Two Potawatomi Leadership Program alumni are hoping their idea will inspire more CPN to participate in elections.
Ella Carbrey and Megan Cavallaro both participated in PLP in 2024, staying in Shawnee, Oklahoma, for six weeks and learning about CPN culture and government. As part of the program, PLP make a presentation before Tribal administrators, recommending new programs or services they would like to see implemented.
Carbrey and Cavallaro created an initiative to hold an art contest they hoped would encourage more Tribal members to vote. Tribal members could submit a Potawatomi-inspired design for a sticker featuring the words “Ngi-wénabjegé/I voted.”
In April, the contest was announced on CPN social media channels. Winners will be selected by committee for each of three age group categories: 12 & under, 13-18, and 18+. First, second and third place winners will receive a cash prize. The winning design in each category will be printed for distribution to voters at this year’s Family Reunion Festival.
Entries are due by May 16, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CDT, at cpn.news/stickercontest.
PLP experience was inspiring
While attending the Shawnee area Juneteenth celebration during their PLP experience, Carbrey and Cavallaro were inspired by the event’s art contest. They knew that many Potawatomi connect to their heritage through art and wondered how art could play a role in voter engagement.
“(Voting) is not just about just the people who are doing that now, but the people will be doing that in the future,” Carbrey said.
“Art is really important to us. In our culture, we do a lot of beading, we dance, make the regalia we wear, and seeing that it’s so important to our culture, we thought it would just be a great idea to get engagement,” Cavallaro said.
They were both happy to see their idea becoming a reality.
“I’m so excited about it. We had our PLP counselor’s brother make a little sticker for us to use in our (PLP) presentation. We spent six weeks working on this project and we really did think it was a good idea. So, it’s awesome to see that CPN is using that,” Cavallaro said. “I can’t wait to see the art and all the different places they come from.”
“The PLP was the first exposure to so many parts of the Tribe for me, so I think it would have been really cool as a kid to see the Potawatomi word for voter,” said Carbrey. “I think it’s a real testament to what the PLP means to the Tribe. We came (to Shawnee) and have all these ideas and they’re actually being implemented. I think it’s awesome.”
They hope the stickers start a conversation about the priorities that matter most to Tribal members and encourage voting.
“Our hope was that a lot of kids would be doing this. It’s one thing for the adults to vote on the budget or candidates but it’s another to involve the kids so I think that’s going to be fun and drive cultural engagement as well,” said Cavallaro.
“I hope it introduces people to new aspects of the Tribe, whatever that means for them. I hope it gets conversations going in the homes of whoever receives the sticker,” said Carbrey.
Voter priorities
Life can be hectic, whether through work or school obligations. For those unable to attend and vote in person, Tribal members may request an absentee ballot and mail it in.
“Tribal elections are really a chance to make your voice heard. When you compare it to other elections you participate in, it really is an opportunity to directly affect what is going on because it’s a smaller group of people. (Voting) directly affects the way the Tribe is going to carry itself into the future. Your vote may have more of an impact than you think. No matter where you live, the impact of that vote can be really clear, which is a cool process to be a part of,” said Carbrey.
Cavallaro said she voted in person for the first time in 2024 and described the process as easy.
“With how streamlined it is, it’s not that big of an effort, but it’s up to you to decide it matters. Ultimately, you’re going to be the one carving out the time to the things that are important to you. Remember that we have a lot of culture here and there’s a lot to be found and you have to open yourself up to learning these things. Being involved is the first step of that,” Cavallaro said.
“I’m just very excited to see what the sticker’s going to be. Hopefully it becomes sort of a tradition of the Tribe with each year to have this as part of the voting process. We can have things that are unique to our Tribe and unique to our Indigeneity,” Carbrey said.
Future leaders
They had a shared goal to draw more Potawatomi together, making the vast CPN community feel closer.
“Both of us live hundreds of miles away from Shawnee but art is so versatile and can come from so many different age groups and locations. We thought that that would be something to draw more people as well,” Cavallaro said.
“I think this could be an early connection to the Tribe for young Tribal members who might not know what their parents are voting for or might not have ever been to Shawnee or had much exposure to the Tribe,” Carbrey said. “Seeing the Potawatomi language or art made by a Tribal member is a good way to introduce more people to their heritage.”
They are both eager to see more Tribal members of their generation learn from elders and prepare to lead the Nation themselves in the future.
“Some advice I would give personally is to do the PLP if you can. It was so much fun, and it introduced me to so much of the culture. If you can’t do the PLP, do Mdamen. I would like to see more bridging of the generations. We have our elders and they’re super important, especially with teaching us cultural things. But I think this project might help kind of get younger kids interested in learning more,” Cavallaro said.
“It’s important to listen to the voices of the younger generation, too. Get involved as much as you can. In many ways I wish I got involved more with the Tribe sooner, but I’m really glad I did when I did,” Carbrey said.
Carbrey is a Vieux/Johnson descendant from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and attends the University of Vermont. She is a psychological science major who hopes to eventually work in clinical psychology, helping young people who have survived childhood adversity.
Cavallaro is an Anderson descendant from Reno, Nevada. She is attending the University of Nevada and majoring in philosophy and psychology. She is also interning at her state legislature and hopes to eventually work as a lawyer or in government