American Indian Graduate Magazine Spring 2002

American IndianGRADUATE

The

Inside this Issue:

• John Rainer In Memory

• Meet the AIGCBoard

• Tribal LeaderPerspectives

• The GatesMillenniumScholars

• Alumni Profile

• AIGC StudentProfile

Spring 2002

3The American Indian Graduate

Table of Contents

Volume 1, Number 2 • Spring 2002

American IndianGRADUATE

The

The American Indian GraduateVolume 1, Number 2

A Publication of the AmericanIndian Graduate Center

4520 Montgomery Blvd., NESuite 1B

Albuquerque, NM 87109Phone: (505) 881-4584

Fax: (505) 884-0427

Website: www.aigc.com

PublisherNorbert S. Hill, Jr.Executive Director

Perry HorseConsulting Editor

Jim WeidleinProduction Editor

Carolyn S. TateDesign & Layout

Cover Photoby Howard Rainer

AIGC Board of DirectorsRhonda Whiting, President

Confederate Salish & Kootenai Tribe

Ada Pecos Melton, Vice PresidentJemez Pueblo

Steven Stallings, Secretary-TreasurrerRincon Luisen Band of Mission Indians

Shenan AtcittyDiné

David PowlessOneida

Beverly SingerSanta Clara Pueblo/Diné

Kathryn ShanleyNakota (Assiniboine)

Louis BacaSanta Clara Pueblo

Joanne Sebastian MorrisCayuga

4 In MemoryJohn Rainer, Sr.Howard Rainer’s tribute to his dad, John Rainer

6 Meet the AIGC Board

8 John Rainer—In Tributeby Perry Horse – A true native elder, education advocate, and nationallyknown tribal leader.

9 RainerismsDreaming to Achieve: Rainerisms at Workby Molly Tovar and Marveline Vallo – Anecdotal insights into John Rainer’sphilosophy and how they guided others.

12 American University Fellowships

13 AIGC Student ProfileLeslie CrowA major in the Master of Science program at East Central University, Ada,Oklahoma, shares insights about health needs in rural Oklahoma.

14 AIGC Alumni ProfileBarbara GrimesAn M.Ed. in Education, Barbara discusses the importance of giving back tothe community.

16 Gates Millennium Scholars-Into the Four Directionsby Michelle Pasena – An update on the Gates Millennium Scholars program.

18 Gates Student ProfileSteven YazzieHow one student used goal setting and support from family and mentors tobest advantage.

Continued on page 4

19 Tribal Leader PerspectivesThe Honorable Ernie Lovato, Governor, Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexicoby JoAnn Melchor – The first in a series of essays and interviews withcontemporary American Indian leaders about education and economicdevelopment.

20 Guest CommentaryBring Our People Homeby Richard Fairbanks – On the need for new place-based economic devel-opment strategies to lure our graduate students home. Note: Richard“Dick” Fairbanks is White Earth Chippewa is currently on special leavefrom Sandia National Laboratories where he is a human resource manag-er. He has been there since 1979, and is now based at the University ofNew Mexico facilitating business development for American Indian Tribes.

23 The Career Vision Questby Perry Horse – Career planning begins with a vision for oneself andbuilds on education, experience, and wise choices among many options andopportunities.

25 Council of One Hundred UpdateGiants and Little Peopleby Vine Deloria – A call for information from those who want to hearsome real stories about the long ago in Native America.

28 Healing — A Native Perspectiveby Phil Lane, Sr. – (Yankton Sioux 100 Group)

31 AIGC NEWSA new feature about the activities of AIGC staff and related current events.

4 The American Indian Graduate

Table of Contents

When asked what he would do if he wonthe lottery, John immediately answered, “I would make sure that each of my grand-children have enough to complete theircollege education.”


John Rainer Sr.By Howard Rainer

In Memory…

Since the passing of my father, John Rainer Sr., Ihave had time to reflect on my father’s work, hisinfluence as a father, and his contribution to Indi-

an education.His contribution as a public servant has given me a

powerful example to follow. He was a man who caredabout others and instilled this worthy value in our fami-ly. I marvel at what his unselfishness accomplished forour tribe and all people regardless of color or nationality.

His impact in Indian education is inspiring. Todaythere are many Native American men and women whoare now serving their communities and tribes becausethey were able to receive financial assistance while ingraduate school. My father, along with others tried withtotal commitment to ensure that there would be help for

those daring Indian people willing to pay the price toattain a good education. His vision was to see our peopleprogress and have opportunities in this nation. Hisefforts were not in vain. I have met many grateful Indianmen and women who are now in positions of power andinfluence in Indian America.

As a son, I relish the times spent with my father sit-ting around the drum singing our tribal songs. I findmyself singing those songs now, yearning to have him sitnear me and hearing his assuring voice. His influence,his love, and his impact upon my life I want to sharewith many more Native American communities in thefuture. My tribute to my father’s legacy is to serve othersas the Creator God has admonished all of us to do! ✦

Above: John Rainer and granddaughterat Taos Pueblo

Right: The Rainer Family

Right: John Rainerwith grandchildren

and studied indigenous justice systems in five South PacificIslands. Currently, she is President of the American IndianDevelopment Associates (AIDA), a technical assistance,training, and research firm. AIDA specializes in public poli-cy development as well as research in indigenous methodsof conflict resolution. This work addresses crime, delin-quency, violence and victimization issues throughout Indi-an Country. Ada’s e-mail address is: [email protected].

Steven L. A. Stallings (Rincon Luiseno Band of Mission Indians)Steve Stallings has extensive experience in banking andfinancial services. As Senior Vice President & Director ofNative American Banking for Wells Fargo, he deliverssuch services to Native American communities through-out the 23-state territory of Wells Fargo. Steve is well-versed in business assistanceprograms that support Indi-an owned enterprises. Heserves on Atlatl, a nationalNative arts organization inPhoenix and is a Director ofthe Ft. McDowell YavapaiNation Enterprises Board.He and his wife Peggy(Navajo) reside in Chandler, AZ, with daughters Stefanieand Celena. He is a business school graduate of Cal StateLong Beach and the University of Southern California.His e-mail address is: [email protected].

Shenan R. Atcitty (Diné)Shenan is Senior Counsel with the law firm of Holland &Knight LLP in Washington, D. C. Her law practice focuseson representing Indian tribal governments before Congressand Federal agencies. For over ten years she has representedor worked with tribal governments in litigation, business,economic development, gaming,housing, health care, education,taxation, infrastructure develop-ment, and Congressional lobby-ing. Prior to entering privatepractice she served as a law clerkand contract attorney for theUnited State’s Attorney’s Officein New Mexico. She is a memberof the D.C. and New Mexicobars. She is licensed to practicelaw in New Mexico and beforethe Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the Court ofFederal Claims, The Court of Appeals for D.C., and the

Rhonda Whiting (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes)Rhonda Whiting is the mother of three daughters andgrandmother of two grandchildren, Isaiah and Adrianna.

Rhonda has received three degrees from the Universityof Montana: a BA in Elemen-tary Education, Masters ofEducation with a focus on read-ing and a Juris Doctorate. Shehas taught kindergarten, middleschool, high school and at theuniversity level, and has servedas Legal Counsel for her Tribe.She was the first Native Ameri-can political Director for theDemocratic National Commit-tee, and coordinated the Indian Vote nationally for the Clinton/Gore ticket in 1996.

Rhonda owned and operated WANZI, an Indianwomen’s consulting firm, for fourteen years. WANZIundertook a variety of projects, including strategic politicalplanning on issues focused on Native Americans. Achieve-ments of the firm included a National Legislative Educa-tion Project on the Indian Child Welfare Act and a welfarereform study applied to Tribes; more specifically, the Con-federated Salish and Kootenai Tribe. Rhonda has workednationally in economic development and was appointed toserve as Assistant Administrator/National Coordinator ofNational Native American Affairs for the US Small Busi-ness Administration.

Rhonda is currently the Vice President of a TribalCorporation, Salish and Kootenai Technologies, Inc. Thecompany reaches out globally and specializes in Informa-tion Technology. Rhonda is the President of the Board ofDirectors for the American Indian Graduate Center. Here-mail address is: [email protected].

Ada Pecos Melton (Jemez)Ada Pecos Melton, a past AIGC fellow, brings a distin-guished record of accomplishment and experience to the

AIGC board. She has receivednumerous awards for public serv-ice and is widely recognized for herwork in the field of juvenile jus-tice. Ada holds baccalaureate andmaster’s degrees from the Universi-ty of New Mexico in Criminal Jus-tice and Public Administrationrespectively. In 1991 she was a Fel-low under the Asia Foundation


Meet the AIGC Board

Ada Pecos Melton

Shenan Atcitty

Steven L. A. Stallings

Rhonda Whiting

U.S. Supreme Court. She received her bachelor’s and lawdegrees from the University of New Mexico, the latter asan AIGC fellow. She is married to Mark C. Van Norman(Cheyenne River Sioux); they have a son, Mark II, andreside in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Her e-mail addressis: [email protected].

Louis Baca (Santa Clara)Louis Baca has been involved in education for over 30 yearsincluding the past seven years (1994-2001) as the AZ Site k-12 Education Program Manager for Intel Corporation.Louis joined Intel in 1987 and in his 14 year career with thecompany has filled various educational positions including:instructional designer/human resource development special-

ist who developed and taughttechnical training courses atFab 9 in Albuquerque, NewMexico; a designer and devel-oper of interactive multimediaprograms and systems for edu-cational and marketing appli-cations in Princeton, NJ; anda pioneer in the design anddevelopment of electronic per-

formance support systems utilizing state-of-the-art PC-baseddigital video technology in Phoenix, Arizona.

Louis earned his MA in education at the University ofNew Mexico in 1986 and completed the coursework on aPh.D. in education before joining Intel Corporation. Heis the recipient of numerous awards including: a FordFoundation Fellowship to conduct independent study onalternative education programs for American Indian chil-dren; Business Person of the Year from the AZ VocationalEducation Association; a Distinguished Service awardfrom the American Indian Science and Engineering Soci-ety; and an Intel Achievement Award, the highest recogni-tion awarded to less than 1% of the 90,000 worldwideIntel employees.

A member of the Santa Clara Pueblo Tribe of NewMexico, Louis was selected as a consultant for the planningand design of technology applications at the NationalMuseum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution,Washington, DC. Louis was instrumental in the design,development and implementation of Intel Corporation’s$2.2 million dollar Native American Initiative that provid-ed the Gila River Indian Reservation schools in AZ, andthe Santa Fe Indian School in NM, with state-of-the-arttechnology labs and educational programs, which promotetechnical literacy and the innovative and culturally appro-priate utilization of technology among American Indian

communities. Louis currently sits on various educationaland technology advisory boards including the AmericanIndian Graduate Center. You may reach Louis [email protected].

Joann Sebastian Morris (Cayuga)Joann Sebastian Morris is the Director of the Pacific Com-prehensive Assistance Center in Honolulu, where shedirects the delivery of technical assistance services to edu-cators in Hawaii and nineother Pacific Island jurisdic-tions from American Samoato Yap. The Center is housedin Pacific Resources for Edu-cation & Learning (PREL),one of the 10 education labsfunded by the U. S. Depart-ment of Education.

Prior to her move threeyears ago, Joann served asthe Director of Indian Education in the Bureau of Indi-an Affairs for 3 years, and 2 additional years as the Spe-cial Assistant on Education to the Assistant Secretary forIndian Affairs.

Joann began her career as a teacher and has beenactive in Indian and international indigenous educationissues for over 25 years. Her B.A in Education is fromthe University of New Mexico and her MA in Anthro-pology is from UCLA. You may reach Joann via e-mailat [email protected]

David Powless (Oneida)David Powless has extensive experience in managementand economic development with expertise in contractprocurement, marketing, sales, and business start-up.David has received numerousawards and wide recognitionfor his work in developingtribal and small businesses.He is a graduate of the Uni-versity of Illinois and is a for-mer player with the NFLNew York Giants and Wash-ington Redskins. Along withNFL Hall of Famer, DickButkus, he is owner and co-founder of BEARPAW, Inc., which specializes in employ-ee benefits education. The company serves corporations,non-profits, governmental agencies, and Native American


Meet the AIGC Board

David Powless

Joann Sebastian Morris

Louis Baca

Continued on page 32


In Tribute…

The vitality of the American IndianGraduate Center is one tribute tothe life and leadership of John

Rainer. The two will be intertwined inmemory for a long time. Thousands ofstudents have been touched by the life ofthis remarkable person. No doubt, thou-sands more will benefit in the future fromthe work he started back in 1969. Thatalone would be an impressive legacy foranyone. But John’s legacy goes beyondthat. His life in totality is more fullydefined by his family, his tribal communi-ty, and the land from which he came. As atribal person, as a Taos man, he mostassuredly would want to be rememberedin that light.

The Rainer-isms in the followingpages provide anecdotal glimpses intoJohn’s philosophy. It is abundantly clear that his beliefs rested on the bedrock of education; the need tolearn and to set goals. Education was his lifelong passion. He worked hard to make sure that others had anopportunity and the means by which to obtain an education. It was an integral part of his personal vision.

Across the broader spectrum of Native American issues John Rainer stood as a role model. He wasactive on the national scene and well-known throughout Indian America. He was always available toprovide guidance and mentorship. Late in his life he was a respected elder; a wise spokesman for nativecauses. When John had something to say, people listened. In turn, he was a good listener. His counte-nance bespoke compassion as well as benevolence. Within that exterior, though, was a deep commit-ment to the betterment of his fellow citizens.

Native people across this land look up to our elders when they are recognized as such. Simply grow-ing old is not necessarily the criterion for such status. Rather it is the accumulation of specific knowledge,experience, and outstanding accomplishment on a consistent basis over time. Each native language has aword or terminology that describes such people. John Rainer was an elder. He was an American Indian.The lesson of his life is a lesson about ourselves. That lesson is that the native nations of this land have theability to produce such a man. When we think about great Indian leaders John will stand tall in the ranksof those who preceded him as well as those to come. ✦

John Rainer: In TributeBy Perry Horse

John and Wynema Rainer

“Without an education, you can only go so far. Whether youchoose formal education, technical training, or learning a trade,education will prepare you for life.”

—John Rainer

F or millennia, American Indians have dared todream, rejecting despair to overcome countlessobstacles in their quest to grab the wind and catch

their dreams. When the wind has blown the hardest andthe dreams have been most difficult to catch, AmericanIndians searched themselves for the strength necessary tocontinue their dreamquest, seeking refuge in the dreamsthemselves. This perseverance and inner strength in theface of adversity is our legacy, a legacy personified by thelife and words of John Rainer.

At a time when support and encouragement for Indi-an education was unbelievably low, John Rainer soughtto create opportunities and encouragement for Indians topursue academic study. Rainer spent many years in civicservice to others. Through his efforts, over 10,000 Ameri-can Indians attended graduate school. Rainer dared todream, and when he reached out to catch the wind carry-ing his dreams, he caught it and held fast.

We dedicate this issue of The American Indian Grad-uate to the memory of John Rainer.

Rainer’s Hope in 2002Many of the dreams of John Rainer are captured in the“Rainerisms” printed throughout this issue. His hopesand ideals articulated in these quotes have helped manyto catch their own dreams of a time when educationalopportunity would become a reality for American Indi-ans. Two of his most popular aphorisms are highlightedhere. It is not by accident that these two Rainerismsshould be the most popular. While each offers a differentperspective on life, each paints a picture of optimism inthe future and the importance of maintaining that hope.John Rainer spent his life believing in the abilities ofothers he helped. He drew strength from their confi-dence as much as they relied on his.

“Education will reward you in ways you may neverexpect; ways you will be grateful for.”

This Rainerism holds a special meaning for TrinaValeros (Cherokee), currently pursuing a Master’s degreein Counseling at the University of Phoenix. She writes,

“One of my professors once told me that educa-tion changes the way you think and behave. Ikept that in my mind but thought professorswere too biased by their own success to make a

statement that bold. I did not think anythingimpersonal as education could change your per-sonality in any significant way. However, I waswrong…with more information, more optionsbecome available.”

For John Rainer, education was critical to a person’spersonal and professional success. As Trina said, “withmore information, more options become available.” Inthis statement, Rainer recognizes the scope of the chal-lenge presented by education: that you must have faithin it. Its myriad rewards appear only after you’ve perse-vered and proven yourself capable of realizing them.Danelle J. Daugherty (Oglala Sioux), a student at theUniversity of South Dakota School of Law, offers this:

“I wanted to go to law school for two main rea-sons: to be able to support my daughter a littlebit better and to increase my ability to workeffectively in tribal jobs requiring more technicalskill than I currently possessed. I was scared tomove away from my reservation, especially sinceI had finally gotten to a point in my life with alittle stability for my 9-year old daughter andmyself. I knew law school was hard and the riskof failure and the resulting debt and shamefrightened me.”

Most students gradually come to grips with the aca-demic and family rigors and realized that the impossible ispossible. Danelle is now halfway through her law programand has conquered many challenges. She realizes she tooka risk in reaching for her educational goals but has beenrewarded in many ways and states, “my fellow Native stu-dents are like family to me.” Danelle’s experience is notunusual. Many students initially only see a professionalreward from education, but come to appreciate the rela-tionships fostered through their academic careers.

Another well-known Rainerism that has inspiredmany to continue to catch their dreams is:

“Don’t give up in achieving your goal. Keep reach-ing for what your heart is set on and eventually itwill happen.”

Tamara Clay (Omaha of Nebraska), is an AIGC Fellowfrom the University of Hawaii-Manoa working on her


Dreaming to Achieve: Rainerisms at Work By Molly Tovar

and Marveline Vallo

Rainerisms


Master’s degree in Social Work writes,“I dropped out of school when I was 16. Even-tually, I took my GED and started college whenI was 18, with the dream that I would somedaybe a counselor or a social worker. However,things didn’t go as I planned and I dropped out(again). I worked as a waitress off and on. WhenI was in my late thirties…I made the decision togo back to school and finish my undergraduatedegree in Psychology. With the assistance of pro-grams like AIGC and the Omaha Tribe, hardwork and perseverance, I was able to finallymake my dream a reality.”

Tamara’s story is not unusual; After an initial period ofadjustment and shock, many students regain their per-spective on education. Tamara’s dream is even more valu-able because of the length of her search. Joanie Buckley(Oneida), a student at St. Louis University, continues hersearch, and finds strength in the Rainerism’s optimism:

“I have worked in the international arena, andnow I am fortunate through the auspices of theAIGC to return to academia and retrain on thelatest concepts and strategies for internationalbusiness growth. Along the way, I am fortunateto have my only part-time job as an adjunctteacher in international business management atthe college level where I can share my knowl-edge and experience with others. My studentsfuel my passion, and I can contribute to theirdevelopment, as I myself continue my educationand follow my heart to unknown frontier[s].

Lucy Ramirez (Onondaga) attends Daemen College andhas recently been nominated for the International Nurs-ing Honor Society. She stated that her journey has beenrigorous, difficult and stressful and realizes it will start allover again when she enters a doctorate program.

“At 17 (1966), I entered Nursing school inOklahoma. Immature behavior stopped mycareer goals in March; I would have graduatedin May ’68. I blew my second chance too. Fortwenty years, I raised my family of five andworked as an aide in a psychiatric center. In1988, I started picking up free college coursesoffered through the union, courses required foran Associates and Nursing. At first, I didn’tthink I could apply myself after all these years,but I really enjoyed being back in school, somuch so I entered Nursing school again andbecame a registered nurse in 1993, at age 45. In1998, I earned my Bachelor’s degree and onApril 17, I will defend my thesis and graduatewith my Master’s in Nursing in May”


Rainerisms

Not surprisingly some students begin to reassess theirfutures after realizing the true nature and potential of col-lege. Students are often surprised and even overwhelmedby the academic expectations. Again, Rainer acknowl-edges this potential obstacle, but tempers it with his beliefin the innate confidence of the individual. He knew thatonce we realize we want something bad enough, we canachieve it.

Building on Rainer’s LegacyCatching our academic and professional dreams requiressupport from many sources. Financial encouragement isavailable from agencies such as AIGC, but financialassistance is just one kind of support necessary to achievesuccess. There are many support areas our educationalsystem must address. Areas of support that are easilyidentified but which we must continually remind our-selves of are:• The need for talent development. Talent is not

something inherent, but must be nurtured and grownto its fullest. Many of our most talented graduates arenot the ones who were viewed as the most talented atthe inception of their programs.

• The need for substantial, constant encouragement.To help ensure students’ academic success, friends,educators, and families must provide a support system.Many Indian students do not have educational rolemodels among their extended families, which oftenmakes it more difficult for them to visualize academicsuccess.

• The need for guidance while preparing for an edu-cational program. Some American Indian studentshave little experience in taking entrance exams, build-ing vitas, seeking financial assistance, and preparingapplications. Investing, however modestly, in efforts toguide students can provide an enormous return intheir ability to continue their education.

• The need for retention efforts. Institutions seekingto support American Indian students must make acontinuous effort to provide them with the mentoringand advising that helps them remain focused on theirdreams.

Following the dreams of John Rainer, the AIGC hasthrived in its support of many American Indian studentsin the last several decades. However, statistics continueto show that under-representation of American Indiansin higher education continues to remain as a challenge tobe overcome. Only by partnerships among organizationslike AIGC, Indian communities, and higher educationinstitutions can we help more students to catch theirdreams of a new reality for Indian people. ✦

SITY

The School of International Service at American Universityoffers the Ph.D. in International Relations as well as professionally oriented

master�s degrees in the following fields of study:

Comparative and Regional StudiesEnvironmental Policy

International CommunicationInternational Development

International Economic PolicyInternational Peace and Conflict Resolution

International PoliticsUnited States Foreign Policy

M.A. in International Affairs/M.B.A.

In addition, the School of International Service and American University offerunique learning opportunities for undergraduate students, including:

B.A. in International RelationsB.A. in Language and Area Studies

Washington Internship for Native Students

ms

Financial aid is available for all programsincluding the Lou Torres Graduate Fellowships

for Native American Students at the master�s degree level.

For more information contact:School of International Service, American University

4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20016-8071

Phone: 202-885-1600Web: www.american.edu/sis

American University is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action university.

CAN

O N , D C

SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICEA M E R I C A N U N I V E R S I T Y

The Torres Fellowships — A Vision of the FutureThe Lou Torres Graduate Fellowships for Native Ameri-can students are part of comprehensive efforts by Ameri-can University to be as inclusive as possible in the diversityof its student body and its programs. Already, SIS’s stu-dent body and faculty come from more than 150 coun-tries throughout the world. Many Native Americanstudents have attended SIS, and it is a natural step there-fore to include more Native American students, leaders,and cultural experiences. The emphasis of the Torres Fel-lowships and of the School of International Service is onservice to communities, nations, and unique cultures –learning, then giving back. These Fellowships will intro-duce Native American students to leadership pathways inthe area of international affairs. Students will be empow-ered to help shape the growing influence of their own cul-tures in national and world politics, understand andexpand the role of Native American peoples in the inter-national arena. Most important, the fellowships allowyoung people from native cultures the opportunity tocontribute to the future sustainability of their nations.This will be perhaps the most significant and difficult goalto achieve.

WINS program for UndergraduatesCurrently, American University offers an undergraduatesummer and semester internship program, the Washing-ton Internships for Native Students (WINS). For the pastnine years, American University has brought undergradu-ate students from tribal colleges and other universities toits special WINS program. WINS is administered as partof the Washington Semester Program, the premier experi-ential learning program of its kind in the country, andadmits 100 undergraduate Native American students insummer sessions plus 15 fulltime undergraduate studentsin each fall and spring semester in Washington. TheWINS program provides full scholarships to admittedstudents including all costs of tuition, housing, meals,transportation and cash stipend. WINS is designed togive American Indian students the chance to study issues

Announcement of the Lou Torres Graduate Fellowships In October 2001, as Dean of the School of InternationalService (SIS), I was pleased to announce the establishmentof the Lou Torres Graduate Fellowships for Native Ameri-can students attending SIS at American University in Wash-ington, D.C. The Torres Fellowships for Native Americansstudying in International Relations at the graduate level areintended to help Native Americans and their communitiesrespond to the challenges produced by the fast-movingglobalized world of the 21st century including sovereigntyand economic stability. In speaking of these fellowships, Mr.Torres stresses how critical it is for young Native Americanpeople to overcome fear of the unknown and to applythemselves with bravery and intelligence to shape a futurefor themselves and their communities.

Lou Torres — A Role Model These fellowships recognize the outstanding achieve-ments of Mr. Guadalupe “Lou” Torres. Lou Torres is amember of the White Mountain Apache Nation. Heserved as one of the first Native American fighter pilots inthe United States Navy, then went on to enjoy a highlysuccessful career as an outstanding electrical engineer, andbecame an active businessman and highly successfulentrepreneur. Mr. Torres served as a chief naval aviationpilot from 1941 to 1962, flying combat missions inWorld War II and the Korean conflict. Overcoming fearwas critical for him again later in pursuit of his degree inelectrical engineering from the University of California-Irvine. Following military service and academic study, hewas a field engineer at Lockheed Corporation beforebecoming President and CEO of his own firm, SystemsIntegration and Research, Inc. He retired from SIR, Inc.in January, 2001, and now directs several new enterprisesincluding Sage Spirit, a Native American Art and Artifactbusiness emphasizing fair trade for tribally producedworks of art and craft (see www.sagespirit.net). He residesin Rhode Island with his wife, Barbara, and travels exten-sively in connection with his new business ventures.


Graduate Fellowships

American University Graduate Offers Fellowshipsin International Relations for Native Americans

By Louis W. Goodman, Ph. D.Dean of the School of International Service, American University


Education has always been valued highly in LeslieCrow’s family. Her mother, Shelly Crow is a Regis-tered Nurse and has a Master’s degree in Nursing.

Her father, John, also has Master’s degrees in BusinessAdministration and Public Health. As she was growingup, Leslie never thought for one minute, that she wouldnot go to college. Her parents inspired her to pursue herMaster’s degree.

Leslie is a current American Indian Graduate Centerfellow and is in the Human Resources and CounselingMaster of Science program at East Central University inAda, Oklahoma. She also works at the Eastern Okla-homa Youth Services program and her employer hasallowed her to work flexible hours so she can attendclasses and school-related activities. She is married toMark Taylor and they have two children, Morgan andJohn. Leslie is determined to complete her Master’sdegree; she currently maintains a 3.9 grade point averagein addition to her job and family responsibilities. She isplanning to graduate in December 2002. Shortly aftergraduation, she will test for the therapist license,Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Leslie plans to give back to her community when shecompletes her Master’s Degree. She feels that there is agreat need for providing prevention, mental health, andsocial services in her family’s home community in ruralsoutheastern Oklahoma. Leslie states that when mentalhealth laws started changing, it greatly reduced the avail-ability of services, mainly in rural areas. Poverty, domesticviolence, mental illness, substance abuse and other prob-lems are prevalent in rural Oklahoma. In 1995, herbrother, John, was killed in an auto-pedestrian accident.In his memory, her parents formed the John Crow IVMemorial Foundation. It is a non-profit organization thatstarted by awarding scholarships to Native American ath-letes. She is a board member of this foundation and is

also the mental health coordinator for some of the pro-grams. She says that with her Masters degree, she will alsoincrease her knowledge and abilities so she can do morework for the Foundation.

Leslie feels that the American Indian Graduate Cen-ter has been a wonderful resource in furthering her edu-cation. She states “AIGC is helping me to improve myjob marketability, my income, my children’s futures, andmy self-esteem. I would say AIGC has had an incredibleimpact in my life.”

Leslie would like to commend and congratulate any-one who is working towards a college degree. She says“Native Americans are very under-represented in mostprofessional areas. I strongly encourage those pursuingundergraduate degrees to continue their education atsome point. It is important not to get “burnt out” onschool, that education is very valuable and rewarding. Atthe risk of sounding like a cliché, "if I can do it, anyonecan do it.” ✦


AIGC Student Profile

Leslie Crow (Muscogee Creek Nation)M.S. Human Resources and CounselingEast Central University, Ada, Oklahoma

“Education will reward you in ways you may never expect;ways you will be grateful for.”

—John Rainer

Leslie Crow

history, tribal sovereignty, and tribal government struc-tures. She has given back to community through herwork with youth and through contributions to AIGC.She feels that “AIGC is a great resource for scholarshipsand other resource information.”

When asked what she would like to tell other AIGCalumni, she said, “I would encourage the alumni to workwith American Indian students and provide support andopportunities for them, as the students look to us as rolemodels.” ✦

Barbara’s commitment to American Indian studentsis evident as she talks about her current positionas the American Indian Educational Outreach

coordinator for the Los Alamos National Laboratory.She enjoys working with youth to help them find schol-arships and learn about other educational programs andopportunities. She feels that with the kind of outreachshe is doing, she is giving back to community. In thepast fifteen years, her jobs have included working withtribal communities and American Indian youth fromelementary school through college.

Barbara is from San Felipe Pueblo and is an alumnaof the American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC). Shereceived her B.S. in Elementary Education from theUniversity of New Mexico and learned of the graduateprogram at Arizona State in Tempe. She applied toAIGC during the time when John Rainer was the direc-tor of the organization. She was inspired to go to gradu-ate school and felt that it was a great opportunity for her.With her motivation and commitment to attend gradu-ate school and with assistance from AIGC, she receivedher M.Ed. in Indian Education.

In her current job, she works with numerous Indianeducation programs and organizations; she recruits andplaces American Indian students in Los Alamos Labora-tory's student and employment programs. She also coor-dinates workshops annually on American Indian culture,


Alumni Profile

Barbara Grimes (San Felipe Pueblo)M.Ed. Indian Education, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

“Don’t give up in achievingyour goal. Keep reaching forwhat your heart is set on andeventually it will happen.”

—John Rainer

Barbara Grimes

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and religious practices. While they are different, onefrom the other, there are similarities and needs amongIndian communities as pertains to educational outreachactivities; for example:• many students in our communities lack basic counsel-

ing services,• high school and college counselors need training to

help native students,• outreach activities should include community work-

shops to disseminate information on scholarship andfinancial aid, and

• support services for college admissions purposes wouldbe very helpful.

How you can helpIf you are a working professional in higher education—deans, counselors, admissions officers, etc.—you canhelp by becoming better versed about the circumstancesaffecting needs of Indian students. You could attendAmerican Indian educational conferences as well as out-reach activities sponsored by your institution. If you area community member you can help by encouragingIndian students to focus on their future educationalplans; you can attend outreach activities and community

Throughout history our Indian ancestors developedsome very effective methods of gathering and dis-seminating information. For example, tribes who

lived on the mesas of northern Arizona would sendexplorers out in all four directions for such purposes.They were referred to as runners. Those runners wouldreturn with vital information about new technologies,tools, food sources, and so forth. It was our way ofensuring survival and maintaining our way of life.

Similarly, the Outreach Department at the AmericanIndian Graduate Center (AIGC) is working diligently togather and disseminate information for our students.Such information will help them develop strategies formaking the transition to college as well as strategies forsuccessfully completing their programs of study.

Having just completed our first year of operation,we would like to share some of what we have learned anddone in terms of program activities, needs of Indiancommunities, ways that higher education practitionersand others can help, and the expected “ROI”, return oninvestment.

Our first priority was to implement an intensiveoutreach effort—literally in all the four directions—todisseminate information about the Gates MillenniumScholars Program. Its purpose was to generate as manyapplications as possible from the various communitiesand colleges involved. This intensive effort included thefollowing activities:• contacted over 9,000 individuals by mail, direct phone

calls, conferences, and traditional Indian gatherings,• conducted site visits to high schools and unversity pro-

grams,• initiated one-on-one contacts with potential students

and provided technical assistance and applicationmaterials, and

• conducted four regional workshops on financial aidthroughout New Mexico.

Needs of Indian CommunitiesIndian tribes/nations differ in significant ways fromother citizens of the United States. Foremost, is the factthat native tribes are sovereign nations. The federal gov-ernment recognizes more than 500 tribes as such andthey each have their own language, traditions, culture,


Gates Millennium Update

Gates Millennium Scholars

Into the Four Directions By Michelle Pasena


Michael Pavel, Council of One Hundred member and aGates scholar


Steven E. Yazzie (Navajo-Hopi) began his under-graduate studies at Northern Arizona University(NAU) majoring in Environmental Technology

Management. Steven overcame many obstacles in hispursuit of higher education including a long stint in theunemployment line after moving to a remote area of theNavajo Reservation to care for his grandmother. Withfew prospects for making a living, he eventually turnedto an ancient craft that was taught him by his grandfa-ther, i.e., the art of carving Kachinas. However, thisproved to be an economically infeasible occupation, andSteven opted to explore other opportunities. He wasdetermined not to become just another dismal “statistic”among a litany of ailments and adversities experiencedby many Native Americans.

Steven is convinced that one of the most effectiveways of overcoming institutional and socio-economic bar-riers facing Indian people is to set an example of academicand workplace success. Thus, he set out to prove to him-self and others that success in the non-Indian scheme ofthings can be achieved with hard work, dedication, andsupport from family and mentors. Two people whoplayed a major role in Steven’s life are his mother, GracePooley, and Phillip Huebner, Director of the AmericanIndian Program at Arizona State University (ASU). Heenrolled at ASU in the spring semester of 1999.

Steven has achieved a number of milestones, accom-plishments, and awards including the following:• President of the One Nation Club at ASU’s east campus• ASU East Student Leaders• Arizona State University Advocates• Student Housing Task Force (a program of the United

Native Development Corporation)• Navajo Tribal Scholarship (1986)• Distinguished service in the United States Navy• FAA’s Certificate of Training “Ruby Award” in avia-

tion education• Fort McDowell Wassaja Scholarship recipient, and• Barrett Honors College, ASU East Campus.

In the fall semester of 2000 Steven was selected toreceive a Gates Millennium Sholarship. He states that thescholarship, “…afforded me the opportunity to meet andinteract with other Gates’ scholars, who are committed totheir communities and work to contribute to those com-

munities. And, as aresult of the finan-cial security of theaward, it gave methe confidence toleave my position inaviation and pursue my education and extracurricularactivities with full conviction.”

Most recently, Steven has developed an interest inpursuing studies toward a degree in law after completionof his undergraduate studies. His vision for himselfincludes the opportunity to address the protection oftribal natural resources, promotion of Native Americanhuman rights, and accountability of the United Statesgovernment to Native peoples. Steven says, “My educa-tion will help achieve a position where I can contributeto environmental issues, economic development, anddevelopment of Indian law.” ✦

Scholar Profile

Gates Millennium Scholar Profile

Steven E. Yazzie (Navajo-Hopi)

Steven Yazzie

workshops, and you can seek the support of tribal eldersand government leaders. If you are a college student orgraduate you can help by providing advice to youngerpeople or by volunteering as discussion leaders in com-munity outreach workshops.

Return on InvestmentUltimately, we are talking about the betterment of Indi-an communities through the education of our futureleaders. This will be manifested in many ways. One wayis through the measurable outcomes of the Gates Millen-nium Scholars Program. We have preliminary data butthe first year’s outcome is only a start. Another way is tomonitor the results of AIGC’s outreach program and itseffect on influencing the development of summer bridgeprograms, enrichment programs, and other student sup-port services, especially in areas where they do notpresently exist.

And, like the runners from our past, we will contin-ue to gather and disseminate information from the fourdirections for the benefit of our people. ✦

Into the Four DirectionsContinued from page 16

This is the first in a series of essays or interviews based onconversations with contemporary American Indian leadersthat pertain to current issues about education and economicdevelopment under the broad theme of “returning home tohelp our people.”

Governor Ernie Lovato is anticipating a meeting withthe Santo Domingo Pueblo Tribal Council when heis asked to talk about his perspective on education

and economic development. Mr. Lovato is resuming afourth term as Governor for the pueblo. He is moving for-ward with new ideas and plans to help his community.

The governor has amassed a wealth of knowledgeand expertise based on experiences he has had away fromhome over a period of 12 years in the military service, hisformal university training, and his professional endeavorsas a consultant. Such experience includes being aspokesman for his people in the halls of Congress, servingas a trainer in native leadership, cross-cultural learningtechniques, and developing skills training in specializedtopics, e.g., “The Power of Humor and Praise.”

His re-entry back into the New Mexico Pueblo milieucame when he was appointed as Secretary, then ViceChairman for the All Indian Pueblo Council (AIPC). TheAIPC is based in Albuquerque. His extensive backgroundgave him confidence in taking on the responsibilities ofleadership in the face of many challenges facing our nativeIndian people in New Mexico. However, he realized thathe needed guidance from our elders.

Governor Lovato recalled that, back then, the AIPCleadership comprised mostly of elders from the 19 Pueb-los. From them he learned many important lessons such asthe proper protocol when addressing Native leaders. Hesensed that with all of his skills, education, and motiva-tion, there were other areas in which he needed to developas a young professional. The elders helped him to grow asa leader. They stressed the importance of maintaining a

cultural connection with “home” and its interrelationshipwith nature. Mr. Lovato feels that being an effective leaderrequires all these elements. Moreover, there must be a bal-ance between the outside world of formal education andwhat is needed to maintain the cultural and environmen-tal aspects that are not written in books.

As Governor he is making education a priority withinthe community. He intends to create a focus group thatwill address education issues from pre-school to graduateschool. He has set a goal of recruiting educated people;those who have the desireand commitment towork hard on behalf ofthe community and itsyouth. He wants them tosucceed. Governor Lova-to states that, “Indianyouth should be encour-aged to stay in school andfocus on completing theirgoals.” Mr. Lovato insiststhat we as AmericanIndians need to be moreaggressive in moving forward and being successful.

The Governor states that, “Education and economicdevelopment are parallel in their importance to createbetter lives for American Indian people. Education iscritical in furthering the economic development goals ofSanto Domingo Pueblo. Our youth need to be preparedto take on future jobs within the Pueblo as well as out-side the Indian Land. These jobs will require excellentcommunication, management, and marketing skills.” Ashe looks ahead the Governor has set goals to:• Create businesses on Santo Domingo Indian Land,• Build a restaurant, a Laundromat, and a grocery store,

and• Create a branch bank,


Tribal Leader Perspectives

The Honorable Ernie Lovato, Governor, Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico

By JoAnn Melchor

“Learn all that you can and be the best at what you do; inthe advancement of your occupation you will be satisfiedwith the outcome.”

—John Rainer


Governor Lovato

American Indian Science and Engineering Society(AISES) has facilitated the creation of an amazing arrayof scientists and engineers most of whom cannot findemployment in their home communities. Indeed, theyare lured away by deep pocket corporations and publicsector employers. Some start their own businesses. Bot-tom line: they may never return home to work.

How do we reverse this trend? I have worked formany years alongside many talented and sincere colleaguesaddressing this issue. Many factors come into play. One ofthe most prominent is tribal politics. But that aspect maybe overstated. Here’s why. When the fundamental eco-nomic system of a tribe is still “under construction,” as itwere, it is extremely difficult to compete with the Ameri-can system. After all, that system has a two hundred yearhead start. This begs the question: Should we fix tribalpolitics or try something easier?

Tribes and rural native communities have recognizedthe dilemma outlined above. While I will always applaudthe outstanding efforts of native education professionals(NIEA, AISES, the Tribal Colleges, and many others)and Tribal leaders, I believe a renewed effort and com-mitment is necessary to build Native economic systems.In fact, the groundwork is already being laid to supportthis next phase of native economic development.

Here are some trends I have recognized over the pastten years that have the potential to bring our peoplehome. First, many gaming Tribes have shown what canbe done with wealth (capital) in terms of investing ineducation, health, and further business development. Thekey is creating wealth by owning businesses, not simplycreating jobs. Creating wealth sometimes requires helpfrom many sectors. Therefore, a second trend—one that Ihave personally been involved in—is to seek and buildpartnerships with other entities to either conduct busi-ness or gear up for it. For instance, joint venturing withother tribes, neighboring businesses, and municipalities

Is there a brain drain in Indian Country? Is ourbiggest export our own people—those in whom wehave invested so much to become educated? Would

our people prefer to live and work in their home com-munities? In most cases, I believe the answer would be aresounding YES!

Our self-determination journey began over a quartercentury ago. This opened doors to countless opportunitiesand challenges to improve the operation of our tribal gov-ernmental functions, hospitals, clinics, and schools, toname a few. Much success has been realized on thesefronts. We have seen spectacular success, in some instances,in the area of economic development. Most notable are thegaming operations along with their spin-off activities thatprovide opportunities never before available to manyNative communities. Non-gaming Tribes, too, have foundways of strengthening their economic bases in terms ofwell-conceived and professionally managed enterprises.Their success is reason to celebrate.

Over half the Native population in the United Stateslives away from the reservations. Why? This is complicat-ed. One variable stands out, however. We live in a coun-try that functions on the basis of free enterprise.Competition is its hallmark. In my view, these are notnecessarily foreign or negative concepts among Nativepeople. We have fervently promoted a belief that educa-tion is the panacea. “Education, we proclaim, will landyou a good job; you will be able to compete. Most impor-tantly, you will be able to return home and help yourpeople.” Now after thirty or forty years of promoting thisbelief, we are in a dilemma.

Educated Indians do indeed find good jobs. Theycompete well. They just don’t come home! Yes, I know,some do. But I also know from thirty years of experiencethat far too many do not.

The American economic system, combined with suc-cess in promoting education among Indian youth, creates“deals you can’t refuse” in many cases. For instance, the


Guest Commentary

Bringing Our People HomeBy Richard Fairbanks

Continued on next page

“Education provides you with the tools you need to succeed in lifeboth financially, vocationally, and in your personal life.”

—John Rainer

can work to combine resources and create synergy ratherthan having to go it alone or having to compete outrightwith those same partners. This paradigm is playing out inseveral areas of the country and has the potential to sig-nificantly increase the mix of employment opportunitiesin local native communities. Such opportunities oftenbring higher salaries as part of the mix.

The third trend may be the most exciting. Remotenessor isolation from markets seem to have eliminated manyNative communities from the American free enterprise sys-tem. Though difficult to overcome, we have seen a shift inthinking due to modern telecommunications, informationtechnology, the internet, and other forms of new technolo-gy. This, combined with the emergence of globalization,offers native communities a brand new set of opportunitiesto not only close the so-called digital divide but to jumpout ahead in some cases (e.g., wireless telecommunication).

We continue to encourage our people to “get aneducation.” Then, to our delight, they do! In doing so,they seek a balance between their cultural needs andtheir economic needs. Such decisions are difficult. But, ifwe build smart economic systems, we can better com-pete for our own people and bring them home. ✦


• Build a new health center, new Headstart facilities, indoor& outdoor recreation center for youth and children,

• Enhance the community through environmental improve-ment, a clean community is the key; this is a major empha-sis in this administration.

Santo Domingo is renowned for its arts and crafts.The jewelry and pottery trades, for example, have beenhanded down over many generations. The Governorwants to build on this reputation to promote tourism—astaple in the economy of New Mexico.

Mr. Lovato encourages American Indian and AlaskanNative students throughout the nation to accomplishtheir educational goals and dreams. He states, “The Indi-an nations need to work together and promote Indianinterests. American Indians need to have more represen-tation in all professional areas. Indians need to considerrunning for political office so they can help make changesto benefit our Indian nations. And—most importantly—to never forget where they came from; that "home" offersteachings that will have an impact on their future and thefuture of coming generations.” ✦

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Tribal Leader PerspectivesContinued from page 16

L uck, I am told, is the crossroads where preparationand opportunity meet. Being in the right place atthe right time. So what is it when ambition runs

headlong into the real world of choices and options? Find-ing one’s way from the campus to the future world ofwork and career can be serendipitous. Or, depending onone’s field of study and one’s vision for oneself, the careerjourney can follow a somewhat orderly path as opposed toone that is freewheeling or seemingly circuitous in nature.

The general course or direction in one’s life, especiallyin one’s profession, is the standard definition of career.Depending on age, one usually finds oneself planning foror facing a career choice, in the middle of a career, or at theend of it. Looking back on one’s lifetime is the point oncethought of as “the future.” In that sense, I can now affirmwhat Yogi Berra allegedly said; “The future ain’t what itused to be.” The only thing we know about the future isthat it cannot be predicted. And, it gets here real quick.

Years ago, as a teen-ager, I stood in the middle of aforty acre cotton patch in rural Oklahoma. It was mid-summer. The heat and humidity were stifling. I hadpaused to rest; to take a drink of water. The sand under-neath my feet was scorching. Heat waves shimmered inthe distance. The rows of cotton seemed endless. I thinkit was precisely at that point in time when I decided thatthe work of a field hand, e.g., chopping cotton, was notmy first career choice. Other than that, I did not have aclue. But that was then.

Nowadays, young people have an almost over-whelming choice of career options or possibilities. Simi-larly, numerous opportunities for scholarship assistancenow exist for Indians that were scarce or non-existent upuntil about 1970. The trick is to link one’s ambition andtraining to one’s options for career growth. Self-helpbooks are available in abundance along with school-to-work programs, career counseling, job fairs, and inter-net-based job postings. Such sources represent the “how”aspect of getting through the career doorway. The firststep, though, is to define the “what.”

Stephen Covey, in The 7 Habits of Highly ProductivePeople, writes about beginning with the end in mind. Forsome, the end may be simply “getting a job,” which isunderstandable. Beyond that, however, one should try tocreate a vision for oneself in terms of career aspiration.We know from working in organizational developmentthat visions take a while to shape in one’s mind. Theytake even longer to formulate into an articulate state-ment. At the personal level, one must rely on one’s intu-ition as much as anything else. Ask yourself, In the end,what would I like people to say about my life’s work?What contribution can I make—to my community, mytribe, my nation, my profession?

For many young people, this is not an easy task.Standing in that hot cotton field so long ago I had envi-sioned myself vaguely as an office worker where the envi-ronment was cool and clean. I did, in fact, work in anumber of offices and did a stint in the Army. By thetime I reached graduate school I began to see a muchlarger picture and a possible role for me as a teacher,preferably at the university level. That is what eventuallyled me into a doctoral program. I did become a teacherbut not university-based. Instead, I would up as aninstructor in a corporate human resources departmentconducting research and training in management andorganizational effectiveness. Teaching was my vision—the setting was unexpected.

Among numerous Indian tribes—long ago—individ-uals often set out on solitary vision quests seeking spiritualguidance and inspiration. In sacred locations some wereable to enter a dream like state whereby they receivedinstruction relative to certain tasks, missions, or personalcommitments. Similarly, it is customary in many tribes forone to receive a name in the native language that is uniqueto him or her. In tribal tradition these served as a kind ofbenchmark for future service or duty for those soendowed. Nowadays the vision quest may be less tenable


The Career Vision QuestBy Perry Horse


“There’s a whole world out there. When you don’t work towardobtaining an education, you limit yourself.”

—John Rainer

Research indicates that one tends to grow throughfour stages of development in white collar jobs. Stageone is the entry or apprentice level. Stage two is whenone becomes recognized as an independent contributorin one’s own right and recognized as such by colleagues.Stage three is when one begins to willingly share one’sexpertise and become a respected spokesperson in theprofession. Stage four occurs when one exercises powerand influence across organizational lines. One growsthrough these stages over time. It is important to notethat growth through the stages is not dependent on pro-motion to management in the usual sense. Rather, itoccurs imperceptibly. The late Gene Dalton, an acquain-tance of mine, described such transitions as similar to anovation which is legal terminology for renegotiating acontract. One renegotiates one’s role according to thestages. Dr. Dalton was co-author of the ground-breakingbook, Novations: Strategies for Career Management.

Regrettably, there is no freeway to the future; nodetailed road map. Instead, it is akin to making one’sway by general compass headings. By charting a generalcourse or direction we can use our own ingenuity inmaking choices depending on available options and ourown sense of where we would like to go. ✦

as a practical matter. But the idea of seeking or setting outthe broad outlines of one’s future goals is still advisable.And, it still requires disciplined thinking.

Once in the workplace, further career planning isusually guided by three questions. 1) Who am I? 2) Howam I perceived by others? 3) What are my options?Answers to the first two questions can be most efficientlyobtained via self-assessment instruments. Information onthese are available in most human resources departments.The most instructive, in my experience, are the so-called360° feedback surveys. These give feedback from one’ssuperiors, subordinates, peers, and family who are knowl-edgeable about the individual. Question one has to dowith one’s talents, interests, and skills. Question two pro-vides answers that most people usually do not get unlessthey ask. We all know what our driving passions are butwe ordinarily do not know how we come across to oth-ers—how we are perceived. Such information can be veryuseful in helping us make any adjustments that may beworthwhile. Question three is simply one of exploringoptions, which could include leaving one’s current job orcompany for better opportunities elsewhere.


The Career Vision QuestContinued from page 23

Native American students at American University

Many oral traditions of our people speak of con-ditions that no longer exist and creatures thatonce lived but do so no more. A close compari-

son of our traditions and the findings of modern scienceoften shows that our people knew many things that sci-ence did not know until very recently. A good exampleis the explosion of Mount Mazama creating CraterLake; another example is the insistence of theCheyennes that the giant buffalo of the Pleistocene andthe modern buffalo are of the same species. Our planknowledge was superior in many ways to contemporaryscience. California tribes identified over 100 plants inthe desert that could be used as food and medicines.

New discoveries are changing the idea about NorthAmerican prehistory very rapidly; the Bering Strait has beenabandoned by many scientists as dates of human occupa-tion are getting earlier and earlier. We should begin toexamine ideas that are prevalent in many tribes and not yetconceived by academic scientists. To that end we are askingthe Council of One Hundred to assist us in identifying eld-ers who would know the traditions of their people regardingGiants and Little People. Consider the following:

Some species of human inhabited parts of NorthAmerica long ago, and, for the tribal accounts we have,were exceptionally cruel to our people. The Paiutes cor-nered them in a cave and smothered them to death; theChoctaws invented the blow gun with poison darts andkilled them at night in guerilla warfare; the Delawaressay that a disaster killed them and the mammoths theyused to hunt.

In the period 1920-1950, six skeletons of tiny humans,about two feet tall, were found in caves in Wyoming.

Authorities who examined these creatures were split ontheir explanations; some felt they were infants who hadcontracted some mysterious disease; others thought theywere fully developed humans. The Crow and Shoshonehave stories describing these little people, as do many tribesin the eastern United States. Sometimes they are describedas having special medicine powers, and sometimes they aredescribed as living the same kind of life that our ancestorslived—hunting and gathering.

We do not take a position on the reality of these crea-tures in defiance of science, but we ask whether or notthey had a physical reality for our ancestors. Many giantbones have been dug up or discovered accidentally in thepast 200 years so there is a basis for asking what we can doto examine this fascinating topic. It is impossible for us totrack down elders who might know stories of these people,but with the cooperation of the Council of One Hundred,we can make a good effort to locate these stories.

Could each of you look around, ask people youknow, stir up your memories, and help us put together afew names that we might contact for a possible confer-ence on Giants and Little People? You could help usbegin to compile a listing of traditional people who knowthe traditions and revere them. We already have enoughpeople out there pretending to be Indians and offeringeverything from Atlantis to New Age meditations. Con-tact the Council of One Hundred at the American IndianGraduate Center. If we decide to have a meeting onGiants and Little People, you are all invited to attend andhear some real stories about the long ago. ✦


Council of One Hundred

Giants and Little PeopleBy Vine Deloria

John realized that the world was changing and he needed to adaptto the demands of life. He began school at 13 and although he did-n’t speak English, he studied until he could understand the lessons.He didn’t believe in giving up. Eventually he received a gold medalfor the best academic performance and outstanding graduate of hishigh school class.


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relatives. This, of course, comes when the responsiblepeople are themselves morally strong. As we mature, wecontinue to grow on the moral side by being constantlyaware of our actions and thoughts, particularly in associ-ation with our fellow humans.

Lastly, but probably most importantly, is our growthon the spiritual side. At one time this growth com-menced prior to birth. To grow spiritually is to developthe soul, the spiritual seed, which is the real being. Thisis an adventurous journey which we pursue throughoutour lives until we go to the “other side camp” as is saidby the old people. First we must recognize that we are allthe grandchildren of Wakan Tanka, the Creator of allthings, the Great Spirit. We must first know all that wecan about our Creator. Much of this knowledge comesfrom those who raise us through our adolescent years. Atearly childhood we begin this development by learningas much as we can about all the wonders of nature, theseasons, and the teachings of our elders and spiritualleaders. We learn to love and respect all of life that we seein all of creation. The use of the Sweat Lodge and thePipe are used to come into complete harmony with allabout us. Through this we can come to a greater under-standing of who we are and experience peace of mindand joy in living. When we grow and develop on all foursides, we become well-balanced human beings able to bepositive forces throughout our lives.

We can find true happiness in every respect – we arenot lopsided people. ✦

Phil Lane, Sr., was born and raised on the Standing Rock IndianReservation and went to Haskell Institute. He has lived in the Northwestfor many years, working as a civil engineer while being a true traditionalteacher.

Mitakuyepi.” Some of the Lakota people knowwhat this word means; it means “my relatives” inthe Sioux language. Instead of addressing a

group by the term “Ladies and Gentlemen” or otherappropriate salutations, our people respectfully addressedthem as “Mitakuyepi.” They did this because in their oldaboriginal way of life, they felt related to everyone and allliving things. They felt a need to be related to everyone,everywhere. These old people will tell you that no matterwhere you go in Indian country, you will always find rela-tives. I believe that all Native people have this beautifulidea in common, so I address you, “Mitakuyepi.”

Our old people believed we were born into thisworld to enjoy every moment of it.

They had proof of this when they saw the youngcolts running, playing and kicking; the birds singing; thelittle puppies chasing one another and playing, and inmy Northwest country, the beautiful salmon and otherfish jumping and splashing in the water. These creaturesof course, do not have the reasoning of a human beingyet; they enjoy life as the Creator intended it.

Our people say that we are born into this world tofulfill a destiny and if we look to the Creator for guid-ance, we will grow and develop on four sides: physically,mentally, morally and spiritually. Our old people lived intheir aboriginal ways, completely in harmony with natureand so they naturally grew up developed on all four sides.

Now we all know that to grow on the physical side,we need to eat well, to work, to exercise and rest thebody. To grow mentally, we must exercise the brain andlearn the things we need to be able to accomplish what-ever mental problems we face throughout our lives. Togrow on the moral side generally starts very early in ourlives by the influence of our parents, grandparents and


Healing – A Native PerspectiveBy Phil Lane, Sr.

“

John knew what it was like to struggle financially through college.The scholarships he assisted others with were his way of support-ing students in their efforts to succeed.

Be the Face of America to the World

The U.S. Department of State has careers in awide variety of areas as a Foreign ServiceOfficer, Foreign Service Specialist or CivilService employee. We’re looking forpeople interested in managing andsupporting the operations of aU.S. embassy, helping Americancitizens, analyzing political andeconomic events, and handlingpublic affairs abroad. Student employmentand internship opportunities are also available.

Experience the challenge and excitement ofbeing on the frontline diplomatic team ofthe United States while making a difference in

the world. As an equal opportunityemployer, the Department of Stateencourages Native Americans tocontact one of the Diplomats inResidence about the hundreds of

careers available.To locate a Diplomat inResidence near your graduate program,please visit www.careers.state.gov/dir.html

The Opportunity of a Lifetimewww.careers.state.gov

U . S . D E PA R T M E N T O F S TAT E

tal ethics, sustainable development, and environmentaljustice. The Program's goal is to advance local, nationaland global environmental protection efforts.

International Communication. Students learn how tohelp communities deal with the challenges of globalization.The program prepares students for involvement in culturalrights, national sovereignty, and global cooperation.

International Development. The program trains stu-dents to participate more effectively in implementingand shaping socioeconomic, political, and environmen-tal change around the world including small enterprisedevelopment, gender equity, and education.

International Economic Policy. The emphasis in IEP ison real world economic policy and transactions amongsovereign communities, international organizations,multinational corporations and non-governmentalorganizations including trade, finance, development,investment, energy, and natural resources.

International Peace and Conflict Resolution. Studentsexamine various approaches to peacemaking, basicassumptions about conflict, and application of theory tocurrent conflict situations. Students have the opportuni-ty to develop practical skills in conflict resolution and itstechniques.

United States Foreign Policy. The program concen-trates on ten themes, including leadership, the role ofsmall groups in U.S. foreign policy decision-making,institutions and procedures of the federal government asthey relate to policy, and U.S. policies and practices con-cerning immigration, human rights, international law,and international peace operations.

All School programs emphasize economic developmentand poverty alleviation, cross-cultural communication andcommunication technologies, complex emergency manage-ment, diplomacy and conflict prevention, negotiationbetween nations, and policy analysis including treaties andcooperation between nations.

Most important, no matter what their field of studyor planned occupational path, all members of the SIScommunity share a commitment to making a differencein the world — to taking action in a positive, principledway in this increasingly interconnected yet dividedworld. SIS is poised to build upon its distinctive founda-tion, and we invite Native American peoples to join usin a mission of vital significance in coming years.

For more information about the School of InternationalService, please review our web site at www.american.edu/sisor contact us by e-mail at [email protected] or byphone at 202-885-1599. ✦

of interest to the Native community and to gain valuablework experience through internships in the nation’s capi-tal. Interns are placed in a variety of federal agencies. Theacademic component of the program is focused on issuessuch as tribal sovereignty, trust responsibilities, education,tribal language retention, health and social welfare inIndian communities, and economic development. Theinternship is also part of a separate academic class. TheWINS Program maintains regular close contact with allthe internship sites and supervisors and holds regularinternship classes with assigned readings and writtenwork, designed to ensure that each internship is rigorousand substantive and promotes the greatest academic andprofessional development for each student. Numeroussocial activities and a summer powwow have become reg-ular features of the WINS program.

The School of International ServiceSince 1957, the School of International Service has offeredprograms designed to encourage peace and human dignityworldwide, and thus the School promotes the concept cen-tral to its name: service. Graduate and undergraduate stu-dents, mid-career professionals, and ambassadors havebeen attracted to SIS for its special emphasis on service —learning much within their SIS studies and generously giv-ing back to their countries and cultures. The School plansto strengthen this distinctive experience and to continue toprovide flexibility as it encourages Native American stu-dents to pursue any and all of its programs. For students atall levels, the School of International Service offers unusualopportunities to study with distinguished professors insmall classes, to study a variety of subjects of internationaland domestic concern, and to undertake internships andindependent study that relate to the pressing needs of com-munities in this and many nations. Central to its programare human rights questions, cross-cultural study, peace,economic development, and nation building.

Fields of Study in the School of InternationalServiceWith more than 100 scholars and practitioners on its fac-ulty, the School of International Service is the largest cen-ter for international affairs education in the US, offeringdegree programs at all levels. The School has extraordi-nary breadth in its eight fields of study, all of which areavailable for Native American students including:

Comparative and Regional Studies. Students compareand explore the inter-relationship between and amongvarious communities, nations, and cultures.

International Environmental Policy. Students learn theprocesses of policy-making through a concentration onpolitical economy, international diplomacy, environmen-


American University FellowshipsContinued from page 12

Teri Walker (Choctaw) is taking a leave of absence. Shehas accepted an invitation to participate for six weeks

in an ongoing research project of Donald Brightsmith,Ph.D., Duke University Department of Zoology. Dr.Brightsmith is studying macaw reproduction and manage-ment, and their utilization of clay licks—cliff banks con-taining clay which, when ingested, is believed to neutralizethe toxins common in the birds’ food. The research site isin the Tambopata National Reserve in southeastern Peru,an area containing some of the most pristine and biologi-cally diverse rainforest in the world. Teri is a birder andhas been fascinated by the neotropics since childhood.Sothis is an opportunity for her to realize a lifelong dream.Teri is AIGC Administrative Associate. ✦

The American Indian Graduate Center receivesfinancial support from alumni, special friends, con-

tributors, staff, businesses and foundations. Specialthanks are extended to all those who have sent contribu-tions this year. AIGC receives BIA funding for graduatefellowships, but there is a continued need to raise fundsfor our programs and fellowships. So please keep thosecontributions coming.

The American Indian Graduate Center would liketo especially thank the following organizations for theirsupport of our American Indian Graduate students:

• Pojoaque Cities of Gold, Pojoaque, New Mexico• Acoma Business Enterprises, Acoma, New Mexico• San Felipe Casino Hollywood, San Felipe Pueblo,

New Mexico• Tamaya Enterprises, Inc., Santa Ana Pueblo, New

MexicoThe AIGC made a presentation to the NM Indian

Gaming Association and its members who wholeheart-edly support the work of the graduate center. Contribu-tions from the businesses listed above represent AIGC’sfirst ever support from these gaming tribes. Such supportis vital to help in meeting our mission of creating self-sustaining communities through education. ✦

The American Indian Graduate editor, Dr. PerryHorse, participated in a memorial ceremony for the

late Lloyd H. “Kiva” New, President Emeritus of theInstitute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe.The two-hour ceremony on February 23 was attendedby approximately 300 people and featured speakers suchas: Dr. N. Scott Momaday, artists and IAIA alums KevinRed Star (Crow) and Dan Namingha (Hopi), as well asother notables in the Indian art world. Perry, a formerpresident of the Institute, sang a traditional Kiowamemorial song. This was followed by presentation of theU. S. flag to Dr. New’s widow by an honor guard of theU. S. Navy. Dr. New was a deck officer in the navy inWWII. He was born February 18, 1916, and passedaway on February 8, 2002. ✦


AIGC News

American Indian Graduate Center News

Beverly R. Singer (Tewa/Diné)Beverly R. Singer is Tewa and Diné from Santa ClaraPueblo, New Mexico. She is an award-winning documen-tarian whose video productions explore the subject of cul-tural revitalization in Native American communities. Activein media for two decades, she is on the Board for the Chia-pas Media Project and a founding member of the NativeAmerican Producers Alliance.Prior to becoming the inauguraldirector in 2001 of the AlfonsoOrtiz Center for InterculturalStudies at the University of NewMexico, she was a public pro-gram specialist with the Ameri-can Museum of Natural History,the Smithsonian National Muse-um of the American Indian Filmand Video Center, and taught atParsons School of Design and atCalifornia Polytechnic State University. She received herPh.D. in American Studies from the University of NewMexico and her M.A. in Social Service Administration fromthe University of Chicago, and her film training from theAnthropology Film Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Youmay reach Beverly via e-mail at [email protected] ✦

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDAlbuquerque, NMPERMIT NO 1312

The American Indian Graduate4520 Montgomery Blvd., NESuite 1-BAlbuquerque, NM 87109

tribal governments and entities. David was instrumentalin helping the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation toexpand its services into the lower 48 states. Based inAnchorage, the ASRC is wholly owned by Inupiat Eskimos.At that time David served ASRC as Vice President of Mar-keting. His e-mail address is: [email protected].

Kathryn W. Shanley (Assiniboine)Kathryn is an enrolled Assiniboine (Nakota) from the Ft.Peck Reservation in Montana. She earned her Ph.D inEnglish Literature and Language Studies at the Universi-ty of Michigan in 1987, with a focus on the study ofAmerican Indian and Third World literatures.

She has published widely in the field of AmericanIndian literary criticism, writing about such authors asJames Welch, Maria Campbell, Leslie Silko, N. ScottMomaday, Linda Hogan, Thomas King, and others.Most recently, she edited a special edition of ParadoxaJournal of World Literary Genres entitled: Native Ameri-can Literature: Boundaries and Sovereignties.

Kathryn is also on the Board of Directors for theAmerican Indian Graduate Center.

Beverly Singer

Meet the AIGC BoardContinued from page 7

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American Indian Graduate Magazine Spring 2002

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