Leaves are turning colors, football season is well underway and pumpkin-spice is in almost any product imaginable. While most breathe a sigh of relief with cooler temperatures, another autumn tradition, flu shots, are being given at workplaces and schools across the country.  Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Health Services staff spent late September and early October immunizing staff across the tribal enterprises and programs. CPN tribal member Read More »

In history class, two Marine Military Academy cadets discovered they not only share Native American roots, but they actually belong to the same nation. Juniors Cameron Rush of Bakersfield, California, and Anthony Wulfkuhle of Glendale, Arizona, met for the first time in August 2016 in their U.S. History class. It was during a lesson on Native Americans that the teenagers learned about their connection to the Citizen Read More »

On October 10, the AARP Oklahoma Indian Elders Honors held its eighth annual Oklahoma Indian Elders event in Oklahoma City with two Citizen Potawatomi Nation members amongst those honored. The awards banquet has become a well-known event in Oklahoma’s Indian Country, with the AARP recognizing the achievements of tribal elders from the state’s 39 tribal nations.  For many, the recognition of their work on behalf of Read More »

The Santa Fe Indian Market is the largest Native American art market in the world and has been running for nearly 100 years. It includes a prestigious juried art show that attracts as many as 150,000 visitors from many countries. At the most recent event, a tribal employee and cultural teacher was on hand to sell some of her self-made products. Muscogee (Creek) Read More »

The NextGen Under 30 awards are presented by Oklahoma City-based ION Oklahoma, a printing and digital news publication. Awardees from 15 categories, all under the age of 30 at the time of their nomination, are recognized for their contributions as leaders in innovation and creativity in their specific sector. Current Director of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Department of Education Tesia Zientek was amongst this year’s awardees for her service Read More »

With the American economy creeping along at anemic growth rates, traditional lending institutions continue to hold back on loans for small businesses. Stepping into that gap to provide funding opportunities for largely underserved populations are community development financial institutions like the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation. The Shawnee, Oklahoma-based CDFI recently received a funding award for the next fiscal year from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. “These Read More »

Citizen Potawatomi Nation handed over a check $7,200 to keep the doors open at the American Red Cross office in Shawnee. “We know how important it is to have the Red Cross here,” said CPN Tribal Chairman John ‘Rocky’ Barrett. “When disaster strikes, they’re the first on the scene. They’re an important part of our Read More »

The Citizen Potawatomi Community Development received $25 million in funding from the Obama Administration’s Community Facilities Re-Lending Program. “This is the largest single award the CPCDC has ever received,” noted CPCDC Director Shane Jett. “We can put these funds to work for rural Oklahomans across the state for hospitals, police stations, community centers or a number of public uses.” The USDA program allocates longterm, low Read More »

It’s been very busy the last few months in the language department. We hosted a very successful Potawatomi Language Conference as part of the Potawatomi Gathering of Nations in July. We had more than 300 participants. For the first time ever, we streamed the conference live. We also have an archive on YouTube where you can watch the three-day conference if you weren’t able to be Read More »

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center recently established the Cultural Education program. Rekindling 7 Generations is being developed by the Cultural Education program specifically to serve youths and families’ needs and interests. Rekindling 7 Generations nurtures the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of Potawatomi and Native youth and their community by rooting them in their Potawatomi culture, familial and intergenerational bonds, and intertribal relationships to grow the future Read More »