July 11, 2012 –
MAYETTA: Chairman Steve Ortiz, staff from the Tribal Victims Program and Potawatomi Police Department, convened yesterday for the opening of a three-day conference on protecting and empowering families at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU).
The purpose of the conference is to promote public safety for American Indian communities and registrants are victim advocates, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and tribal leaders. Approximately 125 people are attending the conference.
U.S. Attorney for Kansas Barry Grissom gave opening remarks yesterday and Venida Chenault (PBPN), HINU Vice President of Academics, gave an overview of Haskell and emphasized the importance of educating individuals about family violence situations and providing support groups in Indian communities. During her speech she asked the PBPN Tribal Victims Program staff to stand and be recognized for their efforts on the Prairie Band Common Land and work with other northeast Kansas tribes. Chenault did her graduate studies at the University of Kansas on family violence issues on the Prairie Band Common Land a few years ago.
Below are a few photographs taken at the conference:
Left to right, is U.S. Attorney of Kansas Barry Grissom, PBPN Chairman Steve Ortiz, and Alan Metzger, Assistant U.S. Attorney for Kansas.
Dr. Venida Chenault, who is a Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation member, was one of the opening ceremony presenters. She is Vice President of Academic Affairs for Haskell.
During Chenault’s speech, she asked the PBPN Tribal Victims program staff to stand and be recognized. Standing, from left to right, is Derek Otero(in plaid shirt and blocked from view), Shirley Rice, Adria Carter, Samantha Wahquahboshkuk, Jennifer Hale, Daniel Goombi(in back of Hale) and Kent Miller.
Sitting at the table is Matt Simpson and Kacey Wiltz from the Potawatomi Tribal Police Department.
Standing in front of the Tribal Victims Program display table and exhibit are, left to right, Derek Otero, Jennifer Hale, Samantha Wahquahboshkuk and Kent Miller. Miller and Rebekah Jones (not pictured) are giving workshops at the conference on Healing Through Art.
Specialty advertising items about the Tribal Victims Program are being given away at the conference that also involves participants from Kansas, Nebraska and the Northern District of Iowa.
The conference is being held at HINU’s student union and runs until Thursday.