Northwest Tribes

March 18, 2006

This seminar will feature videos of Ron Allen (Jamestown S’Klallam), Billy Frank, Jr. (Nisqually), Kathryn Harrison (Grand Ronde), Mel Tonasket (Colville), and Sue Shaffer (Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians).

Ron Allen has been Chairman of his tribe since 1978 and led the tribe in gainingits federal recognition. Allen makes no bones about it: he first got interested in tribal politics when he had to get a replacement I.D. card to play Indian basketball. He thrives on challenge, and has greatly expanded the economy of his own small tribe while simultaneously working on the national level, with National Congress of American Indians and other coalitions.

Billy Frank, a recipient of the prestigious Schweitzer Award, has tirelessly fought to retain the treaty fishing rights in the waters and rivers of Puget sound, and ultimately, the fishing and hunting rights of tribes across the nation. A charismatic leader,

Frank is known for unusual skills in bringing adversaries to the table and for his advocacy on behalf of the environment.

Kathryn Harrison helped lead her tribe from federal termination to restoration as a recognized tribe. In the process, her leadership helped restore the cultural richness of her people and revitalize the economy in rural communities surrounding the Grand Ronde. She was the first woman chair of her tribe, and is a highly regarded spiritual leader.

Mel Tonasket rose to leadership in the heady 1970s, an era of great gains for Indian people. He led his tribal council’s fight against termination and as President of National Congress of American Indians mobilized support for major tribal legislation. A shy individual, he frankly and eloquently relates his journey from the Okanagan Valley to the halls of Congress.

Sue Shaffer has been Chair of the Cow Creek since 1983 and was a leader in getting Congress to formally recognize her tribe. She has touched thousands of lives in Douglas County, Oregon, through her tireless work in economic development. Shaffer, an avid Democrat, has received the Eleanor Roosevelt Award from the Democratic Party of Oregon.

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