NextGen Native

"We are in a period of radical change...step into your role, do what you do best and raise the profile of tribes in a positive light."

Lacey Horn is a citizen of and treasurer for the Cherokee Nation. Principal Chief Bill John Baker appointed Lacey to this position In this role, Lacey is responsible for a budget that totals almost $700 million dollars for the Nation.

Lacey grew up in Vian, Oklahoma. I admire her story because it's one that combines a steadfast comfort and certainty in her life goals, combined with seizing opportunities. Lacey worked hard to achieve her goals and these opportunities overlapped with her hard work.

From an early age she knew she planned to attend Southern Methodist University. After college, she went to work for KPMG, one of the "big 4" accounting firms. She moved to Chicago to experience something different. But she did so knowing that she planned to return home at some point. Lacey's story reminded me of a previous idea I shared about walking your own path. It's not always easy, but your life will be so much more rich because of it.

After the financial collapse in 2008, Lacey decided to move home. It was part of her plan, but she moved at a time when people at home told her not to, because the economy was so bad. She did anyway, and built an accounting business in Oklahoma. It was then that she was called by Chief Baker to serve.

In her role as treasurer, she's built relationships at the Nation, has been recognized and appointed to leadership positions with organizations in Indian Country, and built bridges into other venues representing tribes in new arenas.

I really enjoyed this conversation for several reasons. Lacey is grounded but driven, committed and inquisitive. Her work in tribal finance is a personal interest for me, and is an area I think is ripe for growth over the next several years.

Lacey and I dive into several deep issues, and she shares some great practical advice to tackle these issues.

Ashley Tuomi on growth: "Take any opportunity to increase our knowledge."

Ashley Tuomi (Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) is the Executive Director of the American Indian Health and Family Services. Currently, she is the President of the National Council of Urban Indian Health. Ashley's career did not end up where she imagined, but she is right where she is supposed to be.

Ashley's father served in the military, her family moved constantly for the first several years of her life. As a child she thought her career path led to plastic surgery. Ashley did not have dreams of working for actors in Hollywood, but rather she saw the real impact of plastic surgery on people who needed it such as kids with cleft palates. Everyone knew her goal, powwow emcees introduced her as the future doctor.

The Curved Path That experience shifted in college. Her plans shifted after a difficult class. Ashley felt devastated. Everyone knew her goal, and she shifted course. She learned a valuable lesson: things are not usually as bad as people think they are in the moment. Her career transition did not veer away entirely from college. She enrolled in a Master's program in Health Administration, thinking rather than serving as a plastic surgeon, her goal evolved to run a practice. But her Master's program nudged her to Indian health after she received a scholarship from the Indian Health Service. The scholarship required her to work in the Indian health system for two years. Ashley turned her studies almost exclusively to learning about IHS.After graduate school she found herself in Los Angeles at an urban Indian health clinic. That position led to opportunities to run clinics, which led her to Detroit.

Her leadership at the American Indian Health and Family Services led to her work at the national level. A colleague urged her to get involved in NCUIH and her colleagues elected her as the organization's president.

Ashley discusses how she grew into these leadership roles as a young leader and overcame questions about her age. As a young leader, Ashley Tuomi is likely bound for a long career as a leader in Indian health and in Indian Country generally.

Terra Branson: "How do you look backward but still move forward?"

Terra Branson (Muscogee Creek) is the Executive Director of the Self-Governance Communication and Education Consortium.Terra joined the show previously, and she returned graciously for another wide-ranging conversation.

When Terra Branson last joined the show, she just started her job at SGCEC as the Executive Director. Two years later, we discuss her adjustment and growth in the role. Part of her experience includes settling into her community of McAlester, Oklahoma. Like many that move to a new community, Terra experienced the challenge of building new friendships after college and in her professional career.

We discussed identifying your skill sets, how to use those in your career, and how often times others see those skills in you before you see them in yourself.

On Growth and Reflection We both moved away from a busy place to a place that allows you to think and reflect. This reminded me of a discussion shared by venture capitalist Chris Sacca on another podcast. Sacca invested in what became some of the biggest technology startups of the last decade. He credits part of his success to moving away from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe where he could be proactive in his work, and less reactive to the daily static of Silicon Valley. The distance allowed him perspective and the ability to make the investment decisions in which he believed. The point is that we need to find more time to be reflective, and for Terra and I, we gained that time by moving away from a busy city.

The conversation covered a lot of ground, but I think the theme of this episode is personal growth, reflection, and how we move through our careers. One thing that remains consistent with NextGen Natives is that even with these topics, the work that we do is always connected to our communities. Terra's story is no different.

"The most important thing is to be open minded to allow forgiveness...some of the horrible things that were done to us, we know our story. We know the horrible things. We don't let that define who we are. Those horrible things that were done to Kashia are not who Kashia are. We'll never forget it. We'll always remember it. We'll honor those that was done to, but we won't let that define us. And we will be open to forgiveness....I would challenge everyone to find it."

Reno Franklin is Chairman of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians. This episode is a bit different because i) I usually do not have tribal leaders on the show. This is not for negative reasons, but instead I want to highlight the work of others not in leadership positions to show how much amazing work is being done in Indian Country.

It's also different because while we discuss Reno's life, we also discuss his work as a tribal leader, projects he's working on, approaches to being a leader. It's definitely a fun conversation, and that's before we even get to his story.

Reno's story:

I first met Reno through the National Indian Health Board. I worked there and Reno was Chairman of the the organization. He also chaired the California Rural Indian Health Board, and the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. This is not to mention the work he's done with other associations and working groups. Although his resume reads like one of grand ambition, his beginnings in tribal leadership tell a different story. It tells a story of service.

Reno moved back to the reservation after he was asked to help with some wildfire work for the tribe. Reno was a firefighter and EMT at the time. Reno said that since he was asked, he moved home. He wasn't far away, but this was his time to come home. His firefighting work led him to historic preservation work. Like other NextGen Natives, one project led to another, which eventually opened new doors and challenges.

His work in healthcare started with a personal story he shared. To hear it, you're going to have to listen to the show. But suffice it to say, when he started, he didn't have any experience in the field. He learned through service and eventually his work rose to the national level.

We discussed what it was like for him to be a tribal leader at a young age, in particular one at the national level where politics is intense. He shared stories about how he earned the respect of his colleagues and peers. Over time, they looked to him more and more for leadership.

I shared Reno's challenge to NextGen Natives above, and I think it is some of the most powerful words I've heard in awhile. It reminds me of Wab Kinew's book The Reason You Walk and the theme of forgiveness. It's not an easy discussion, but I think we need to be vulnerable and open to the idea of forgiveness. Thanks for sharing, Reno!

Brian Howard is Research and Policy Analyst American Indian Policy Institute. He is Pipash, Akimel and Tohono O'odham. I've always respected Brian for his humility, knack for policy, and his commitment to Indian Country. During our conversation, I got to know more about his personal story, which I think includes a key lesson for everyone: being uncomfortable in order to grow.

Brian shared a few stories during our conversation that shared the theme of growth and trying something new. What I found unique about the experiences was that he was able to combine the new experience with a familiar one so that the new challenge does not seem to have been as challenging as it could have been. For example, Brian traveled to Australia and New Zealand for a study abroad program when he was 16 years old. It was a big transition, but he spent much of his time in communities with Aborigines and Maoris, a familiar experience that helped him in his experience. Recently he moved back home to be closer to his family, including his niece for whom he now acts as a father figure. He was moving back home, and closer to family. Easy, right? Well, he made the move without any job prospect. Each instance is an example of situations where people may not have taken action because they were afraid. What if I'm home sick? I would move back home but I don't have a job yet. Brian did not let those questions deter him, and he came out on the other end of those experiences with new perspective. Brian shared many great insights in this episode. He talked about the amazing role his mother played in his life, the importance of understanding policy issues, enduring lost loved ones, and more. But I think Brian's willingness to take on new challenges, and grow as an individual, is the best lesson we can take away. You don't need to be considering a move to Australia to take advantage of his lesson. Identify a goal, challenge, or need that makes you uncomfortable. Do you feel that feeling in your gut? Did you immediately find 10 reasons why you can't achieve it? If you did, then I think you found what you should focus on.

"You give everything you got. It's hard, It's super challenging. You give all your life force to your art. so when you see the tiny moment when people are smiling, laughing, or being proud..."

Natalie Benally, Navajo, wears many hats. Or maybe the better metaphor is...dance shoes. Natalie is a member of the Native American contemporary dance company Dancing Earth. She also served as the voice of Dory for the remake of Finding Nemo, or Nemo Hádéést'į́į́. Oh, and she also has a full time job as the teacher of the arts back on Navajo Nation.

Natalie and I connected while Dancing Earth was visiting Crystal Bridges as part of a special exhibit on dance. We had a wide ranging conversation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oChIg8dA09I

Natalie went to a Bureau of Indian Education school at an old fort on the reservation. It was only a matter of time, not only as a Native person but as a student, where she started to understand the context in which she lived as a Navajo person, at the fort where her people's long walk ended. She became interested in this broader history. It reminded me of the documentary The Flat, where younger people several generations removed from traumatic events begin asking questions about their family's history, evoking strong emotions.

We chatted about going away, and how that experience can either crystallize your awareness of who you are as a Native person, or people find it difficult to adapt and it becomes overwhelming. One of the amazing things about the experiences of people from all different tribes is how so many people can share similar experiences. This is one of those dynamics that many experience, whether they moved away for a job, education, they were taken away from their families, etc.

We discussed Natalie's role as an educator in the arts. She shared how powerful it can be to help students gain self-confidence and find themselves. And, of course we discussed Natalie's experience playing Dory in Finding Nemo. There is an amazing effort underway to translate Pixar movies into the Navajo language. The first movie was Star Wars, but people soon realized they needed to do a cartoon movie to reach younger audiences. In a way, the movie ends up a perfect combination of her role as an educator, teaching people language and life lessons in her people's language, but also as a performer.

I reached out to Dancing Earth when they were coming to town. And amazingly, we ended up not being able to discuss the company itself. Natalie had too many experiences to share. It's an upbeat conversation, despite discussing some heavy issues. It's the kind of balance we need in Indian Country.

Jaclyn Roessel, Navajo, is many things. She is the Public Programs and Education Director at the Heard Museum. She is is one half of Schmooze: Lady Connected. She writes for the fashion site Presence 4.0. She curates her own website Grown Up Navajo. She's even a previous guest on NextGen Native. One thing Jaclyn isn't? Busy.

That doesn't mean Jaclyn doesn't have a full schedule or a lot going on. Quite the contrary. What it does mean, for her, is that she is mindful of what the word means and that people often use it as a crutch. Jaclyn has been on a minor campaign to remove that word from the lexicon of those around her. I appreciate it. I had the same revelation a few years ago.

I try not to use it to describe my own experience but sometimes out of habit or social conformity I'll drop the word or at least go along with another person's use of it in conversation, nodding in exasperated agreement. Tell me about it. I often use it when reaching out to guests for the show, acknowledging the value of someone's time (I know you're busy…). That's how I found out about Jaclyn's viewpoint on the word. After she said something along the lines of "I'm not busy, I try not to use the word" I had to reply by saying, effectively, "me neither! well,except for just then. It that was different." That's when we decide we should have another episode outlining our thoughts on busy-ness and other musings.

To get the full context, let you think we are insufferable zealots, have a listen. Hopefully our conversation inspires you to think differently, and more mindfully, about the language you use to describe your life.

We dove into several other subject such as our fear of organizing events where no one shows up, our inspiration behind our passion projects, creating one's own happiness, Jaclyn's morning routine, and much more. Check it out.

Bryan Newland joined the show the day after the election in 2016. We discussed a variety of issues about politics, from the election itself, what it means for tribes, and broader ideas and actions around politics generally.

It's not your normal take on politics, which I think is a good thing. Not that there is anything wrong with the "normal take," it's just that people are used to it. If you want to hear some in depth conversation about these issues, to hear some thoughts that should challenge people on any side of a political debate (in a good way), than this conversation is for you.

But as the title suggests, this conversation is about more than just politics. One of the things I love about where NextGen Native is heading, is that we can spend more time talking with previous guests (like Bryan) about a wide array of issues. In this episode we also dive deep into his passion for photography. He's been photographing his homelands and the results are awesome. Check him out on Instagram (bryannewland) to see some of his work.

I realized during our conversation that Bryan's love of politics and photography comes from the same place: his love of his community, and his desire to be engaged and involved. Sounds corny, but if you listen to the conversation, I think you'll find that it's true.

If that all sounds too high-and-mighty, worry not. We find ways to make fun of ourselves and have a good time. In other words, it was a healthy conversation.

To get back on the high horse, I think that is one of the other takeaways to this conversation: you can have a range of emotions and thoughts about important or controversial issues at one time and still find ways to laugh and find comfort in conversation. Enjoy.

"There's nothing holding you back except what's in your mind"

Sometimes you speak with someone that has so much positive energy that it's bound to rub off on you. Despite a massive headache during this conversation, I came away feeling energized after speaking with Sara-Jane Smallwood.

Sara-Jane is one of those people that had a clear goal from a young age and pursued that goal and was able to realize that goal: returning home to work for her tribe. She did so in a big way, working on a very high-profile program that eventually resulted in a visit from President Obama to Choctaw Nation.

Official Bio

Sara-Jane Smallwood is the Director of Public Policy and Promise Zone Coordinator for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Her Choctaw heritage and passion for public policy are intertwined. She comes from a long line of farmers and ranchers who make their living from the land, and she grew up near Sardis Lake and the Choctaw Capitol in Tvshka Homma. These experiences taught her the importance of the Choctaw Nation's culture, natural resources, and leadership.

Sara-Jane is currently a student at Oklahoma State University pursuing a PhD in Environmental Policy. She received her Master of Public Affairs with emphasis in local governance and environmental policy from Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 2012. She received a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and American Indian Studies at Oklahoma State University in 2008, and was named an Outstanding Senior as one of the university's top graduates.

In 2007, she was chosen as a Scholar by the Morris K. Udall and the Stewart L. Udall Foundation and as a Fellow by the Public Policy and International Affairs Program, where she was part of the Princeton University summer fellowship. Sara-Jane was previously employed by the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division. Sara-Jane serves as an Oklahoma Champion for Early Opportunities with the Potts Family Foundation, board member of the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Eastern Oklahoma State College Foundation. In her free time, SJ can be spotted cruising southeastern Oklahoma in her cobalt blue Mini Cooper.

"We've been conditioned to think that we have to compete with each other...which is not the case."

Charles Galbraith is Navajo. Currently, Charles (aka Charlie) is Counsel at Kilpatrick Townsend Law Firm. Previously, Charlie spent several years working at the White House for President Obama and before that he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and a staffer in the U.S. Senate.

Charlie grew up in Phoenix. His parents both prioritized education and so Charlie knew at a young age he'd go to college. He ended up playing baseball and studying at the University of Chicago. His baseball playing taught him endurance and the knowledge that not everything would break his way in life. It taught him how to dig in for the long haul, and how to keep a cooler head when things weren't going his way. These two lessons would suit him very well in his career.

He studied political science and decided that a career in a profession such as the law interested him. So he attended Arizona State University Sanda Day O'Connor School of Law.

It wasn't long before a summer internship in Senator Tim Johnson's office resulted in a full time position. Charlie jumped at the chance and eventually earned his degree after taking night courses while also working full time. That opportunity led Charlie to working on President Obama's campaign, and eventually on to the White House. There is much more to that part of the story, but you'll need to listen to hear the full context.

It was fun to hear Charlie share his experience at this particular point in time. The president is at the end of his second term so Charlie is just now able to have some perspective on the entire experience and what it means to him.

Charlie has always been a practical kind of guy, and you get a lot of that practical wisdom in this episode.