This article was originally printed in Raising the Bar, the publication of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia. It is reproduced here with the WBA’s and the author’s permission. In an earlier piece published here, I provided an overview of two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court during its 2015 Term. Those cases, in substance, challenged the ability of Native nations Read More »

The Oklahoma Tax Commission will continue its attempt to unlawfully collect sales tax from the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. The case, which began in 2014, is now headed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The tribe requested arbitration after the OTC filed a complaint in its Administrative Proceedings Division on May 28, 2014 seeking to revoke permits for sales tax, low point beer and Read More »

Bozho, The CPN Veterans Organization has had a very active summer and it’s not over yet. In June the CPN Veterans Organization’s Color Guard presented the colors at the FireLake Arena for the Shawnee-Tecumseh Indian Education’s Student Craft Market and Powwow. The emcee was Cortney Yarholar, co-emcee was Lord Stormwalker, the head singer was Ryan Goodfox, arena director was John Soap and host Northern Drum was Read More »

Following a 4-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the courts of Native American tribal governments will retain their authority to hear lawsuits brought by tribal members against non-tribal enterprises. The case, Dollar General vs. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians upholds a decision from the U.S. Fifth Circuit of Appeals affirming the right of the Choctaws’ tribal court to hear a lawsuit brought by a tribal Read More »

In May 2016, the Hownikan noted the spring graduations of two Citizen Potawatomi from the U.S. Naval Academy. While two graduates of one of the nation’s service academy is laudable, a third tribal member who walked with the class of 2016 went unmentioned. The staff of the Hownikan recently spoke with that third Naval Academy graduate, Jacque Kennedye, about her experience at Annapolis and plans for Read More »

More than 3,000 Citizen Potawatomi travelled to Shawnee, Oklahoma for the annual Festival, a slightly lower number than usual, due in part to many tribal members choosing to attend the Gathering of Potawatomi Nations which took place at CPN in late July. As always, tribal activities, both art contests and sporting, took place amidst a flurry of food, family and festivities. In the Read More »

Since initiating self-governance with IHS in 1998, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation has expanded care for members of the tribal community through construction of two clinics and a wellness center and more than doubling the number of physicians and other in-demand medical personnel. This was accomplished through reallocation of administrative expenses to direct care as well Read More »

The month of August means that summer is coming to an end and school is beginning again. The PLACE Tribal Youth Program’s summer session will end with a trip to Six Flag Over Texas in Arlington. This trip will be for the youth who complete 40 hours of community service and keep their grades up. On the agenda for the GET Native Program involves Read More »

For several years, tribal Economic Development Director James C. Collard, Ph.D. has led discussion panels at the annual Sovereignty Symposium. Though not Native American, Collard has long been an advocate for economic development in Indian Country, and his panel discussions with high profile speakers are some of the best-attended events at the symposium. This year’s panel included U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams, Oklahoma Read More »

The Flint Hills of Kansas are home to a folk band called The Skirts, which is led on vocals and rhythm guitar by tribal member and Ogee family descendent Elexa Dawson. This year her band released their debut full-length album titled, “Many Moons.” As the lead singer and songwriter for the whole album, Dawson has let her Native roots inspire the project in Read More »