Aaniin and Boozhoo Gaa-waabaabiganikaag nindinawemaaganidog.
Hello, and greetings, my White Earth loved ones:
After much idea and consideration, I actually have decided to run for chairman of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. I sense that my professional experience, training, and most importantly, how I live my lifestyle gives, the management qualities had to be your chairman.
My mother and father are the late Juel and Elsie Fairbanks; I grew up in St. Paul and moved up north right after excessive college. My schooling consists of Associate of Science stages: commercial enterprise control and vitamins, Bachelor of Arts in American Indian research, and Post bachelor’s inside the Naadamaadiwin Special Education Program.
I am graduating with a Master of Arts in Education from Augsburg University.
I actually have labored in tribal administration in diverse capacities for the last 18 years, which covered the deputy director of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe.
During this function, I hooked up an expansive evaluation. I received treasured know-how of the various programming and offerings supplied for our individuals and stale the White Earth Nation reservation.
This revel in gave me the possibility to paintings alongside tribal, kingdom, and countrywide leadership, program control, and main personnel in proactively addressing issues and issues of White Earth Band participants in our communities.
I am currently employed because of the coordinator of a nonprofit enterprise, which protects our water and air on a nearby degree proper here on the White Earth Nation reservation. Family is an essential part of my existence. I even have person youngsters and 8 grandchildren and am engaged to a conventional lively Anishinaabe female.
It is because of our natural connection to Mother Earth we’re protectors of the water and air, our Ojibwe communities in addition to Ojibwe tradition and language. I am a pipe provider and drum keeper in addition to a conventional dancer and find a strong feel of Mino-bimaadiziwin, The Good Life, in our communities.
I agree that we need to move forward on a variety of tasks to make certain that our futures are positive and wholesome.
Health care — Currently, the White Earth Tribe is considered a Direct Service Tribe. Thus, the Indian Health Services currently presents for the general public health care offerings through the White Earth Service Unit.
I would really like to look at White Earth to take over the one’s offerings thru a self-governance contract. This might allow White Earth to now not handiest offer greater services to elders and other band contributors, but permit us to extra completely integrate current tribal programs with the services of the one — developing a White Earth Tribal Health system that will provide greater and higher healthcare services, also, to allow for enhancements and offerings to be advanced and carried out that we as a tribe determines satisfactory for our communities and those. Joint project – This is a competitive settlement with the Indian Health Services that White Earth changed into awarded years ago. This agreement will permit for a brand new tribal-run facility to be constructed in Naytahwaush. This assignment is currently on maintenance; I feel this is essential that this venture goes ahead because it will offer higher healthcare get the right of entry to our elders and band members in Naytahwaush and surrounding communities. The new medical institution may even offer tons-wished jobs each within the creation phase of the medical institution. Additionally, whilst the ability is in operation, a good way to improve that community’s financial system.
Education – Educating our people is also any other pinnacle precedence. Preparing destiny generations for expert and vocational possibilities will most effective make stronger our communities.
As your chairman, issues which might be crucial to me: A wholesome family, training, and conventional Anishinaabe values, will offer the kind of management which you, my White Earth Relatives, need to have.