The Independent-Record from Helena, Montana • 17

Sunday, January 26, 2003 Section Helena Life Features Desk: 447-4084 leah.gilmanhelenair.com Independent Record pFrfT Rep. Norma Bixby House District 5. includes the Northern Cheyenne and Crow reservations Democrat-Lame Deer Tribal affiliation: Northern Cheyenne First elected: 2000, legislative frail-blazer serving second term. Age: 61 Education: Master's degree, New Mexico Todays leaders Rep. Carol Juneau House District 85.

includes the Blackfeet Reservation Democrat-Browning Tribal affiliation: Mandan-Hidat-sa First elected: 1 998; now serving third-term. Age: 57 Education: Master's degree in education State University, 1 1980; bachelor's i degree, eastern ut Montana College, 1 975; associate's Political experience: present vice chair, Glacier County Democratic Central Committee; present precinct committee woman; 1997-present, Juneau degree, Eastern Bixby Montana College, 1973. Political experience: Member, Community Service Commission, 1997; chair woman, Montana Advisory Council for Indian Education, 1986; chair woman, Dull Knife College Board of Directors, 1985. Professional experience: Director, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Education Department, 1 982; principal, Northern Cheyenne Tribal School, 1 980; curriculum Northern Cheyenne Tribal School, 1976; fourth grade teacher, Northern Cheyenne Tribal School, 1975 Family: Married; 4 children: Dawnley, Valerie, Terri, Kevin. Quote: "My biggest challenge is going to get any legislation passed that has money attached to it.

Example is the Indian Education For All Act, which has a $1 20,000 appropriation attached, and the Tribally Controlled College bill, which has $100,000 plus appropriation to help pay for the non-Indian students at tribal colleges. Sen. Gerald Pease Senate District 3. includes the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations Democrat-Lodge Grass State Executive Board, Montana Democratic Party; 1 996-present, Montana Indian Democrats Council; 1981, member, Glacier County Study Commission; 1984-85, Glacier County precinct committee woman; chairwoman, Montana-Wyoming Indian Education Association. Professional experience: 1 997, director of student services, Heart Butte Public Schools; 1984-96, student advisorStay in School directorfederal program coordinator, Browning Public School System; 1 976-83, president, Blackfeet Community College; 1 974-76, director, Blackfeet Community Free School.

Family: Married; 2 children, Denise and Ron. Quote: "For me the American Indian dropout issue is the major issue, which I have two bills that address this; one is the Joint Resolution to study the increase of students dropping out and the other is to increase the compulsory age from 1 6 to 1 8." Rep. Veronica Small-Eastman House pistrict 6. includes the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations Democrat-Lodge Grass Tribal affiliation: Crow First elected: 2002, now serving first term. Age: 47 Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in secondary education and school if, i i Tnbal affiliation: Crow First elected: 1997; first term in Senate Age: 49 Education: 2-year certificate, Missoula Vo-Tech.

Political experience: i 'Jt I I i. -f I 1 1997-98, District 6, Pease Montana House of Representatives. Professional experience: Highway construction, rancher. Family: married. I- Rep.

Frank J. Smith House District includes the Eojj Peck Reservation Democrat-Poplar Tribal affiliation: Assiniboine and Montana's 1 st Indian lawmaker fought her entire life to keep intact her people and their way of life i adminstration from MSU-Boze-man. Also holds a counseling endorsement from MSU-Boze-man. Political experience: None. Sioux First elected: 1998, now serving third-term.

Age: 60 Education: Poplar High School; Dawson College; 1961. Political experience: became the first woman to chair a Montana tribe. She was also a mother, a wife, a social worker and a rancher, and held a seat on the advisory committee for the Farmer Home Administration. In her lifetime, Akers experienced life when most of Montana's American Indians knew very little English before American Indians were American citizens. She was witness to the slow death of languages, societies and customs that took centuries to build.

But, she fought her entire life to keep intact her people and their way of life. "I remember her back in the 1950s and '60s," said Jim Lamb, a Helenan. "She was very conversational and she had a really, really good attitude about things." Akers faced a lot of challenges, one being a woman in a leadership position in Indian country, a role that had not always been supported by traditional customs of American Indians in Montana. To understand the challenges Akers met, it is necessary to take a broad look at some of the U.S. policies that changed life for both her and American Indians in Montana.

During the early 1900s, the U.S. Policy for American Indians, which was centered on the Dawes Act of 1887, was to encourage American Indians, by More AKERS, page 4C By SHAWN WHITE WOLF IR Staff Writer On Jan. 2, 1933, the first day of the 23rd Montana Legislature session, Montana's first American Indian representative took her place among the 71 Democrats and 30 Republicans who swore to uphold the constitution of both the United States and Montana. "I do solemnly swear that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Montana," said the representatives. "I will discharge the duties of my office as a member of the House of Representatives of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Montana, with fidelity." Rep.

Dolly Smith Cusker Akers, D-Wolf Point, was an Assiniboine American Indian raised on the Fort Peck Reservation. Her only daughter, Alvina C. Welliver, said that in 1932 Akers was elected by 100 percent of Fort Peck's Assiniboine and Sioux votes in Roosevelt County. Akers was born in Wolf Point on March 23, 1901. Her public life began in 1921 when she traveled to Washington, D.C., as an interpreter for tribal leaders seeking funds for a school in Poplar.

After that, she went on to serve in the Montana Legislature and on the Fort Peck Tribal Council and 1 99 1 lobbyist, tribal Smith taxes on cigarettes; 1 970-74, lobbyist, medical programs for area state level. Professional experience: 1 994-pre-sent, owner, Just Limos; 1 964-99, United States Air Force, 1988-91, owner, Fort Peck Market; 1978-94, owner, Vending; 1977-94, owner, Smoke Shop. Family: married; four children, Teresa, Virgil, Mary, Suzan. Quote: "I am going to be working on economic types of issues, human services and I'll be working on trying to leave state money in." Professional Small-Eastman experience: Educator at Lodge Grass High School Family: Married; one biological daughter and son, one stepdaughter and stepson. Quote: "Whenever someone attacks me it makes me stronger," said Small-Eastman in the district and apportionment Hearings.

Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy House District 92. includes the Rocky Boy Reservation Democrat-Box Elder Tribal affiliation: Chippewa-Cree First elected: 2002, now serving first term. Age: 44 Education: Box Elder High School; associate's degree in Southwest Rep. Joey Jayne House District 73.

includes the Flathead Reservation Democrat-Arlee Tribal affiliation: Roster of Indian legislators past Navajo First elected: 2000, serving second term. Age: 46 Education: Bachelor's degree in agricultural industry from Arizona State Univer Indian Polytech Institute in Albuquerque, N.M. Political experience: Councilman, Chippewa Cree Tribal Government; chairman, Board of Regents, Stone sity; master's degree in watershed man Jayne mil Ll Windy Boy Rep. Dolly Cusker Akers, 1933 D-Poplar, Roosevelt County Tribal Affiliation: Assiniboine RepVSenator Percy DeWolfe, 1957-74 D-Browning, Glacier County Tribal Affiliation: Blackfeet House: 1957 and 1959 Senate: 1961-1974 Senate District 29: 1969-71 Senate District 15: 1973-74 RepVSenator Jean A. Turnage: 1963-83 R-Polson, Lake County Tribal Affiliation: Salish and Kootenai House: 1963 Senate: 1965-83 Minority Floor Leader: 1967 Floor Leader: 1977 President of the Senate: 1982 Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court: 1985 Senate District 28: 1969-71 Tribal Affiliation: Blackfeet House District 9 Rep.

Jay Stoval: 1993-99 R-Billings, Yellowstone County Tribal Affiliation: Crow House District 98: 1993 House District 16: 1995-1999 Rep. George Heavy Runner: 1995-97 D-Browning, Glacier County Tribal Affiliation: Blackfeet House District 85 Rep. Bill Whitehead: 1997 D-Wolf Point, Roosevelt County Tribal Affiliation: Assiniboine House District 98 Rep. William J. "Bill" Eggers III: 1999-01 D-Crow Agency, Big Horn County Tribal Affiliation: Crow House District 6 Senate District 17: 1973-74 Senate District 13: 1975-83 Rep.

Leo M. Kennerly, 1 977 D-Browning, Glacier County Tribal Affiliation: Blackfeet House District 1 4 Rep. Roland R. Kennerly: 1981-87 D-Browning, Glacier County Tribal Affiliation: Blackfeet House District 14: 1981-83 House District 9: 1985-87 Senator William P. "Bill" Yellow-tail 1985-93 D-Wyola, Big Horn County Tribal Affiliation: Crow Senate District 50 Rep.

Angela Russell: 1987-93 D-Lodge Grass, Big Horn County Tribal Affiliation: Crow House District 99 Rep. Floyd "Bob" Gervais: 1989-93 D-Browning, Glacier County agement-hydrology from University of Arizona, J.D. in law from University of Montana Political experience: One term in Montana House of Representatives; 2001 member of the Western Legislative Class of the Council of State Government Professional experience: Owns a law firm in Arlee. Family: Fiance Harley Tanner Quote: "I hope to pass legislation against the death penalty and ban minors in places serving alcohol and make tougher penalties for underage drinking." Child College; co-chairman, Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council; co-founder and past president, Council of Large Land Based Tribes. Professional experience: councilman, Chippewa Cree Tribal Government Family: One daughter.

Quote: "The biggest issue is going be to Health and Human Services and Economic.