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Native American Commission

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Native American Commission Minutes - February 4, 2021

The Regular Meeting of the Board of Native American Commissioners of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Commission Chambers at City Hall at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, February 4, 2021.

The Native American Commissioners present or absent were as follows:

Present: Lenore King, John Strand, Anna Johnson, Rebecca Knutson, Sharon White Bear, Whitney Fear, Emily Sargent

Absent: Chalsey Snyder, Sonya Donahue

Item 1. Welcome and Introductions
Chair King welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.

Item 2. Approve Order of Agenda & Minutes
Member Johnson moved the Order of Agenda and the minutes of the January 7, 2021 Native American Commission meeting be approved. Second by Member Strand. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Member Knutson present.

Item 4 was heard before Item 3.

Item 3: Public Comment
No public comment was provided.

Item 4: Honoring Outgoing Member Heather Keeler
Chair King thanked Heather Keeler for her service to the Native American Commission. Ms. Keeler gave a brief statement.

Willard Yellow Bird Jr. provided a blessing and the Buffalo River Singers performed an honoring song.

Item 5. Induction of New Member Emily Sargent
Chair King welcomed new member Emily Sargent to the Native American Commission.

Member Fear present.

Willard Yellow Bird, Jr. gave a blessing, prayer, and smudging for the new Native American Commissioner Emily Sargent. The Buffalo River Singers performed a prayer song.
Member White Bear thanked Ms. Keeler for her services and welcome Member Sargent.

Item 6. Savanna’s Law and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Tanya RedRoad presented an overview of Savanna’s Law.

Laura Youngbird gave an overview of the February 14 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women event being held via Zoom, and shared the significance of the red dress and earrings on display during the meeting.

Members thanked Ms. RedRoad and Ms. Youngbird for their ongoing work.

Item 7. North Dakota Legislative Session
Chair King noted the North Dakota Legislature is in session and Representative Ruth Buffalo will be providing updates at upcoming meetings.

Item 8. Woodrow Wilson High School Renaming
Member Knutson introduced David Burkman, Principal of Woodrow Wilson High School, and Melody Staebner, Indian Education Coordinator from Fargo Public Schools.

Mr. Burkman and Ms. Staebner gave a brief presentation and update on the new high school name of Dakota High School. They shared the plan to have an opening ceremony in September 2021 and requested anyone that would like to help with the planning to contact them.

Discussion was held regarding the spelling of Dakota as it varies between different tribes and the State.

Item 9. Indigenous Association Report
Member Fear shared that the lease for the location has been finalized and the location will be in the Plains Art Museum. Member Fear noted that strategic planning meetings are being held.

Item 10. Subcommittee Reports
No updates were presented from the subcommittees.

Item 11. Announcements
No announcements were presented.

Item 12. Staff Report
Chair King stated the staff report is included in the meeting packet.

Item 13. Next Meeting March 4, 2021 - Adjourn
The time of adjournment was 1:02 p.m.