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SILETZ NEWS Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Vol. 46, No. 2 February 2018 Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid - Permit No. 178 Salem, OR Siletz News Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Delores Pigsley, Tribal Chairman Brenda Bremner, General Manager and Editor-in-Chief First Nations honors Elizabeth Peratrovich Day From indiangiver.firstnations.org/ nl180102-06/; posted Jan. 16, 2018 For the fourth year in a row, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) will be closed on Feb. 16, 2018, in honor of Elizabeth Peratrovich Day. First Nations, headquartered in Longmont, Colo., is likely the first entity outside of Alaska to recognize this as an annual holiday. Elizabeth Jean Peratrovich (Tlingit), who died in 1958, was an important civil rights activist who worked on behalf of equality for Alaska Natives. In the 1940s, she was credited with advocacy that gained passage of the Alaska Territory’s Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, the very first anti-discrimination law in the United States. To quote her at the time: “I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of ‘savagery,’ would have to remind gentlemen with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind them, of our Bill of Rights.” She was responding to earlier comments by a territorial senator who asked, “Who are these people, barely out of savagery, who want to associate with us whites, with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind us?” In 1988 the Alaska Legislature estab- lished Feb. 16 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day. First Nations President Michael Roberts (also Tlingit), who is from Alaska and related to Elizabeth, thinks Native organizations in the Lower 48 should also start recognizing this groundbreak- ing Native woman of national and even international significance. See Peratrovich on page 8 National crisis line available for culturally based support for domestic violence AUSTIN, Texas – In its first eight months of operations, the StrongHearts Native Helpline (1-844-7NATIVE) has taken calls from American Indians affected by domestic violence who rep- resent 53 Tribal nations across 38 states, demonstrating the widespread need for culturally rooted resources to support Tribal communities affected by intimate partner abuse. Since March, the StrongHearts Native Helpline, the first national crisis line for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians facing domestic vio- lence and dating violence, has responded to the unique needs of Native victims of See Helpline on page 15 Siletz CARE Program Photo by Andy Taylor Connor Mason and Brayden Marthaller both end up airborn during the #IAmTheChange 3-on-3 basketball tournament held at the Siletz Recreation Center on Dec. 26-29. The tournament during Christmas break helped children in grades four through 12 participate on teams divided by grade levels. Numer- ous people in the community served as coaches, referees and scorekeepers. Tribal help also is available through the Siletz Tribe’s CARE Pro- gram, which offers confidential, safe, and culturally appropriate education and advocacy services to American Indian victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking within Lincoln County, as well as victims associated with Native families, such as a non-Native spouse. Call 541-444-9680. Photo by Diane Rodriquez Participants in the Candidates Fair on Jan. 13 at Chinook Winds Casino Resort include (l to r) Heather Walker, Frank Aspria Sr., Reginald Butler Sr., Bonnie Petersen, Sharon Edenfield, Angela Ramirez and Kent RT Rilatos. Not pictured: Joella Strong. All ballots for the 2018 Siletz Tribal Council election must be received by 4 p.m. on Feb. 3. You can vote in person on Feb. 3 at the Tribal Community Center in Siletz, Ore., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
