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“A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground … then it is finished, no matter how brave its warriors or how strong its weapons.” — a Cheyenne proverb
American Indian women continue to serve at the foundation of the tribal college movement. This resource guide will lead you to their work, as well as to individuals, organizations, and services that may be useful in your career. The guide is organized using the core values that defined Comanche Nation College: responsibility, relationships, reciprocity, and redistribution.
RESPONSIBILITY
American Indian women play an important role in the services provided by several educational organizations. Here, I have identified resources connected to the tribal college movement. Organizations you will want to be familiar with include the following:
The American Indian College Fund
Cheryl Crazy Bull (Sicangu Lakota)
President and CEO
8333 Greenwood Blvd.
Denver, CO 80221
(303) 426-8900
collegefund.org
Founded in 1989, the American Indian College Fund was established to increase the number of American Indians who complete a post-secondary education. Currently providing more than 100K scholarships and an estimated $200 million in the support of Indian community, the College Fund continues to grow.
American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC)
Carrie Billy (Diné)
President and CEO
121 Oronoco Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 838-0400
aihec.org
AIHEC has served U.S.-based tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) for 45 years by strengthening tribal nations through advocacy, specifically ensuring that tribal sovereignty is respected in higher education. The organization provides technical assistance to TCUs and hosts a yearly student conference.
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)
Kathrine Campbell (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska/Meskwaki/Pomo)
Program Analyst
12220 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20191
(202) 534-8770
bie.edu
The Bureau of Indian Education is responsible for certification of tribal colleges, as well as disbursement of BIE funds to those TCUs authorized by the Tribal College Act.
National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE)
Joely Proudfit (Luiseño/Payomkowishum)
Board Member
(760) 750-3535
jproudfi@csusm.edu
The National Advisory Council on Indian Education is authorized by §6141 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. §7471. Board members are presidential appointees from across the nation who advise the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Interior, and various presidential Indian initiatives. Members provide important advocacy for tribal youth. Dr. Proudfit represents California and was active in the development of a state-wide needs assessment on tribal colleges.
RELATIONSHIPS
Resources designed to provide data support for your academic work and career in a data-driven, accountability environment include the following databases:
The American Indian Measures of Success (AIMS)
aihec.org/our-stories/AIMS.htm
The American Indian Measures of Success was initiated by AIHEC in 2004. The initiative uses the AIMS Key Indicator System (AKIS) that identifies variables of success to be tracked within the tribal college system. By tracking these success variables, researchers can study the return on investment qualitatively and quantitively.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data
IPEDS data is maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics and is useful for researching data trends, including enrollment, completion, graduation rates, institutional revenues, financial aid, and employee demographics.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)
IPUMS can be a useful research tool because it provides census and survey data integrated across time and space. This is useful in studying change, conducting comparative research, and merging information across data types.
CFR: Title 25. Indians
The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 25, contains the codified federal laws and regulations that are in effect, including Indian gaming, Native arts and crafts, education, and health.
RECIPROCITY
Relevant leadership strategies from role models, specifically American Indian women who actively work with tribal colleges, include the following:
Crazy Bull, C. (2015). Transferring Knowledge of the Tribal College Movement. In G. Gipp, & L.S. Warner, J. Pease, & J. Shanley (Eds.), American Indian Stories of Success: New Visions of Leadership in Indian Country (pp. 293-298). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
Linquist, C. (2015). Visions Revisited: Leadership in Indian Country. In G. Gipp, & L.S. Warner, J. Pease, & J. Shanley (Eds.), American Indian Stories of Success: New Visions of Leadership in Indian Country (pp. 147-151). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
Pease, J. (2015). Helps the People: The Dance of the Seasons (Ak bi li kkux she: Ash he’e lee taa li ssua): A Retrospective on Leadership. In G. Gipp, & L.S. Warner, J. Pease, & J. Shanley (Eds.), American Indian Stories of Success: New Visions of Leadership in Indian Country (pp. 153-176). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
Warner, L.S. (2015). Concrete Teepees, Faceless Bureaucrats, and Learned Helplessness. In G. Gipp, & L.S. Warner, J. Pease, & J. Shanley (Eds.), American Indian Stories of Success: New Visions of Leadership in Indian Country (pp. 177-185). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
REDISTRIBUTION
Partners and allies who provide resources that may be of interest to you personally or professionally include the following:
Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO)
1001 Marquette Ave NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 842-8677
aio.org/
AIO operates to empower American Indians who wish to pursue career opportunities through individualized education in a culturally rich environment. Using traditional Indigenous philosophies to foster value-based leadership, AIO inspires stakeholder-driven solutions to contemporary problems.
American Indian Resource Center (AIRC)
110 West Choctaw
Tahlequah, OK 74464
(918) 456-5581
aircinc.org/
The AIRC develops culturally appropriate resources by providing professional expertise to American Indian tribes, organizations, and schools. The AIRC has two primary divisions: the Education Talent Search and the Institute for Native Justice. Of interest would be the series of online training modules for victim advocates working in Indian Country.
The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
2525 E. Franklin Ave., Ste.150
Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 354-7700
boardingschoolhealing.org/
The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition addresses the historical trauma (social, emotional, spiritual, and cultural devastation) from boarding school experiences that has impacted individuals, families, communities, and tribal nations.
National Indian Women’s Health Resource Center (NIWHRC)
228 S. Muskogee Avenue
Tahlequah, OK 74464
(918) 456-6094
Niwhrc.com
The NIWHRC was created to assist American Indian women to create healthy lifestyles across Indian Country. The organization provides curriculum and research services that include HIV/AIDs training and youth programs, as well as resources on suicide prevention, mental health, cervical cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC)
515 Lame Deer Avenue, PO Box 99
Lame Deer, MT 59042
(855) 649-7299
www.niwrc.org
The NIWRC addresses issues of domestic violence and safety for Indian women. By reclaiming the sovereignty of Native nations, NIWRC is able to safeguard Indian women and their children. Using public awareness and resource development, as well as training and technical assistance in policy development and research, the center provides leadership that stresses accountability and justice. Access to services based on tribal beliefs and practices support this grassroots effort.
Linda Sue Warner, PhD (Comanche), is a former educator at Comanche Nation College, a past president of Haskell Indian Nations University, and an editor of the books Tradition and Culture in the Millennium and American Indian Stories of Success.
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