Finding time to work on leadership can be a challenge. But tribal leaders in Grand Portage had the chance to take a training from the Native Governance Center, and really re-focus their energy and vision.

April McCormick, Secretary/Treasurer for the tribal council and secretary for the Minnesota Chippewa Tribes shared about it. “You have all these competing interests, competing responsibilities. It called us back to here’s why we do this work, here’s why we’re invested in leadership. As a mom and a leader, it’s about next generation about our children,” she told us.

Wayne Ducheneaux, the executive director of the center, explained their Indigenous Leaders in Governance Training. “We do four different workshops, and help tribes put together the pieces, and move their government forward in a strong way.”

It gave the group of 10+ a chance to engage with new ideas, while honoring and remembering their Anishinaabe values and clan system.

That’s why the Native Governance Center is a Touchstone Honoree. A grant from the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation made the training for Grand Portage possible.

And they aren’t done yet. Now the governance center will help Grand Portage move to the next phase, by implementing more of their leadership ideas and crafting more Grand Portage specific training.

This will benefit the entire region. “When Native nations are successful, generally speaking, communities around them are more successful,” Ducheneaux added.

For more info about Native Governance, check out their website: https://nativegov.org/

The Touchstone Celebration is coming up on Thursday at 6:30pm on WDIO.

To read this original story and more news, follow this link to the WDIO News website.