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It’s a campaign to provide greater understanding of Native American history, culture, and modern tribal governments into Minnesota’s education system, Rebecca Crooks-Stratton explains.

This episode explores work being done towards authentically and accurately representing Native people, communities, and our stories. Rebecca Crooks-Stratton (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community) is the Secretary/Treasurer of her tribe, and now she leads “Understand Native Minnesota,” an ambitious campaign to support Native American narrative change in Minnesota’s K-12 education system, as a way to raise awareness and constructively overcome misunderstandings and misperceptions.

MINNEAPOLIS – On the heels of the National Indian Education Association’s conference held in Minneapolis earlier this fall and just in time for Native American Heritage Month, the nearby Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community announced a $5 million philanthropic campaign to fund resources, curriculum, and training on Native American heritage for teachers and administrators across Minnesota.

The narrative change initiative was introduced by it’s campaign leader and SMSC’s Secretary/Treasurer Rebecca Crooks-Stratton during the 35th annual Minnesota Indian Education Association (MIEA) Conference on Thursday November 14, 2019.

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) announced the launch of Understand Native Minnesota, a $5 million, three-year strategic initiative and philanthropic campaign to improve the Native American narrative in Minnesota schools.

Minnesota schools can do a better job of teaching about Native Americans’ history and present, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community said this month. It’s putting $5 million and three years into a statewide effort to help that happen with more and better class plans, classroom resources and training and professional development for teachers and administrators.

“I don’t think there’s a single tribe undertaking an initiative like this,” Crooks-Stratton said. “We’re hoping we can move the needle in the narrative in Minnesota and be a model.”