HONORING AND CELEBRATING GRADUATES OF 2023-2024
By Vivian LaMoore, Inaajimowin Editor
There is no deadline to celebrate academic achievements. The message of hope and dreams for a brighter future resonated throughout the Mille Lacs Grand Event Center on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, as the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe celebrated the academic achievements of over 200 Mille Lacs Band members and descendants for the 2023-2024 academic year. The event was hosted by the Mille Lacs Band Scholarship Program. The Mille Lacs Band Honor Guard presented the flags and an invocation was given by Baabiitaaw to start the celebration in a good way.
The achievements of 227 Band members and descendants were celebrated. Students of all areas of study from high school to higher education were honored. The achievements are outstanding for the following certificates and degrees:
• 152 High school diplomas
• 16 Associate degrees
• 25 Bachelor’s degrees
• 12 Master’s degrees
• 1 Juris Doctor
• 1 Certificates
Chief Executive Virgil Wind was attending the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and was unable to attend the graduation celebration. However, he pre-recorded a video message for the graduates congratulating them on their countless hours of hard work, late nights, and unwavering commitment towards their education.
“As Native Americans, we often find ourselves navigating the landscape where the odds are stacked against us,” Chief Executive Wind said. “Historical injustices, systemic barriers, and cultural biases have conspired against us on the path to higher education, yet here you are, [227] shining examples of resilience, determination, and triumph.”
Wind gave a message that was echoed by the other speakers for the event that reminded the graduates that this was not the end of their journey. “Your diplomas are not just pieces of paper. They are a path to a brighter future.”
Before closing his remarks, Wind gave a heartfelt message for the graduates to continue to move forward on behalf of all of the Mille Lacs Band community. “Today we celebrate not just your degrees, but your resilience. You carry the weight of history on your shoulders. The stories of our ancestors who fought for survival, our ancestors who danced around fires and who whispered into the wind, you have woven those threads in the fabric of your education,” Wind said. “As you step out into the world, remember you are not alone. You carry the hopes of our Elders, the dreams of our children, and the promise of a better tomorrow. Your success is our collective victory. We could not be prouder of you and your accomplishments.”
In her keynote speech, Roxanne DeLille, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Dean of Indigenous and Academic Affairs included powerful words of strength and encouragement and a song for the graduates in Ojibwe resonating with the theme of resilience, the words of hopes and dreams of the Elders and the children, and commended the graduate’s hard work and dedication in true Anishinaabe spirit.
“It is not for no reason,” DeLille said. “Graduation is not a midway point. It is a launch pad. As you step into your future, it is our hope as a people that you embrace a larger purpose. A purpose that transcends individual achievements and intertwines with your dreams and echoes like a song through time.”
Eldayshun BigBear, Mille Lacs Band member, basketball coach, motivational speaker, and hip-hop artist under the name of Day Dayz, gave an impressive speech of encouragement followed with a preview of two of his videos which can be found at www.youtube.com/@Day-Dayz.
Mitchell Bonga, who received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Detroit, Mercy, received a blanket and offered words of encouragement to all in attendance as well.
First generation descendant living and working in Detroit, he said it was an honor to be there, as that was his first time seeing the reservation and celebrating all of the graduates achievements. "Education is one of the most important things that we receive in our life," Bonga said. "There is always a learning opportunity to be gotten from something and when we keep our mind open and willingness to accept it, we can do anything"
Bonga said it is important for him to remember, "My accomplishments are also the accomplishments of those who helped to get me where I am. And now I have the opportunity to give service to people in ways I could never have imagined."
Red Willow gave an honor song to all of the graduates.