversation.
Although we touched on comedy and had some light hearted moments, our conversation covered much more beyond comedy. We talked about the role his work and the work of others in graphic design and branding can play a role in Indian Country telling its stories better. We discussed how being creative and artistic is closely related to being an entrepreneur. We talked about the media he uses to tell stories and how each is suited to have a certain impact. I dug into Ryan’s intentionality and how he uses it to manage his time and drive his art.
One of the many things I enjoy about NextGen Native is diving into ideas and issues that take a deeper look into issues and events in Indian Country and my conversation with Ryan was very much in this vein. For example, Ryan discussed the impact and power of branding touched on using graphic design and branding in efforts to address the use of mascots. Or how when we engage in efforts to make change, we shouldn’t focus on telling “our story” but on “a story” that will resonate not only with those trying to tell it, but those who are listening. Or how our traditional economies were just that, economies. And how that history informs the work people do today.
I hope this conversation sparks additional conversation on social media, at home, and in tribal council meetings. Let me know what you think or add to the conversation on social media!
I felt this need to take my skillset and apply it as broadly as I could as long as I could still feel like I was affecting the community.”
Geoff Roth is a descendent of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. He recently completed an appointment as the Senior Advisor to the Director of the Indian Health Service under Dr. Yvette Roubideaux. Geoff’s story is great for people that are looking to grow their career rapidly. It is also a great story for those that are looking to find balance in their lives. It may not seem intuitive that both those lessons could be learned from the same person, but that’s what makes Geoff’s story unique. He’s a good friend and I am excited to share his story.
Before Geoff served as senior political appointee, he served in several high-level positions including the Executive Director at the National Council on Urban Indian Health and at the Native American Youth and Family Center. He also spent time at the Department of Education working in Indian Education.
Geoff assumed the role of Executive Director at the Native American Youth and Family Center at 23 years old. Geoff shared on the podcast how he got that job, and we discussed how it set him up for future opportunities.
Geoff shared that in order to stand out when applying for jobs, you need to really do your research. You need to distinguish yourself between the other candidates. Geoff said he spends a lot of time researching organizations when he is considering a job, and it sets him apart. You can do that be demonstrating your knowledge of an organization, its needs and how you can contribute to its goals.
That first major job prepared Geoff to continue making significant growth throughout his career. In particular, he talked about how it gave him confidence to pursue big opportunities, even when when it is a stretch for him.
This is only part of our conversation, but I thought it important to point out these two items specifically. I think it is natural for us to doubt ourselves and our capabilities. But Geoff’s story shows that you can find confidence, even create it. His story also shows what you can achieve when you combine hard work and preparation. Those two items, combined with that confidence, can create amazing results.
Geoff is currently using his talents in his personal life. After many years of continually growing his professional career, he is giving himself space to find balance, think about how he wants to shape his life going forward. For someone that gave much of himself to tribal communities, I am happy to see him taking this time for himself. We cannot help others if we do not take care of ourselves. That is a common refrain on the podcast. Geoff is implementing that now, and no matter what he does in the future, I think there will always be part of him that impacts communities in a positive way.
"What's stopping you from making something?"
Jared Yazzie is the founder of OXDX Clothing Company. He joined NextGen Native once again to catch up on his recent projects. Jared's clothing has been a hot commodity for a few years, but recently his business is taking some major strides.
He recently won a scholarship to join an incubator , participated in an event at the Smithsonian, and won a contest held by Louie Gong's Eighth Generation.
Jared's story is one of those "overnight success" stories you hear about. One that pops up after working hard, learning, growing and sacrificing. It was fun to hear Jared talk about where his business is headed, and how he occasionally still cannot believe when he finds himself in the company of other high-performing people.
One of my favorite takeaways from Jared was his commitment to never stop learning. In whatever you do, I think that mindset is so important. Once you close your mind off from learning, you stop growing professionally, and personally. Jared is never going to stop growing.
It will be fun to see where OXDX, and Jared, is the next time we connect on NextGen Native.
Raina Thiele, Athabascan and Yup'ik, is President of Thiele Strategies. Before starting her own firm, Raina worked for President Obama in the White House Office of intergovernmental Affairs. Raina joined the show to share her story that led her from Alaska to the White House and now to her current work. Raina's story is a great example of how hard work, willingness to take on new challenges, and timing can come together to present amazing opportunities. Raina certainly capitalized on her experience to advance the profile of indian Country.
After attending Yale for her undergraduate degree, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government for her Master's Degree, Raina worked for the Office of Management and Budget at the White House. In that role, she gained experience in the inner workings of various programs funded by the government. Eventually, Raina had the chance to work more directly with President Obama through the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. It was that move that placed Raina front-and-center on President Obama's work on issues in indian Country.
In her role, Raina worked on several high-profile initiatives. She helped plan the now infamous trip the President and First Lady took to Standing Rock. There, they met with young people that moved the first couple profoundly. Upon returning to DC, the President directed his staff to work on issues impacting Native youth. It was then that Generation indigenous was created.
That trip alone would be a career highlight for many. Raina was able to double up when she helped arrange a trip to Alaska for the President. Most domestic trips last just a few hours, but the President stayed in Alaska for several days where he saw the impact of climate change and met with Alaska Natives during his trip.Travel and meet-and-greets are part of life for a President. Much of it is probably routine and many of the details probably fade from memory. Both trips appeared to inform the president through the remainder of his presidency.
Raina shared details of these trips, her college experience, and more on this episode. Have a listen!
The first time John Isaiah Pepion (Piikani) appeared on NextGen Native, I titled the accompanying blog post “Up and Coming Ledger Artist.” About 1.5 years later John returned to catch up, and from our conversation, the title was accurate! John’s on the move, and if you're not familiar with his work, you should check it out.
We discussed how he has grown as an artist and businessperson recently. He mentioned he started growing even more when he opened himself up to learn and take feedback from others. This mindset can be applied to any job or activity. It can be hard to open yourself up to feedback, but it empowers you in a way that few other things can.
As John opened himself up to feedback, he started engaging more and more with communities. His Instagram page shows tons of photos with him at schools. He also mentioned he spends time with elder groups. And through this service, he gains new insight and perspective on his art that he can use to grow, even while giving back to others.
Besides John’s amazing art, his grind is really what is paying off for him. He travels everywhere, he’s been taking on cultural learnings at home, learning how to make his business more sustainable. And he still finds time everyday to draw. When you see someone growing their influence, and quality of their work, there’s probably a healthy dose of hard work that you don’t see, but it’s there.
John’s trajectory looks awesome, his hardwork is paying off. He’s done collaborations with other amazing artists, etc. in Indian Country. It’s fun to see NextGen Natives grow. It’s fun to meet new people or connect with friends and colleagues and watch them transform, grow, overcome challenges and ultimately achieve success, with myself as a fortunate observer to their journey.
“Focus on being proactive and use the future as the guidance point when you [encounter] challenges. What you work for is bigger than us [individually].”
Heather Whitemanrunshim is Apsalooke (Crow Nation). She is an attorney for the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) where she works primarily on issues pertaining to water law.
Our wide-ranging conversation touched on two issues that I am still thinking about several days later. First, we discussed the need to be vulnerable to learn language and/or culture. I think it is a common experience that people our age grew up afraid to admit we didn’t know as much language as others, or we were worried about making mistakes. The alternative is to avoid it and avoid that experience. We need to foster environments that encourage learning and make it easier to be uncomfortable and make mistakes. As a new parent, I am thinking about how to teach my child about who we are, and that requires me learning even more along the way, too.
She also shared the idea that we almost only focus on the concept of time immemorial with respect to the past. But she challenged us to apply the concept to the future. We will always be here into the future. I think that is just as important as thinking about the past. It helps contextualize the highs and lows of individual moments, because in the arc of one’s life, let alone many generations, those moments are small.
Digging deeper into those two points alone are worth listening, and she covered so much more!
We covered a wide range of other topics in our conversation including:
The podcast currently has 100 episodes available.