Claudette Konola

Good Bye Wilma Mankiller

04/07/2010

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I was very saddened to learn of the passing of Wilma Mankiller, former Chairman of the Cherokee Nation. Although I did not personally know Ms Mankiller, I was very aware of her work. She was a role model for many young Native American Women because of the work she did after founding WEWIN. She also founded a not-for-profit dedicated to the progress of Native communities, which is taking donations in her name.The Cherokee Nation was one of the first tribes to form a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI.) I was privileged to do some consulting work, showing them how to use New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC.)  They went on to receive a $60,000,000 NMTC allocation to develop projects to benefit the Cherokee Nation.Another Native leader that has been leading the way in improving economic conditions for Native Americans is Elouise Cobell, of the Blackfeet Nation. She led the way for tribes to sue the federal government for ignoring their fiscal responsibilities regarding individual Indian Trust Accounts. It appears that the government is very close to reaching a settlement in that case.I first met Elouise when I traveled to Browning, MT to provide training on establishing a CDFI for Native artisans on the Blackfeet Reservation. At that time she was Secretary of the Board of a bank in Browning. Elouise leveraged that experience into creating the Native American National Bank, headquartered in Denver, which is now a CDFI.On another note, a little birdie told me that the Incubator Center has applied for certification as a CDFI. Good things may be coming your way, Mesa County!

Homework:

Rapid City Journal

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/90011057.html

http://www.wewin04.org/

Cherokee Nation Businesses.com

CDGI fund awardees


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gnXHnIwaejo2RTMaML
mw0MY1tL2QD9EP8V1G0

http://www.cdfifund.gov/speeches/Gambrell-2008-06-NationalBankersAssociation.asp
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