Empowering Native American Women

There are big doings in Prior Lake, MN, today:

In what organizers say is a historic event, American Indian women from across the country are gathering in Prior Lake today for a first-ever meeting aimed at advancing the role of women in tribal life and beyond.

[...]

More than 100 tribal-leading women from Oregon, California, Arizona and Minnesota will hold a reception tonight and a two-day conference Friday and Saturday at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. Workshops and lectures will focus on everything from affecting public policy to managing the media to protecting tribal sovereignty.

"The excitement is building, and this is a wonderful historic moment because we haven't come together before just as women," said Masten, 53, who has served as chairwoman of California's largest tribe, the Yurok, and who was the second female president of the National Congress of American Indians.

She said the fledgling group's goals include developing role models so younger Indian women "can aspire to be like us" and learning how to work with other groups to better leverage power. She said the group will reach out to the Black Women's Caucus, Women Impacting Public Policy, and Latino and Asian women's groups.

This is extremely cool. Check out their website for more information. Rock on, Native Women!