Faribault Staff Attend Tribal Relations Training

By Melissa Paquette

Warden Tracy Beltz, AWA Laura Westphal, Executive Assistant Kay Grunseth, and Lieutenant Josh Sterling attended the Tribal-State Relations Training on April 25-26. The mission of the training is to educate Minnesota state employees about American Indian tribal governments, histories, cultures, and traditions in order to empower state employees to work effectively with American Indians and promote authentic and respectful relationships between state agencies and American Indian tribes.

The vision is one community that values and promotes knowledge, understanding and respect for the American Indian governance, history, and way of life. Goals of the training included: educating state employees about American Indian people and governments, create partnerships, building respectful relationships between the State and Tribes, and create an enduring commitment by the state to learn about tribal governments.

Left to Right: Chairman Kevin Jensvold, upper Sioux Board of Trustees; Vice President Shelley Buck, Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council; President Robert L. Larsen, Lower Sioux Indian Community Tribal Council; Tadd Johnson, Esq., Professor Emeritus, moderator.