Fargo Native American Commission Meeting - January 4, 2024
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Fargo Native American Commission Meeting - January 4, 2024
The Fargo Native American Commission held its regular meeting on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 12:00 PM in the Commission Chambers at Fargo City Hall. Chairperson Whitney Johnson presided, with members Amanda Strauss and new member Lisa Ducheneaux present. Suzanne Senske and Vice Chair Ashley Littlewolf participated via phone. Members Emily Sargent and Dale Sayers were absent. City Commissioner John Strand and Fargo School Board Liaison Seth Holden were also in attendance. The meeting adjourned at 12:18 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Agenda and Minutes: The agenda and the minutes from September 7, 2023, and November 2, 2023, were approved unanimously. A motion by Member Strauss, seconded by Member Ducheneaux, carried with all voting aye.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made.
Discussion Items
- Indigenous Association Report: Executive Director Brandon Baity reported on 2023 activities, including the Bear Grease event at the Fargo Theater, the Native American Community picnic, and a New Year's Eve potluck and bingo night that drew approximately 50–60 people. For 2024, the Indigenous Association is transitioning from contracted workers to payroll employees and plans to hire part-time positions for events, activities, and volunteer coordination, with job descriptions expected by the end of January. An open craft night is held every Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Volunteers are needed; more information is available at indgns.org or the Indigenous Association Facebook page. Baity also noted a book drive organized by NDSU's Jamie Larson has filled two bookshelves at the association—one entirely with Indigenous authors and another with children's books and other works.
- Subcommittee Reports:
- Education and Cultural Awareness Subcommittee (Suzanne Senske): The subcommittee attended a listening session with the Fargo Public Schools Superintendent. The Indian Education Program has a tutor position open, paying approximately $15–$17 per hour, posted on the Fargo Public Schools website.
- Housing Subcommittee (Ashley Littlewolf): The subcommittee is identifying focus areas for the board to support or engage with in the new year.
- Health and Wellness Subcommittee: No updates were provided.
- Staff Reports:
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator Ahmed Schiil invited the community to the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Monday, January 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Fargo Theater, with doors opening at 6:00 PM. The theme is "Emoja 55, Dreamers Unite."
- City Commissioner John Strand reported that leaders of the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority have requested connections with the Native American community to incorporate cultural awareness into the diversion project. He has begun sharing contacts with the Indigenous Association.
Announcements
- Member Amanda Strauss announced a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) event will be held on February 14, 2024, at the Indigenous Association, likely around 12:00 PM. Additional details will be posted on the Indigenous Association's website.
Key Outcomes
- The meeting agenda and minutes from September 7 and November 2, 2023, were approved unanimously.
- The next regular meeting of the Native American Commission was scheduled for March 7, 2024.
- The meeting adjourned at 12:18 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, and then do we have uh member DLC stayers on the phone also? Okay. So um we'll go ahead and then continue introductions. So over here. Um thank you, Amanda Strauss, Sisitin Wapitino Yate. Whitney Johnson, Ola Su Tribe. Lisa Duchno, Red Lake Band of Chippua. And we're welcoming Lisa today. This is her first meeting as a new member of our board. Welcome, Lisa. The next item is to approve the agenda and the uh minutes from our last meeting. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda and minutes? Motion to approve. I get a second. Second to approve. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Okay. Opposed, same sign. Motion is carried. Next item is public comment. Speakers must state their name and we'll be limited to two minutes. Comment should not contain profanity or personal attacks. Staff, do we have anyone signed up for public comment? Hey, no one is signed up for public comment. Cruising right along in the new year here. Um so we'll go ahead and uh go on to the report from Indigenous Association. Brianna Beattie is here for that. Boujo, uh, my name is Brandon Beatty. I am a descendant of the White Earth um nation. It's good to see everyone here in the new year. Um 2024. 2023 was very, very busy for Indigenous Association. Um we've had a lot, lots and lots of events, um, notably Bear Grease at the Fargo Theater. We had the Native American Community Commit uh picnic uh with support from Fargo and Moorhead uh and countless other things. I can't even I'd probably ramble here forever if I try to remember them all. But um I appreciate your ongoing support um as a city, as a community, as a commission. Uh we're we're doing good things. Um and I think uh it shows in the community and we get a lot of feedback from people about um the space that we have where we can really come together as a community and um and just visit and grow and learn and um just be together. So Miguel. Speaking of events, we had our New Year's Eve event um on New Year's Eve, and it was fantastic. Uh for the potluck portion. We I I tried to count several times, and I kept on getting distracted in the middle of the count, but there had to have been at least 50, 60 people in that space for the potluck. Um lots of people from um Moorhead and Fargo and West Fargo and the surrounding areas. Uh we had delicious food, it was great. Um and then we had a uh uh bingo night, and so we had we played bingo and that was pretty wild. Um we had lots of prizes and lots of people participating.
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