In November, the tribal youth will celebrate Native American Heritage Month by learning about Native American singing, pottery and drumming from a number of different tribes. The tribal youth will also enjoy traditional Native American foods such as corn soup, Indian tacos, poyha and wild rice with chicken. The tribal youth are planning their annual Thanksgiving community dinner feed for 200 youth and adults. Get Smart Program: Read More »

Suicide rates among Native American youth and young adults are 1.5 times higher than the national average according to the latest statistics from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Within this age group, Native Americans experienced the highest rate of suicide, at a staggering 21.2 percent. There was also a 50 perce6nt increase in mental health and substance abuse treatment among Native youth in the last Read More »

In Oklahoma, the epicenter of the Dust Bowl, the possibility of a drought never seems too far off. Though currently in a mild state of drought, policy makers at the local, state and tribal level have renewed their focuses on improving water conservation efforts before the water spouts run dry.  In 2010, Citizen Potawatomi Nation adopted an integrated resources management plan aimed at preserving its natural, Read More »

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 »