Newsletter - January copy

JANUARY 2016

Mthe onthly Update

The Red Lake Economic Development &
Planning Department

Honoring Our Arts Initiative: A collaboration to
Ancestors Arts preserve & enhance RL Nation Art

Festival! The Red Lake Arts Initiative was established by the Entrepreneur
Program with funding from First Nation’s Development Fund &
The 2015 Honoring Our Ancestors the First People’s Fund. Our focus is to increase access to markets
Arts Festival took place on November for Red Lake Nation artists by retaining & expanding upon the
momentum of past arts festivals & sale events. We will also
20 & 21, 2015 at the Seven Clans provide high quality art specific seminars and coaching services.
Casino – Red Lake, MN
Arts Initiative
Demonstrations in moccasin making,
painting, beadwork, pipestone If you or someone you know is an interested artist in visual,
audio, performance or cuisinart please contact
making, stone carvings, quilting, jingle “Sarah Lussier at (218) 679-1458 or
dress dancing, men’s & women’s [email protected]”
fancy dancing, men & women’s
traditional, and grass dancing were to learn how you can participate in upcoming events,
provided. festivals, trainings and workshops.

We had a GREAT turn out and are
excited for the 2016 Festival.

The Arts Festival was created by the
Red Lake Nation Entrepreneur

Program and made possible by the
Region 2 Arts Council.

The activity is made possible by the
voters of Minnesota through a grant
from the Region 2 Arts Council,
thanks to a legislative appropriation
from the Arts and Cultural Heritage
Fund

21

Waasabik Ojibwemotaadiwin
Immersion School

During an Ojibwe Language Advisory Committee
meeting, elders were asked to come up with a
continuation of the 5 year revitalization plan, which
would be valuable for future communities and tribal
councils.

This plan included:

• “We want our language healthy above all.” • Make reading materials for kids:
• Ojibwemowin in the tribal constitution books, films in Ojibwemowin
• Translate constitution in to Ojibwemowin
• K-12 Learning standards based on Ojibwe • Record elders in their homes

culture & language all disciplines • Record dialogue/trilogies of speakers
• Document a student or two’s language talking to each other in all types of
conversation, visiting, debating, and
learning over time arguing
• 1% income tax (payroll deduction) from all
• Repository for language, perhaps the Red
tribal employees for language Lake Archives

Picture: Noopiming • Language radio station speaking 100%
(Nature Walk) field Ojibwe, a good learning tool
trip for waasabik
ojibwemotaadiwin • Other media: TV shows, TV station,
Ojibwe Newsletter, etc.

• Ojibwe songs for kids & adults
• Acto out stories heard such as boarding

schools, hunting, etc. and record in Ojibwe
(for full list, please visit
redlakenationnews.com)

Charter School Update

Currently, we are in the early planning phase of
this initiative with a core group of 4 community

members who are dedicated to the planning.

A survey was conducted on survey monkey where 81% of
respondents reported that they were interested in learning about
an alternative education system, such as a Red Lake Charter
School, which would be based on our Ojibwe Language and
Culture.

74% of respondents reported they would be interested in sending
their child or family member to a Red Lake Charter School,
which is based on our Ojibwe Language.

Promise Zone www.hud.gov

Kim Nagle and Sharon James continue to work NCDI
on the Red Lake Promise Zone application for the
3rd and final round. Originally, Red Lake had The Native Community Development Institute (NCDI) has
planned to combine the Red Lake, Leech Lake selected 1 team each from Red Lake, Leech Lake and the
and White Earth reservations as their coverage White Earth Reservations to participate in an 18-month
area to increase their application scoring, but training focused on engaging and facilitating discussions to
unique circumstances had Leech Lake and White address tribal needs, determine strategic solutions, and
Earth bowing out so as not to hold up Red Lake’s implement action steps through a collaborative process.
application. NCDI is headed by Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP)
and Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF).
A Promise Zone designation does not provide any
direct funding; however, the designation does NCDI participants will have access to group training on a
provide a preference when applying for federal broad range of topics, individual project/program
funding or services. The main benefits of being assistance, on and off site meetings with MHP & GMHF
designated as a Promise Zone include: staff, and feedback from funders on their proposed
projects/programs.
• establishing a stronger partnership
between federal agencies and the Red The NCDI Red Lake Team will utilize this training to
Lake Nation; update the Red Lake Land Use Plan to coincide with the
new strategic plan currently being developed.
• an assigned federal liaison to help
navigate and utilize the array of federal The second institute training session will be on February 16
assistance and programs available; and & 17th at the Seven Clans Casino-Red Lake; the first
orientation session was also held in Red Lake. The
• AmeriCorp Vista workers to help build remaining 4 training sessions will rotate between Leech
the capacity of the Red Lake Nation and Lake and White Earth with NCDI paying for mileage and
its efforts. lodging for 7 team members each.

The application is due February 23, 2016. We Between each training session, the Red Lake Team will
anticipate completion for submittal by February meet and work on their specific project with the assistance
19, 2016, with the designation being for a 10 year and input from NCDI staff. The Red Lake team is in the
period. process of establishing their monthly team meeting
schedule.

If you have any questions on this project, please contact
Sharon James, the Team Coordinator at 218-679-1456.

Credit Repair “This was a pretty
Training amazing workshop.

The Red Lake Nation Entrepreneur Program held it’s first of many I learned a lot.”
Credit Repair Trainings on January 13, 2016 at the Seven Clans
Casino – Red Lake. The training was free and available to:
-Rena Parisien,
• Red Lake Band members
• Red Lake Tribal employees Chemical Health
• Red Lake Gaming employees
“I enjoyed the
“Credit Building on the Rez” featured, GP Anderson, Senior workshop. It was
Certified F&I Professional of Thielen Motors. helpful and gave

A total of 75 individuals were on the edge of their seats as GP held good tips on
their attention with tools they could incorporate immediately to credit repairing.”
improve their financial health.

Everyone left excited and asking for more!
- Arlene Barrett

“Although GP
represented an
auto dealership, he
provided so much
information on
how people may
improve their
personal credit.”

-Michelle Paquin

High Tunnel Hoophouse

Aquaponics Gardening

The Foods Initiative is in Community Interaction Meetings
the process of
developing training The Red Lake Nation Entrepreneur Program’s Foods Initiative will be hosting a series of
seminars such as: Community Interaction Meetings to provide food training as well as to gather input on
what you would like to see in the area of healthy foods for our families.
• Foods production
• Food gathering The Foods Initiative Meetings will be for 3 hours and consist of:
• Master Gardening û Training: we will provide a high profile presenter at each meeting to share “how-
• Green house to”. For example, food production, soil conservation, buffalo farming, master
gardening, or how to build a greenhouse.
construction û Cooking: we will have someone demonstrate how to cook a healthy meal, with
• High Tunnel the meal actually being eaten during the meeting. For example, our first meeting
will have Darwin Sumner preparing venison with the assistance of Cherilyn Spears
construction preparing wild rice and squash.
• Aquaponics û Discussion: while we are eating our delicious healthy meal, we will discuss
• Soil conservation specific food questions at each table to help get your ideas and suggestions for
• Funding healthy foods in our communities.
û Door Prizes: we will provide some fun and healthy door prizes to show our
opportunities appreciation for your participation, such as seeds, a gardening tool, or a food prep
• Farm to Preschool machine.
• Farm to School
• Planning an We are in the process of confirming locations for the following meeting schedule, but these
are the dates and times we are looking at.
Orchard
• Organic Gardening Community Interaction Sessions Commumity
• Conservation Date Time Location
All
Planning 12/15/15 6pm RL Comm Ctr LR & RL
• Seed Saving Ponemah
• Farmers Market 2/10/16 3-6pm LR Comm Ctr Redby
• Nutrition LR & RL
• Mentorships 2/11/16 9am-Noon Ponemah Ctr Ponemah
• So much more… Redby
2/11/16 3-6pm Oshkii LR & RL
Ponemah
3/30/16 3-6pm LR Comm Ctr Redby
LR & RL
3/31/16 9am-Noon Ponemah Ctr Ponemah For more information, contact:
Redby Cherilyn Spears, (218) 679-1457
3/31/16 3-6pm Oshkii

4/27/16 3-6pm LR Comm Ctr

4/28/16 9am-Noon Ponemah Ctr

4/28/16 3-6pm Oshkii

5/25/16 3-6pm LR Comm Ctr

5/26/16 9am-Noon Ponemah Ctr

5/26/16 3-6pm Oshkii

Red Lake Nation

Business Retention and Expansion Initiative

“The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality is pleased to submit our findings on a
Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) initiative conducted in 2015. The purpose of this initiative was to
hear from existing businesses in the Red Lake Nation on topics that affect their ability to maintain or grow
their business. Focus groups were conducted on August 12, 2015, and the transcripts from these focus
groups were analyzed and to determine if EP was providing services they needed.

Analysis of the focus group discussions suggests six suggestions the Entrepreneur Program might
prioritize in order to support business and nurture economic development in the community. A BR&E
Retreat was conducted on December 11, 2015 where the six suggestions were prioritized into three focus
areas to move into action. The three strategies of importance are:

1. Marketing Red Lake businesses beyond the immediate community. Change the current narrative to create
positive messages about the business community.

2. Develop business space on the Red Lake Nation
3. Secure financing for business at Red Lake Nation

The E.P. will be presenting the results of the BR&E survey to the community in Feb or March 2016 and has
yet to be announced. If you are interested in obtaining more information regarding the BR&E project, please
contact: Sharon James @ (218) 679-1456.

Red Lake Nation Receives
Grant for Local Energy Project!

The Red Lake Nation received a $5,000 Seed Grant from the Clean Energy Resource Teams
(CERTs) to access the old RLNC building. The Entrepreneur Program has obtained Tribal Council
approval to utilize the building for a Red Lake Business Incubator and a future Charter School.

“We’re very excited to learn about the grant award”, said Kimberle Nagle. “We can’t wait to get
started on developing this space for our entrepreneurs”, said Sharon James

The Red Lake Nation Entrepreneur Program (RLEP) will work with a professional, certified
commercial energy auditor to conduct either a Level II or Level III energy audit of the facility to
repurpose and upgrade the building as a business incubator and future school. The project will
inform the community and other RL businesses and government entities through a highly visible
project on the value and opportunity in energy efficiency and renewable energy for the Red Lake

Nation.

The CERTs award is one of 39 grants given to innovative renewable
energy and energy efficiency projects in communities across Minnesota.

THE MONTHLY UPDATE JANUARY 2016

Upcoming Events

Economic Development & Planning

Mark your Calendars

January 19, 2016 – Ojibwemowin Advisory Committee, 3:30 – 6pm
Contact: Liz White (218) 679-1462, [email protected]

January 23, 2016 – Back to Basics Sustainable Living Event
Contact: www.happydancingturtle.org

January 27, 2016 – Immersion Family Night, 5 – 7pm @ Immersion Classroom
Contact: Liz White (218) 679-1462, [email protected]

February 8, 2016 – Ojibwemowin Advisory Committee, 3:30 – 6pm
Contact: Liz White (218) 679-1462, [email protected]

February 10, 2016 – Marketing Strategies for Artists
Contact: Sarah Lussier (218) 679-1458, [email protected]

February 10, 2016 – Valentine’s Day Artist Sale
Contact: Nikki Skinaway (218) 679-1466, [email protected]

February 14, 2016 – CRI Community Engagement Meeting, Mpls, MN
Contact: Lori M. (218) 679-1452 or Eva KB (218) 679-1451

February 15, 2016 – CRI Community Engagement Meeting, Red Lake, MN
Contact: Lori M. (218) 679-1452 or Eva KB (218) 679-1451

February 24, 2016 – Financial Skills for Families
Contact: Sharon James (218) 679 1456, [email protected]

Credit Repair: The Next Steps – Coming Soon!
Contact: Sharon James (218) 679-1456, [email protected]

THE MONTHLY UPDATE JANUARY 2016

Chi-Miigwech!