Zachary Crumbo, 2025 Mdamen Leadership Program (MLP) alum, shared his impactful Mdamen experience with the Hownikan.

Finding identity

Born in Utah and raised near the Grand Canyon, Crumbo knew about his Potawatomi heritage through his father. However, he was not connected with the people. He had paintings from his great-uncle Woody Crumbo, but connections were limited. The main connection he had was with a Citizen Potawatomi family friend, Danny Haskey.

Crumbo’s father, a national park service river ranger, unexpectedly passed away in a backcountry canoe accident. After his father walked on, he felt inspired to learn more about his heritage.

He heard about Mdamen and the Potawatomi Leadership Program (PLP) through social media but did not think it would apply to him. That changed after participating in one of the talking circles hosted by Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) Department of Education.

“The talking circle featured PLP alumni, and I was so moved by the stories of the young people who participated,” Crumbo said. “Their words resonated deeply with me, and I immediately decided that I needed to be a part of something like that.”

Mdamen experience

Participating in Mdamen was a life-changing experience for him.

“It connected me with my heritage in a way that I had never dared to dream,” Crumbo said. “I had felt like an imposter in my explorations of my identity, and Mdamen gave me the means to connect with the Tribe authentically and to forge real relationships with others just like me.”

He described Mdamen as a practical and spiritual education — everything from Tribal enterprise to the traditional ways of handling eagle feathers. He also learned how to introduce himself in Bodéwadmimwen and explored his ancestry.

Crumbo feels inspired to live with purpose and pay the gift of knowledge he received forward to his family who were cut off from their heritage. He encourages others to apply as the time commitment is manageable and CPN’s Department of Education staff are amazing.

“You’ll meet Tribal leadership, hang out virtually with raptors and learn about your heritage. Whatever you are hoping to get from it, you’ll receive that and so much more,” Crumbo said.

Crumbo shared in his final reflection at the end of the 2025 Mdamen program:

“I always knew that I was Potawatomi, but I didn’t know that I could say that part out loud. I asked, tentatively, ‘you don’t know me, but can I sit on the edge and watch in silence? I know I don’t belong, but it would mean so much to me just to know a little bit.’ I thought I’d be on this path alone.

I never imagined that I’d be answered with an embrace, with love, with ‘we’ve been looking for you, where have you been?’ I never dared to imagine the generosity of my people, that I’d be given such profound gifts of knowledge, community and family.”

Crumbo’s artwork

For his Mdamen final, Crumbo created an image titled Mskwangé, the Bodewadmi word for red-winged blackbirds. These birds, known for their glossy black feathers with red-and-yellow shoulder markings, are found throughout North America and have an association with CPN because of the fire markings on the males’ wings.

“I made this image because I’ve been surrounded by these birds in all the places I’ve lived, but didn’t realize it, much like I’ve been surrounded by my Potawatomi relations without knowing,” Crumbo told the Hownikan.

He is grateful for the opportunity to participate in Mdamen and for the connection it helped him form with his heritage.

Mdamen application

Applications for the 2026 Mdamen Leadership Program closed Dec. 1. The program is open to Tribal members ages 18 and older and offers an opportunity to connect with your Tribal identity and fellow citizens, as well as learn about the government, culture, and economic development of the Nation.

To learn more about the Mdamen Leadership Program, visit portal.potawatomi.org.