TRIBAL NATIONS FROM MINNESOTA HONOR SENATOR TINA SMITH

By Vivian LaMoore, Inaajimowin Editor Photos via Tina Smith's Office

Tribal leaders from across the Midwest were in Washington D.C. March 23 through 27, 2025 to attend the MAST Impact week. The Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (MAST) mission is to advance, protect, preserve, and enhance the mutual interests, treaty rights, sovereignty, and cultural way of life of the sovereign nations of the Midwest throughout the 21st century. Tribes included are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa.

On Monday, March 24, 11 tribes of Minnesota presented Tribal flags from each of their nations to Senator Tina Smith. She posted the following on her social media accounts: “[Monday, March 24, 2025], Tribal Nations in Minnesota and the Mille Lacs Singers honored me by participating in a Flag Ceremony. I will proudly display all 11 Tribal flags in my offices.”

Mille Lacs Band tribal leaders attending the conference included Chief Executive Virgil Wind, District I Representative Carolyn Beaulieu, and District II Representative Wendy Merrill. Singers were Bobby Eagle, Scottie Matrious, Jeremiah Churchill, Nick Cash, and Bobby Eagle Jr.

MAST is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of the Tribal Chairperson, Chief President, or Chief Executive of each member tribe. Four officers are elected from among the Board of Directors; a President; Vice-President; Secretary and Treasurer. Chief Executive Wind is the newly elected president of the MAST Board of Directors.

Conference attendees participated in round table discussions and heard from speakers such as Senator Tina Smith, Congresswoman Betty McCollum MN 04th District, Congress woman Hillary Scholten MI 3rd District, Congresswoman Haley Stevens MI 7th District, Kitcki Carroll Executive Director USET, Congresswoman Gwen Moore WI 4th District, Dr. Chris Poole DHA, LCSW Director, Bemidji Area Office, Indian Health Service Department of Health and Human Services, Jason P. Dropik Executive Director National Indian Education Association, Rudy Soto, Executive Director National American Indian Housing Council National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation, and many more.