PBS Wisconsin Public Affairs

Announcer: You may be seated. The first order of business is the call of the roll. The clerk will open the roll. And now, members have recorded their presence, there are 95 members present.

Representative: I ask for a leave of absence from the gentleman from the 30th. Consent that the absence from the 30th be granted.

Representative: I ask for a temporary leave of absence from the representative of the 17th and I ask unanimous consent for a leave of absence for the gentleman from the 12th and the representative from the 94th.

Representative: Lady from the 74th asked that a leave of absence be granted for the rest of the day for the 12th and the representative from the 94th.

Announcer: We are joined by the Governor and members of the State Senate. Let’s give them a round of applause.

Chairwoman Nicole Boyd: Good morning, everybody. Let’s get started. Boozhoogakinaa Aweya, Bimikawekwe indizhinikaaz, Maang nindoodem, Miskwaabekaang nindoonzhibaa.

Chairwoman Boyd: Good morning, everyone. I share with you my Anishinaabe name “Woman Who Leaves Tracks Where She Walks,” that I am of the Loon Clan, and my home “the place where the red rock cliffs.” My English name is Nicole Boyd, and I am honored to serve as the Tribal Chairwoman of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, about a 6-hour drive from this great capitol in Wisconsin on the beautiful shores of Gitchigami and the Apostle Islands in the ceded territory of the Ojibwe Nations and the home of the iconic Frog Bay Tribal National Park.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: My family and many from Red Cliff have also traveled all this way to witness the address today. My mom, my aunties, husband and children, co-workers, youth, elders, Tribal Council members, Hereditary Chief Buffalo, and my sweet granddaughter Maeve are all watching in the balcony.

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Chairwoman Boyd: And don’t worry.

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Chairwoman Boyd: They’ve been advised to behave. They are very excited to see me standing here. Today you will learn of my beliefs and values, and why I think education is the key to Wisconsin’s greatness. I intend to reflect on the work our tribal nations accomplished in 2025 and to set a course for the milestones we will celebrate in the future. We are ready to work hard, and we expect that same dedication from our state partners.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: With that, it is my great pleasure to welcome everyone to the 2026 Wisconsin State of the Tribes Address on behalf of the eleven federally recognized tribal nations in the great State of Wisconsin and the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Michigan.

Chairwoman Boyd: Thank you, Speaker Vos, Assembly Minority Leader Neubauer, Senate Majority Leader LeMahieu, Senate Minority Leader Hesselbein and Legislature for welcoming us to the Capitol to deliver this year’s State of the Tribes. And of course, thank you to Governor Evers, the members of your cabinet, and every other Wisconsin elected official who addressed. I truly appreciate the honor to be before all of you today.

Chairwoman Boyd: I also want to briefly thank the planners involvedour Dewe’igan, the Drum, our Ogichidaathe warriors and veterans who have fought for our freedoms and brought in our beautiful invocation. I’m so proud of this woman, her incredible spiritual and educational journey, and her patience for our children as one of our immersion teachers in our public school.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Miss Ella Goodwin, Miss Miskwaabikaang Pow Wow Royalty, thank you for being here today, Ella. Watch Ella dance, you will be in awe with her grace and groove. Paving the way. And state elected officials for their incredible work to get us where we are today. And finally, it is my esteemed honor to introduce our tribal leaders who have entrusted me to give this speech. Leaders, please rise to be recognized when I call your name.

Chairwoman Boyd: Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Chairman Tehassi Hill.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Sokaogon Chippewa Community Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior, Chairman Louis Taylor Vanzile Sr.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Forest County Potawatomi Chairman, Brooks Boyd Sr.

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Chairwoman Boyd: St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin Chairman, Conrad St. John. Lac Courte Oreilles Chippewa Band of Lake Superior Indians Chairman, Gary “Lil Guy” Clause.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Waaswaagoniing Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa President, John Johnson Sr.

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Chairwoman Boyd: Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Chairman, Joey Awonhopay. Ho-Chunk Nation Vice President, Lambert Cleveland Jr. And of course, my sisters in leadershipStockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican Indians President, Shannon Holsey.

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Chairwoman Boyd: And Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Chairwoman, Naomi Tillison.

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Chairwoman Boyd: And lastly, our relatives from across the state border Lac Vieux Desert Chippewa Chairman James Williams Jr.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Thank you so much for being here today, Chairman. It’s a great honor to have you with us. I also want to acknowledge a few tribal leaders among the many who left us to join our ancestors in 2025. This includes Ernie Stevens Jr. of the Oneida Nation.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: And a great Ojibwe leader and carrier of our language and teachings, Lee Obizaan Staples. We promise to carry forward the passion and dedication they shared with all of us.

Chairwoman Boyd: Trust responsibility. You may hear this term and think of the 250-year-old legal relationship that tribes have with the United States government, or the treaties that ceded millions of acres of our land in this region, or the many court decisions reaffirming tribal sovereignty. But for the original inhabitants of these landsthe Anishinaabetrust has a deeper meaning. Greater purposeto care for this place, the people, and all beings, to ensure now and for many generations to come. We are not here simply to take. Our ancestors knew this. They fought for this, and left us the teachings of reciprocity. The prophecy that led the Ojibwe to this very land thousands of years ago is rooted in the teachings that we provide and protect. Our manoominour wild riceis the reason we are here in these homelands.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: My first message today is that wealth is not defined solely by monetary values and material items. As my elder Marvin Defoe often reminds us, “We’re the richest people on this earth because we have everything we need to survive from the Anishinaabe Walmart.”

[laughter]

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Since there is still snow on the ground, I will share a story. Some of you may already know this story, but others may not. I don’t claim to be a storyteller, but I feel the need to share this for our discussion. The legend says that the Anishinaabe once had an abundance of sweet syrup that flowed from the sugar maples in the foresta gift from the Creator to nourish the people so they could do their work. But one day, the Creator came to check on the Anishinaabe and found they had overindulged on the yummy maple syrup and they were sleeping lazily under the maple trees not taking care of their responsibilities. So to teach them a lesson, the Creator decided to water down the syrup. It would take them incredible amounts of work to get the final product. To this day, the gathering of maple syrup from the “Anishinaabe Walmart” is a lengthy lesson-learning process. While it has been refined to reduce the time it takes, the ecological knowledge passed on from this Anishinaabe legend remains. Some years we have bountiful harvests, and others we do not. We believe this is a result of many factors, including how well we are taking care of the resource and our relationship with it.

Chairwoman Boyd: We have ecological knowledge about all our abundant resources in the “Anishinaabe Walmart.” Yet when we want to share our views on why we will protect our water, air, land, and beings at all costs, we continue to be considered radical or less than our equal counterparts. We could show all the evidence or research in the world and still be considered in the wrong. Meaningful due diligence is more than simply checking a consultation box. It is taking the time to truly understand the impact of something in the past, now, and in the future. That is the legal, fiscal, and moral obligation we all must take, for example, changing the title of a National Lakeshore to a National Park. Were we wrong to request that there be meaningful due diligence as part of the decision-making process? Or when a major oil line is required to relocate from being near the largest and most pristine aquifer in the regionthe Bad River Sloughswhy is it wrong to expect that the feasibility of projects of this magnitude be studied and ensure the water will be protected? We need water. Well, I need water, actually.

Chairwoman Boyd: As a mother, an Anishinaabe woman, I beg you to join us in protecting the very resource that brought you, me, our children, our grandchildren, and future generations into this world. We cannot survive without it. What legacy will you leave behind when you tell people, “I protected the water”? Your great-great grandchildren will not be righting wrongs if you choose this path. If you haven’t yet, I urge you to view the documentary film. I guarantee you will better understand why “water is life” is not a slogan. It is why we exist. I know we will not agree on all things, but I hope we can agree that our waters are one of our most precious resources, and we must do all that we can to protect it.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Governor Evers’ Executive Order 277 relating to treaty rights and the protection of wild rice is an example of honoring tribal ecological knowledge and the partnership toward a common goal. Looking ahead, we hope this can strengthen our government-to-government relationship. Tribal nations request that you consider naming manoomin, the wild rice, as the official state grain of Wisconsin.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: This natural resource holds immense cultural value and is a vital component to Wisconsin’s wetlands. Wild rice has seen a significant decline over the last many years and promoting it will allow us a platform to continue our efforts to restore and protect this resource. Wisconsin would not be unique in doing this. Minnesota has recognized manoomin as the state grain since 1997, and Michigan since 2023. I’m hopeful that this is something we can all get behind during the next legislative session.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: I could not stand before you today without also reminding you about the positive economic impact Wisconsin’s tribes have on this state. Thousands of Wisconsinites are employed by the tribes through our gaming, government, and other tribal enterprises. These jobs fuel local economies and provide stable employment for people in key areas of the state, especially in northern Wisconsin. In many counties, tribal nations are their largest employers. Thousands of healthcare professionals, educators, and tradespeople are proudly employed by tribal nations. This is the positive impact we have on this state.

Chairwoman Boyd: We also help bring in millions in revenue through various cultural and tribal events of all scales. From our annual pow wows to the giant success of the 2025 NFL Draft held in Green Bay in partnership with the Oneida Nation.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: This event brought in an astronomical $105 million to the state. What an amazing accomplishment to know we can manage a successful event of that magnitude. Wisconsin tribes are continuing to diversify. And many have their own economic development boards. I’m happy to say that in 2025, access to capital improved significantly for tribal members, resulting in many new small businesses and others have more resources to grow their businesses.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: And while Wisconsin’s tribes are diversifying, gaming revenue remains the main revenue source for us. Gaming operations helps ensure that mothers and babies have access to healthcare and healthy food, ensures that our elders can receive care, that our families can have housing. We also provide the state of Wisconsin with significant revenue through our compacts. In the last fiscal year, the State of Wisconsin received more than $60 million in revenue sharing payments. And those monies are doing a lot in this state. Let’s continue to do even better things together.

Chairwoman Boyd: That is why I ask you to approve the legislation currently before you that will bring Wisconsin tribes one step closer to offering mobile sports betting in Wisconsin.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: It is estimated that Wisconsin residents spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year on unlawful and unregulated sports betting platforms. The entities offering these are outside Wisconsin and in some cases outside the United States. This means the state sees no financial benefit from their use by Wisconsin residents. Plus, consumers have little to no protection from fraud or other consumer harm. By allowing a legal framework for mobile sports wagering, the state will see increased revenue through the state gaming compacts and consumers will have the legal protection needed to ensure that they receive fair play. Let’s get this work done so we can provide something that will truly benefit Wisconsin.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: If there’s one thing we know, it’s healthcare. Tribal nations own and operate 11 federally qualified health centers in Wisconsin providing comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral, and preventative care for tribal and nontribal beneficiaries. Through our recovery and harm reduction programs, we’ve seen decreases in drug overdoses. We achieved this by meeting people where they arebringing awareness to the path of recovery.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Healthcare can be a thankless role. I want to thank every healthcare hero in this state for keeping us healthy. Chi-miigwech.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: We’d also like to thank Governor Evers and the Legislature for allowing tribal federally qualified health centers to adopt the all-inclusive rate for the successful receipt of the Rural Health Transformation Program.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: These major achievements allow our tribal health centers to significantly expand and grow for tribal members and nontribal beneficiaries. I’m also happy to report that in 2025, the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, in partnership with the State of Wisconsin, broke ground on the new 36-bed Adolescent Recovery Wellness Center in Bowler.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: This project has been nearly 20 years in the making. It’s amazing to see it finally become a reality. This facility will provide in-patient substance use and co-occurring disorder treatment paired with academia and spiritual wellness for tribal and non-tribal youth ages 13 to 17 and fill a long-time gap in services. Thank you to the State of Wisconsin for the time and energy you are committing to this unique facility that we know will benefit us all.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: I’d also like to highlight some major projects that a few of the tribes have recently completed. This includes the new 64,400 square foot Oneida Health Facility.

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: I toured this facility when I attended the grand opening of Oneida University.

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Chairwoman Boyd: Both of which are going to be an enormous resource to the region. The Bad River Tribe opened their Wellness Center with awesome new aquatics and fitness spaces. And the Mole Lake Community is undergoing a $20 million addition to their healthcare facility.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: These investments will be felt for generations to come. While we celebrate this amazing growth, we must also acknowledge there remains an ongoing crisis. There is a severe mental health crisis, which is resulting in an increase in suicides and the unnecessary loss of life. This is impacting us all. We all know people suffering and grieving the loss of a loved one, and we can all do better to make mental health a priority on our priority lists.

Chairwoman Boyd: Gun violence contributes to the mental health crisis and has severely negative impacts in this state and in our tribal communities. The reality is that children are shot, and it’s heartbreaking that families suffer because someone in their family was a victim of gun violence. We must improve state policies on safe gun ownership and access. To make the mental health crisis even more real, we’re also seeing unprecedented numbers of youth and adults experiencing extreme addiction to vaping and inhaling manmade materials into their lungs. This is a multibillion dollar industry of vape pens that are easily accessible in stores and online. Our tribal health providers are spending countless hours managing the impacts of this addiction. They’re experiencing permanent health damage. We cannot continue down this path, and we must work together to address this topic.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Another healthcare topic that is very personal to me is cancer-related deaths. Since fall 2024, I have personally lost two uncles, my father, my father-in-law and many community members to cancer. While horrid, it did catapult my own personal health journey and a desire to set an example that we can achieve our health goals. I encourage everyone to truly understand what makes them susceptible to cancers, prevent them when possible, and provide comprehensive treatment and care for all suffering.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: The production and procurement of locally harvested food is a priority. While Wisconsin is known for our dairy production, tribes also produce immense amounts of maple syrup, wild rice, fruits and vegetables, nuts, bison, and freshwater fish from tribal fisheries. Last year, the Red Cliff Fish Company processed over 250,000 pounds of fish. This was supplied to various wholesale markets in the Midwest. It also provided more than 10,000 pounds to the Wisconsin Elder Food Box Program.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: 5,000 pounds was also distributed in the USDA Local Food Production Assistance Program. Tribes overall made incredible investments in food sovereignty in 2025. We have also increased our ability to procure from local vendors, and combined, we’re making sure that local, healthy, and culturally appropriate food is a reality for the everyday household. And Wisconsin’s tribes are on the forefront of this movement.

Chairwoman Boyd: The Menominee Nation has generously been coordinating the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition for many years, and to ensure the continued success of this coalition, including food justice initiatives, at a recent GLITC Board of Directors meeting, a resolution was passed to support the growth and formalization of this coalition as a Section 17, or state non-stock corporation. Their board will include a representative from each of the nations and will help to secure a stronger legal structure.

Chairwoman Boyd: The phrase “food is medicine” is more than an initiative. It is a way of life for Native people. We know that healthy food has health-healing properties for a variety of issues. The Wisconsin Medicaid Food is Medicine Program offers eligible participants the use of Medicaid funds to cover medically tailored meals for patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or high-risk pregnancy and postpartum conditions. Eligibility for this program needs improvements. Wisconsin administers the program implemented through an in lieu of services agreement without a 1115 waiver. We have some work to do and ask that this topic be prioritized by our state lawmakers and staff. Tribes are committed to bringing valuable time and resources to improve healthcare, and policy changes needed.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Next, I want to bring your attention to the unique reality of living north of Highway 29.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Some topics that deserve all of our collective efforts. In 2013, there were four resident narcotics investigation agents out of the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Eau Claire Field Office that focused from Spooner north. In 2022 there were three. By the end of 2024 there was one. In 2025 there are zero. Yes zero, narcotics investigative agents. As a result, we know this has caused incredible delays in investigations, resulting in many unnecessary deaths. Investigative work is more than the typical law enforcement agency can provide. It is an area of expertise that few possess, and pretending that the northern part of the state doesn’t have this need is harmful and deadly. We must address this immediately. It is heartbreaking to hear the horror stories of loved ones dying due to our negligence and lack of resources.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: In addition to the lack of investigative services, emergency medical services in rural communities also remain a crisis. We rely solely on small volunteer departments facing a shortage of volunteers and training opportunities. I’m grateful to have a strong relationship with our Bayfield County representative, who also traveled all this way to be in support today.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Together, we share a platform to discuss these issues and challenges that affect us all. We are constantly innovating to meet the demanding needs of the residents and visitors to our rural communities. An example of this was the addition of an EMS coordinator to the county budget who supports nine ambulance services and is growing our local abilities. We need our state partners to understand the urgency and support needed for us to make any progress.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: We need your partnership. One thing we are proud of is that tribal nations are blessed to have a governor heroic enough to acknowledge missing and murdered indigenous women and relatives.

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Howeverthe new Office of Violence Prevention, committees and task forces are not enough. We must improve our policies. We must invest in the resources needed to prevent violent crimes against women and children.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Protect against dangerous individuals, and help survivors heal before these issues compound and get worse.

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Chairwoman Boyd: In our culture, women are sacred because they are the only ones who can bring life into this world.

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: They are the matriarch of households and communities and they have the deepest connection between the spirit world and the earth. Anishinaabe women do not only wear ribbon skirts because they are a distinct fashion piece to the eye. We wear them because they also signify a woman’s identity and their responsibilities. I wear odeiminthe heart berryon my skirt and accessories because it represents the moon and my connection to it. My granddaughter joined us earthside in 2025 to carry our generations forward.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: As Indigenous people, it’s a constant effort to preserve our identities and languages within a largely white dominant society. You will often hear our people say, “We are still here.”

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: The Federal Boarding School Initiative, led by former Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, brought to light this unwelcomed truth and quantified the impact. The federal government offered the first-ever apology from the United States President for the harm caused, and presented a legislative path forward toward reconciliation and healing. The State of Wisconsin’s history includes many notable actions that attempted to remove, displace, and annihilate the Indigenous people of these lands. As we process generations of grief together, tribes are making strides to work toward healing. We’re repatriating lands, investing in language and culture programming, and creating access to opportunities for culture and language immersion.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Most tribal nations are actively integrating their language and teachings into every level of business and education. Waadookodaading, located on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation, has been a leader in full-immersion education since 2000, growing keepers of our traditions. And in 2025, LCO University achieved accreditation to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary and middle school education. This program is designed specifically to prepare educators for Indigenous, rural, and Ojibwe immersion settings, and we look forward to the many amazing teachers it will produce.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: We’d like to thank the many state agencies working with us for supporting language and culture revitalization efforts, including the Wisconsin DOT for the dual language signs that are now covering all 11 nations’ reservations and the “World War II Code Talkers Memorial Highway.”

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: We are further pleased to hear the action taken by the Department of Administration who developed and finalized the “Tribal Basics for State Employees” training, which is now live and will be required for all state employees in 2026.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: I want to briefly acknowledge the impressive progress tribal nations have made in 2025 related to broadband and telecommunication expansion; water, sewer and gas upgrades; road and bridge improvements; hundreds of additional housing and home improvements; wellness, transportation and community facilities; micro-grids and energy resilience; improvements to our justice and education centers. These projects contributed hundreds of millions of dollars invested into the economy and lives of tribal and non-tribal beneficiaries in our state and will benefit all for decades to come. We’re proud of our staff and communities for their dedication to these needs, and we plan to work even harder in 2026 for all of Wisconsin.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: When it comes to tribal healthcare, tribal nations desire improved access to medical cannabis and hemp derived THC in Wisconsin. Acting now to improve the access is an absolute necessity. Wisconsinites are beyond ready for this. Advocacy groups like the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association have provided abundant evidence that Wisconsin is ready to legalize.

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: We believe there is an opportunity for bipartisan support and success if we focus on medical cannabis first. There are 40 other states who have legalized, including our immediate neighbors in Michigan and Minnesota. The Lac Vieux Desert Band opened the Wild Glow Cannabis Company in Watersmeet, Michigan, in 2024, joining Michigan’s $3 billion cannabis industry and fully executing a state compact. They specialize in a wide variety of quality products at their beautiful tribally owned dispensary, and we’re incredibly proud of the hard work they’ve put into their business model and regulatory framework to ensure patrons are practicing safely. Since their opening they have experienced incredible demand and have been successful with health practices. We’re so proud of your success, Chairman Williams, and look forward

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: We look forward to being in the industry soon with you. The benefits of medical cannabis to treat chronic pain, seizure disorders, PTSD, and those in opioid recovery are profound. For centuries, Indigenous peoples have used this plant medicine for various medical and ceremonial purposes. It’s proven more effective in treating ailments than standard pharmaceuticals alone. It can be a regulated industry for this state with measurable benefits, and it is hard to not prioritize when it is clearly supported by more than 60% of Wisconsinites.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: We believe there is a way for the State of Wisconsin to find a resolve.

Chairwoman Boyd: Finally, I believe with every ounce of my soul that education is crucial for personal growth, wellness, and transforming our society. Everyone should have equal access to quality education. And kids should have free school lunch.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: This may sound clich if you are someone fortunate enough to know education is an achievable pathway. Or have never struggled to know what it’s like to be hungry at school. But for most tribal communities, we remain severely disadvantaged. And we are also disproportionately represented in poor education outcomes. We must invest in and prioritize education. Having an educated workforce and healthy, thriving students will benefit everyone.

Chairwoman Boyd: In line with this message, tribal nations strongly request the expansion of the Wisconsin Tribal Education Promise Program throughout the entire UW System and to our Wisconsin Tribal Colleges.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: The UW Madison initiative is a great start, but it needs to be expanded to the northern half of the state.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Including the Colleges of Menominee Nation and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University would give students the opportunity to go to college closer to home and may be more in line with their readiness versus a UW university. The Native American State of Affairs annual report indicated tribal students account for 1.7% of Wisconsin college students. While UW Madison generates $1.268 billion annually in tuition fees, the annual amount estimated to expand the Wisconsin Tribal Education Promise Program is $12 million. We can and must do this!

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: To conclude, 2025 can be described in acronyms as the year of DOGE, ICE, DEI, and RIF. While the new federal government implemented their agenda, testing the fundamentals of democracy, we have been resiliently working to ensure the health and wellbeing of our constituents, shielding them from attacks on human decency and the disruption of everything they know as normal. Not everyone in this room may agree that we are in very unprecedented times, but Indigenous people, sadly, we have seen this before. Consequently, we are the most resilient human beings you will ever encounter.

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: I want to acknowledge the courage, swiftness, and diligence of tribal leaders and advocacy groups when federal decisions threatened to negatively impact our nations. When the lives of tribal members or sovereignty were threatened, we acted. When considerations were made to terminate service workers, we acted. When threats were made to defund Head Start, we acted. When hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites were at risk of losing Medicaid, we acted. This spirit of action extends to Wisconsin’s Attorney General and other state officials who banded together.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Despite our differences, we worked to fulfill our moral obligationensuring our people are protected. This is the kind of unity that creates change. We are better together. Tribal members reside in nearly every community in this state, relying on us to work in partnership on their behalf. And I believe we have more in common than we know. Wisconsin is our home, and it provides for our spiritual and physical well-being. This is the place that our ancestors fought for and are buried within, and we will continue to exercise our treaty rights in perpetuity. The motivation to protect our way of life may be perceived as political by some, but as we face the upcoming challenges related to injustices, I urge us to be vigilant and not surrender our values. Being a Wisconsinite on the homelands of the Anishinaabe people will help guide us all in our decision-making and move the priorities forward in a good way.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: In closing, it is my privilege to acknowledge Wisconsin’s current Governor Tony Evers.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: I am further honored to be working alongside such incredible leadership. Governor Evers and I go back a few years before his governorship and my chairpersonship while he served as State Superintendent and I as a school board member for our local school district. I heard him speak at the Wisconsin Indian Education Association Conference, and I knew then without unwavering doubt that he was one of the kindest, most passionate, and smartest people I’d ever get the chance to know and work with. In fact, he may have even been an inspiration for me to run.

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: Governor Evers, your legacy of public education support will never be forgotten. Tribal nations will talk about your collaborations and advocacy for many generations, and you have built lifelong relationships with so many. Our lives are sincerely touched because we know you. On behalf of tribal nations, our members past, present and future, we thank you for your work, your commitment, and just being the jazzy, chill, intelligent guy that you are.

[applause]

[cheering and applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: I am unapologetically proud to be an Anishinaabe Ojibwe kwe

[applause]

Chairwoman Boyd: to speak on behalf of my tribal membership, my ancestors, and our future generations. I hope I was able to enlighten you the slightest and inspire hope for us to deepen the partnership between our state and tribal nations. Miigwech, everyone, for listening, and go Trollers! Mi’iw.

[cheering and applause]