The Native American Commission held a special meeting on February 7, 2024, to honor outgoing founding member Sharon White Bear, appoint a new Vice Chair, reaffirm its support for an independent police investigation, and receive updates on community health and cultural programs.
Thank you for joining us today. I call the July 6, 2023 meeting of the Native American Commission to order. Let's begin with the introduction of current Commission members, starting with Suzanne. Good morning. I'm Suzanne Senski. Bonjour, Emily Sargent, I'm from White Earth Nation and Vice Chairwoman. Whitney Fear, current chairwoman of the NACU. Boujo, Ashley Little Wolf, Boys Fort Band of Ojibwe. Chairon White Bear from MHA Nation of Rikura. Dale Sayers, Black Feek Nation, Turtle Mount Descent. John Strand City Commission Liaison. Okay. And just to let everyone know, Commissioner Stran and Seth, it will be voting members at today's meeting, but at the September meeting, then we'll officially convert to non-voting liaison members as we approved last month. Today is a special meeting where we will be honoring new and outgoing members. Thank you to Willard Yellowbird and Buffalo River Seniors for joining us. Willard, would you please open us with a prayer? Where are you all? I'd like to thank you for asking me and for coming to say this opening prayer for all the people for the Native Commissions. Uh commissioners and uh the ones that are leaving and the ones that are new and the audience here, and uh I I even got my grandson to come help me today. I got hurt this summer, so this this winter, so I'm barely starting to walk and things like that. And uh so but I've been going through therapy for two and a half months, and I got about a month left, I think. Then I can start dancing again. So, no, just kidding. Today, we are praying in our own way. We are taught that we are the caretakers of Mother Earth, and we must stand together as one soul, one spirit and one body. Today I offer this prayer to all of us and to those who could not be here in body, but are here in spirit as we pray together, we become one voice in the spirit. We come from the four directions of Mother Earth through our turtle today, Turtle Island today. We ask our ancestors to find us and stand with us in prayer and to fear our and to feel our tears and witness our prayers to our Native Commission and to all our people. Creator, we thank you for the lessons that you have taught us in patience, generosity, compassion, and for the love for one another. You taught us to feel your warmth, healing, and love in the spirits of the universe. Creator, have pity on us and stand beside us. Once again, it was said, as we pray as one soul, one spirit and one voice, you stand with us. Creator, we may come from different paths, but we all end on your sacred road, and that's to help our people. There will be tough times ahead, Creator, but give our command commissioners the strength and the courage and the wisdom to understand and to help our people through their struggles of life. I ask that you give them the strength and blessing to use their talent on how to deal with this changing worlds in a good way. Let their growth here today embrace our social vision, our mission to understand the health and healing journey of our people who are living in this changing world. Today we have concerns for our people, and we ask ourselves how could we bring health and harmony to our people to have hope, to be kind, gentle, patient, and humble. Creator, what we have learned of ourselves, that we must become aware of the spiritual relationship to you. The greater need is to have the ability to help, but still the greater need is the response, the responsibility to help our people. Holy Father, we bow down to you. You're alone our holy. You own everything in this whole world. You're our chief overall. We thank you for listening to our prayer today and standing beside us once again. I'm asking you this day to give us a blessing and watch over all our family, relatives, and friends, our veterans today and all days, and to keep them safe in this changing world. Today I ask your blessings. To give the strength to our commissioners. So when they leave here, they will demonstrate their leadership and character to all our people. And to show their spiritual strength at its finest. Feel sorry for us.