Who We've Funded

Psychologist Tami Jollie-Trottier knows that the arts offer a creative outlet for a young person to build self-confidence and cultural identity. Her goal is to create a beautiful and safe haven where the young people of the Turtle Mountain Band of

The drum, the heartbeat of Native nations, restored Floyd Jourdain as a young man 30 years ago when he sought sobriety. It carried him through his 10 years as tribal chair of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. Now he wants to explore how the drum can

Nevada Littlewolf was the first Anishinaabe woman ever elected to the Virginia City Council and, at age 31, the only council member under the age of 55. That influential experience encouraged her to establish Rural and American Indigenous Leadership

John Glover understands dichotomies. He is Indian and non-Indian, traditional Native and Americanized Norwegian Lutheran, academic and non-academic. Given those realities, he seeks to be a bridge and facilitator between the various constituencies he

As the youngest Native American ever elected to the South Dakota Legislature, and one of only two tribal members in the state’s House of Representatives, Kevin Killer is entering what must be his final term with his eye on the next generation. Who

Lakota peace-making has a long tradition in Richard Iron Cloud's family--his grandparents participated in the 1851 and 1868 Peace Treaty at Fort Laramie both as leaders and interpreters. Richard will use his Bush Fellowship to complete a Ph.D. in

Charlie Thayer wants to make it easier for stories about Native culture to be told in the voice of Native people. Particularly stories of healing from historical trauma or its aftermath. His vision is to create a platform from which the voices of the

In 2009, Marge Anderson, then the chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, tapped Jennifer Waltman to join her cabinet as commissioner of community development. Jennifer wasn't sure she was the right fit for the job, but Anderson, who passed

Although the Bismarck-Mandan off-reservation American Indian population is significant, their socio-economic realities and negative community perceptions separate them from full participation in the community. My goal is to utilize comprehensive data

Forced removal of the Dakota people from their lands following the 1862 Dakota War led to a devastating loss of cultural knowledge. I will help recover an important aspect of our cultural identity that cherishes indigenous foods and medicines

Every three to five years the Standing Rock Sioux experience suicide clusters—at times in excess of 49 attempts in a 30-day period—with 16 completions over the last two decades. This is the highest rate in the nation. I hope to get "people moving

The loss of language in the American Indian community erodes the ability to pass on cultural values and norm, which in turn negatively affects early childhood development. My fellowship will address the need for a culturally specific early childhood