Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
February 13, 2019
Page 7
Candidates - 2019 Tribal Council election
Carina Miller - Agency District
Carina Miller is a
member of the Confed-
erated Tribes of Warm
Springs. She has a Bach-
elor of Science in Eth-
nic Studies from the
University of Oregon.
She is currently the
agency district or Wasco
Tribal representative on
the 27 th Tribal Council
of Warm Springs. She is
also a co-chair of the
energy committee for
the Affiliated Tribes of
Northwest Indians and
the chair of the Native
American caucus for the
Democratic party of
Oregon.
She worked for Head
Start for The Umatilla
Tribe and for Childrens
Protective ser vices for
Warm Springs. She is pas-
sionate about seeing services
for children and
famalies be supported
and grow and would like
to provide more oppor-
tunity for healing and
healthy spaces for those
in recovery.
She is proud to be a
member
of
the
UNITE slate along
with Jaylyn Suppah,
Simnasho, Charlene
Dimmick who is run-
ning as a write in for
Simnasho, Wil Sando
and Dustin Seyler who
are running in Agency.
She lives in Greely
Heights with her part-
ner Victor Barkley and
their newborn son
Waluxypykee Walter
Barkley.
Lola Sohappy - Agency District
Hello,
My name is Lola May
Sohappy, Wasco name
Kissitith. I am Warm
Springs/Wasco. My par-
ents are Joseph and
Gladys Miller Thomp-
son. My husband is Don
William Sohappy, of the
Yakama Nation.
We have three daugh-
ters and three sons, one
deceased; and lots of
grandchildren. We’re
grandma and grandpa, or
uncle and auntie to all.
I worked eight years
in the Warm Springs Po-
lice Department, eight years
in the Family and Children’s
Program, and 22 years in
Tribal Court.
I am a founding mem-
ber of NICWA, former
member of the National
Indian Justice Centers,
and National and North-
west Judges Association,
and I served one term
on the Warm Springs
Tribal Council.
My concerns are lan-
guages, traditional and
cultural issues, tribal sov-
ereignty, the tribal finan-
cial situation, and the
health and welfare of all
our tribal members.
Lola May Sohappy
Dustin Seyler - Agency District
Dustin M. Seyler
(Wasco, Warm Springs,
Colville, Pend d’Oreilles,
Muskogee Creek) is a
first-time candidate run-
ning for a seat as an
Agency District repre-
sentative.
Dustin and his part-
ner Ardis Smith cur-
rently reside in Warm
Springs and are raising
three children.
Dustin is the son of
Dean and Jeannie Seyler.
His paternal grandpar-
ents are Aradonna
(Aguilar) and Cecil
Seyler. He is the great-
grandson of Adeline
(Brunoe) and Easton
Aguilar and a descen-
dant of Billy Chinook.
Following
high
school, he served four
years in the in the
United States Navy,
where he obtained the
rank of E-5 and had 25
people under his com-
mand.
After being honor-
ably discharged, he ob-
tained a bachelor’s de-
gree in business admin-
istration from Eastern
Oregon University and
focused most of his ca-
reer on developing
healthy and vibrant
businesses.
He has worked in the
U.S. Small Business Ad-
ministration, Bureau of
Indian Affairs, and sev-
eral private industry
businesses.
Currently, he serves
the community as a small
business coach for the
Warm Springs Community
Action Team, and is the
chairman of the newly re-
activated Warm Springs
Area Chamber of Com-
merce.
His education and work
experiences have helped
him to develop an under-
standing of how businesses
thrive and how regulations
can hinder or assist in de-
velopment.
In his current position,
he is coaching individuals
on personal finance strate-
gies, is developing four com-
munity gardens, is teaching
Indianpreneurship to help
future Native business own-
ers develop their ideas to
start their business, and is
helping students obtain
monies for college and iden-
tify a career path.
Dustin is the Junior Vice
Commander of the Warm
Springs VFW Post 4217,
and is actively working with
various tribal departments
to help future generations
obtain higher levels of edu-
cation.
He participates in ac-
tivities at the school as
well, and shares career
pathway infor mation
with the school counse-
lor with hopes to get stu-
dents thinking about their
future at a younger age.
Dustin
believes
firmly that education is
the path to the tribe’s
success. Working to-
gether to improve edu-
cational outcomes at all
grade levels and ensur-
ing Tribal members have
access to college and
vocational training will
result in a stronger and
more dynamic economy,
a more productive and
effective workforce and
will help to improve liv-
ing conditions reserva-
tion-wide.
As a strong proponent
for economic develop-
ment, he continues to
work towards building a
small business economy
where the owners pros-
per and employ others as
they work towards their
goals.
He believes that infra-
structure improvement is
key to successful eco-
nomic development
growth and smart invest-
ments must be made in
the water treatment plant
and distribution system,
renovation of existing
buildings, and building
new structures to meet
varying needs across the
Tribe.
Emerson Squiemphen - Simnasho District
Niix Pachwai,
I’m a candidate from
the Simnasho District.
My Indian name is
Unaxash, also known as
Emerson Squiemphen.
As of now I’m em-
ployed with the Warm
Springs Confederated
Tribes. I’ve been em-
ployed at the War m
Springs Health and
Wellness Center as a pa-
tient transport driver
since 1996. I worked
first as a federal worker,
under 648 with Public
Health nursing. In turn
I served as a committee
man for the Fish and Wild-
life Committee, in turn as
a commissioner with the
Columbia River Inter-
Tribal Fish Commission
located in Portland. This
was very challenging,
meeting a lot of differ-
ent people, one has to
represent himself in a
good way.
So with my teachings
when growing up, hope-
fully that’s enough com-
mon sense to help our
people. For we are a na-
tion in need of a new di-
rection.
Respectfully,
E m e r s o n
Squiemphen
Jaylyn Suppah - Simnasho District
Jaylyn Suppah is a
mother, educator, advo-
cate for social justice and
a member of the Con-
federated Tribe of
Warm Springs.
She was raised in
Simnasho and is a tradi-
tional food gatherer.
Jaylynn is a mother
of two beautiful chil-
dren. Her Indian name
is Alish (Ah-lish), given
to her from her name-
sake, Margaret Suppah,
her grandmother who
raised her.
Jaylyn’s passion is
decolonizing education
for herself, her children,
her community and al-
ways looking for ways to
incorporate her culture into
her home, classroom and
programming.
She currently serves on
the Education Committee,
where she uses her voice to
work towards equitable
education for all stu-
dents.
She developed the
Papalaxsimisha pro-
gram, which incorpo-
rates historical trauma,
healing, self-identity, cul-
tural awareness, high
school readiness, college
and career readiness in
a curriculum she and
two other Native teach-
ers developed.
Her background in-
cludes as a Cultural
Awareness trainer, youth
mentor,
historical
trauma facilitator, cur-
riculum development
and youth program de-
velopment.
Jeffery E. ‘Luke’ Sanders Jr. - Agency District
My name is Jeffery
E. “Luke” Sanders Jr. I
am thankful for the
nomination to run for
Tribal Council.
My father is Jeffery
E. Sanders Sr., and my
mother is the late Patricia
Leno-Baker. My grand-
parents are the late Mar-
tin Sanders, and the late
Edna Sanders; the late
Edwin Buchannon Leno,
and the late Ruby Dean
Leno.
Yes, I am in favor of
implementation of wa-
ter improvement, to help
secure grants and federal
monies to cover the
costs. Yes, we need eco-
nomic growth for future
generations.
We need to utilize our
natural resources, tour-
ism for economic
growth. The quote I believe
in is our elders’ wisdom, and
be for one tribe for our fu-
ture generations.
A healthy community and
families feel empowered,
have services available, and
our children have the back-
ing of our Tribe to feel good
about education, and feel
the backing of our elders,
parents, grandparents
and family, and feel good
about making healthy
choices.
We should value all
our natural resources
gifted by the Creator.
Our culture is very im-
portant to us—Teachings
from our ancestors, el-
ders and Creator since
time immemorial.
Our Human Re-
sources are the most im-
portant we have: They
are at the top of the or-
ganization. We need to
stand together as one
tribe, working together as
one for our future.
Thank you for your
time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Jeffery E. “Luke”
Sanders Jr.
Glendon Smith - Agency District
Hello,
I am a tribal member
and lifetime resident of
Warm Springs.
I have worked for the
tribe in different capaci-
ties. I have worked for
the Tribal Court nearly
10 years as Associate
Judge.
I served as the Sec-
retary-Treasurer for 14
months.
I am also on the
Tribal Employment
Rights Office (TERO)
Commission as a Com-
missioner for about a
year now.
As I explained at last
week’s candidates fo-
rum, meth and opiates
have begun to overrun
our reservation and our
people.
I think we need to ex-
plore innovative ways of
helping our people, but
not forget that there are
those who do not want
help and may have to be
punished in order to dis-
courage their behaviors,
effectively.
Glendon Smith