[DRUMMING AND SINGING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE]
[DRUMMING AND SINGING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE]
[DRUMMING AND SINGING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE]
>> GREETINGS.
GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS BRIAN MCGINNIS.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> AND I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO
SAY A FEW WORDS OF INVOCATION
THIS EVENING PRIOR TO ADA GIVING
HER PRESENTATION HERE.
IN A GOOD WAY, WHAT WE WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WAS THE VERY SPECIAL
RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH
THIS PLACE, THIS PLACE FOR ALL
OF OUR FIRST NATIONS PEOPLES HAS
BEEN ONE OF GREAT MEMORY, ONE OF
REXRECOLLECTION, STORYTELLING AND
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
WE WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
SPIRIT OF SUCH PLACE, THE SPIRIT
THAT BRING OUR STORIES TOGETHER,
THAT INSPIRES US TO FIND OUR
TRUTH AND IN SUCH A GOOD WAY AS
INSPIRED ADA TO DO THAT VERY
THING.
WE ALSO THINK IN THIS MOMENT AS
WE PUT OUR MINDS TOGETHER, WE
ASK FOR THAT GOOD CONTINUED
BLESSING FOR HER LIFE, FOR HER
WORK AND FOR HER CONTINUED
STORY.
SO IN A GOOD WAY WE JUST
ACKNOWLEDGE THROUGH ONE OF OUR
SACRED LANGUAGES, A LANGUAGE
SHARED AMONGST THE OJIBWA, THE
MENOMINEE PEOPLES OF NORTHERN
WISCONSIN, THAT WE LOOK FOR A
BLESSING, WE LOOK FOR PERMISSION
TO DO THIS IN A GOOD WAY AND WE
LOOK FOR A SENSE OF RESPECTFUL
UNDERSTANDING TO BE WITH US ALL
HERE THIS EVENING.
SO IN A GOOD WAY I'LL ASK FOR
THAT FOR EACH OF US HERE.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING.
WELCOME.
MY NAME IS MIKE FAHEY, ONE OF
THE MANAGING DIRECTORS AT THE
WISCONSIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE YOU HERE
TONIGHT FOR THIS SPECIAL
EVENING.
WE THANK BRIAN MCGINNIS FOR HIS
BEAUTIFUL OPENING BLESSINGS.
BRIAN IS A PRORVE PROFESSOR AT THE
SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY HERE.
HE'S AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF THE
OJIBWA NATION.
SO THANK YOU, BRIAN, FOR YOUR
OPENING.
WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MAD
TOWN SINGERS, UW-MADISON
STUDENTS MICHAEL WILLIAMS AND
OTHERS, FOR SHARING THEIR
DRUMMING AND MUSIC WITH US THIS
EVENING.
OUR OPENING CEREMONIES ARE A
PERFECT REMINDER THAT HUMANS
HAVE CALLED THIS PLACE HOME FOR
12,000 YEARS AND COUNTING.
WE AS AS A A UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE 12 FIRST
NATIONS OF WISCONSIN.
TODAY, THIS UNIVERSITY RESTS IN
THE ANCESTRAL LANDS OF THE OWE
CHUNK NATION, WHO HAVE CALLED
THIS PLACE HOME FOR TIME
IMMORAL.
BUT THE STORY OF THE NATIVE
AMERICAN ON UW-MADISON CAMPUS IS
NOT JUST ABOUT A PAST.
IT ALSO CONTINUES TODAY.
IT IS A STORY OF THE AMERICAN
INDIAN STUDIES PROGRAM, CREATED
BY ADA DEER AND LED IN 1973,
DEDICATED TO PROVIDING ACADEMIC,
CULTURAL, RESEARCH AND
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT TO THOSE
INTERESTED IN AMERICAN INDIANS
ON CAMPUS AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS A STORY TOLD BY THE
AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENT AND
CULTURAL CENTER AND THE AMERICAN
INDIAN STUDENT ORGANIZATION AND
THEIR ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT HERE ON
CAMPUS.
IT IS A STORY THAT WILL CONTINUE
TO BE TOLD WITH THE FUTURE
GENERATIONS WITH THE CREATION
THIS FALL OF A POSITION OF
TRIBAL RELATIONS DIRECTOR AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
LED BY OUR GOOD FRIEND, AARON.
IT IS A STORY THAT WE'VE TOLD
NEXT-DOOR IN ALUMNI PARK, WHERE
ADA DEER AGAIN IS IS ONE OF THE
120 ALUMNI HONORED FOR THE
CONTRIBUTIONS THEY HAVE LEFT ON
THIS UNIVERSITY AND OUR WORLD.
AND IT IS A STORY THAT IS TOLD
WITH THE OUR SHARED FUTURE
HERITAGE MARKER ON BASCOM HILL
THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE HARD BUT
CRUCIAL TRUTHS CONCERNING THE
HISTORIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE HO-CHUNK PEOPLE AND THE
UNITED STATES AND HOW THE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
CAME TO OCCUPY WHAT LONG HAD
BEEN HO-CHUNK LAND.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT
THAT YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT AND WE
ARE ALL HERE TONIGHT TO HONOR
ADA DEER.
THIS EVENT WAS MADE POSSIBLE
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF THE
SANDRA G. SPONE SIGNATURE PART
SERIES AND I WANT TO THANK A FEW
INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE THIS EVENT
POSSIBLE, STARTING WITH
CHANCELLOR REBECCA BLANK AND HER
STAFF, AND THE STAFF AT THE
WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION.
HE I ALSO WANTI ALSO WANT TO THANK PBS
WISCONSIN WHO IS RECORDING
TONIGHT'S EVENT AND LIVE
STREAMING IT ON THEIR WEB PAGE.
JOINING US TONIGHT ARE SPECIAL
FRIENDS OF ADA AND ALL OF US.
LARRY NESPER IS PROFESSOR OF THE
AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES PROGRAM
AT UW-MADISON.
THEDA PERDUE IS PROFESSOR
EMERITA OF SOUTHERN STUDIES AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH
CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL.
THE BOOK WE'RE DISCUSSING
TONIGHT, "MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
MY FIGHT FOR NATIVE RIGHTS AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE," THE STORY OF
ADA DEER.
AND OF COURSE ADA DEER, WHO
PROBABLY DOESN'T NEED ANY
INTRODUCTION, BUT I'LL TELL YOU
A FEW THINGS.
ADA GREW UP ON THE MENOMINEE
RESERVATION IN WISCONSIN AND WAS
THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE TRIBE TO
GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN-MADISON IN 1957.
SHE WAS THE FIRST MEMBER OF HER
TRIBE TO RECEIVE A MASTER'S
DEGREE FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
IN 1961.
SHE LED THE STRUGGLE FOR THE
RESTORATION OF THE MENOMINEE'S
TRIBAL STATUS AND TRUST LANDS
AND THAT WORK CULMINATED IN
DECEMBER OF 1973 WHEN PRESIDENT
NIXON RESTORED RECOGNITION TO
THE MENOMINEE TRIBE.
ADA TAUGHT AT UW-MADISON.
FROM 1993 TO 1997 SHE SERVED AS
HEAD OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INDIAN AFFAIRS AND WAS A
DELEGATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO GET
TO KNOW ADA AND I WILL TELL YOU
TOO THAT NOT ONLY IS SHE A
SMART, STRONG-WILLED CHAMPION,
BUT SHE'S ALSO A WARM AND HUMBLE
PERSON WITH A READY SMILE AND AN
EASY LAUGH AND A KNACK FOR
MAKING ALL OF US FEEL SPECIAL
AND WANTED.
I SUSPECT THAT'S HOW SHE GOT A
LOT OF THINGS DONE.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
ADA DEER, THEDA PERDUE AND LARRY
NESPER.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MICHAEL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
THEDA IS HERE FOR TWO DAYS.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 17 YEARS.
I'M HERE FOR 17 YEARS BECAUSE OF
ADA DEER.
ADA FOUND ME DOWN IN MUNCIE,
INDIANA.
I HAD INVITED HER TO GIVE A
LECTURE AND SHE CAME DOWN THERE
AND WE TALKED FOR A WHILE.
SHE GAVE THE LECTURE, SHE TAUGHT
A CLASS AND THEN SHE SAID WHY
ARE YOU HERE?
YOU DON'T BELONG DOWN HERE.
YOU BELONG IN WISCONSIN.
AND AS MANY OF US KNOW, WHEN ADA
GETS AN IDEA, SHE FIGURES OUT
HOW TO GO ABOUT DOING IT AND WAS
ABLE TO BRING ME HERE, DO THE
THINGS SHE DID TO BRING MERE L ME HERE.
SO THAT'S MY ORIGIN STORY OF
THIS RELATIONSHIP.
THEDA GOT TO TELL THE STORY OF
HER RELATIONSHIP WHICH WAS
SIMILAR.
ADA CAME DOWN AND GAVE A LECTURE
AND THEY WERE VISITING AND
TALKING, TALKING ABOUT TRAVEL
AND YOU BOTH SAID AT ONCE, I
WANT TO GO TO?
>> WHAT DID WE SAY IN UNISON?
I WANT TO GO TO MACHU PECHU.
>> AND WE DID.
>> SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ADA READ
THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THIS BOOK
TO GET A SENSE OF THE SOUND OF
HER VOICE AS RENDERED IN...
>> I AM A MENOMINEE INDIAN.
THAT IS WHO I WAS BORN AND NOW I
EXIST.
>> HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.
CAN YOU MOVE IT IN?
CLOSER.
THEY CAN'T HEAR.
TRY AGAIN, ADA.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> NO.
>> IT'S NOT ON.
[LAFER
[LAUGHTER]
>> OKAY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES!
>> ALL RIGHT!
YES?
THANK YOU.
I AM A MENOMINEE INDIAN.
THAT IS WHO I WAS BORN AND HOW I
HAVE LIVED.
I AM TALL LIKE THE TREES THAT
BLANKET MY RESERVATION IN
NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND MY SKIN
IS BROWN LIKE THEIR BARK.
ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT LIVED THERE
IN YEARS, MY ROOTS GROW DEEP IN
THAT ROCKY SOIL.
THAT SOIL HAS ANCHORED ME DURING
TUMULTUOUS TIMES.
I HAVE ROOTS ELSEWHERE,
GEOGRAPHICALLY, ANCESTRALLY AND
INTELLECTUALLY AND THEY TOO
PRODUCED AND NURTURED THE PERSON
I HAVE COME.
BUT MY TAP ROOT IS MENOMINEE.
>> THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> UNTIL SOMEONE COMES TO FIX
THIS OTHER MICROPHONE, WE'LL
HAVE TO SHARE THIS, ADA.
WE CAN DO IT.
>> THAT'S THE CULTURAL PROTOCOL.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS THE
ORIGIN OF THIS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF
THIS BOOK, WHERE IT COMES FROM,
THE EARLY CONCEPTION OF IT AND
WE'LL START WITH ADA RESPONDING
TO THAT.
>> WELL, WHEN YOU GET SUCH
POWERHOUSE PEOPLE TOGETHER, THE
LATE MICHAEL GREEN, HER HUSBAND,
AND THEDA AND ME, WE'RE NOT JUST
CHATTING OVER DINNER.
WE HAVE SERIOUS THINGS TO TALK
ABOUT.
AND SO THEY TOLD ME THAT -- THEY
TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD WRITE A
BOOK.
AND I SAID, WELL, I HATE TO
WRITE, YOU KNOW.
I'M AN ORAL PERSON.
AND I'M A VICTIM OF MY WRITING
INSTRUCTORS, BECAUSE I WAS
IMPRESSED BY THE MAIN POINT IS
THAT WHEN YOU WRITE IT, IT'S IN
PERMANENT STATUS.
AND SO THEY SAID, WELL, WE CAN
HELP YOU.
I SAID, OH, REALLY?
SO THAT'S HOW IT STARTED, OVER A
DINNER AT THIS LOVELY HOME THAT
THEY HAD WITH ARTIFACTS.
NOW, THEDA IS VERY MODEST ABOUT
HER ACTIVITIES, BUT SHE AND HER
LATE HUSBAND WERE WORLD
TRAVELERS.
AND WHEN I MEAN WORLD.
THEY HAVE BEEN OVER -- IN OVER
100 COUNTRIES.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE DONE MORE
SINCE THEN.
>> YOU'RE EXAGGERATING.
IT'S CLOSER TO 90, BUT...
[LAUGHTER]
>> 15 BOOKS, 90.
>> AND A NUMBER OF THOSE WITH
ADA.
>> SO WE STRUCK UP A WONDERFUL
FRIENDSHIP, AND WE'RE TRAVEL
BUDDIES IN VARIOUS PLACES.
PANAMA CANAL, ITALY.
>> EGYPT.
>> MEXICO.
TO START WITH.
OKAY.
SO IT'S BEEN A PROCESS WITH THIS
BOOK.
I HAVE NEVER DONE A BOOK BEFORE,
BUT I LIKE TO TALK.
AND SO THEY MODIFIED THEIR IDEAS
ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD PROCEED
WITH THIS.
AND SO I WENT THROUGH MANY, MANY
HOURS OF INTERVIEWS.
>> AND AND 60 OR MORE.
>> WOW.
IT FELT LIKE MORE THAN THAT.
[LAUGHTER]
>> AND YOU LIKE HER.
>> WELL, THEY'RE BOTH CHARMING
PEOPLE.
OKAY.
SO, THEN IT HAD TO BE
TRANSCRIBED AND THEN MICHAEL GOT
SICK AND THAT TOOK TIME AND THEN
UNFORTUNATELY HE PASSED ON.
ANYWAY, HERE WE ARE.
>> AND THEN, AND THEN THERE WERE
THINGS THAT NOT ONLY ADA
COULDN'T QUITE REMEMBER ALL OF,
BUT ALSO I'M AN HISTORIAN, AND
HISTORIANS BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE
TO CHECK EVERY LITTLE FACT.
AND SO I ENDED UP DOING A LOT OF
RESEARCH IN ARCHIVES.
I READ "INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY"
FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END
LOOKING FOR MENOMINEE STUFF.
I THOUGHT I HAD COVERED
EVERYTHING THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN
ABOUT ADA OR THAT ADA HAD
WRITTEN.
UNTIL ADA'S LONG-TIME ASSISTANT
PASSED AWAY AND HER LAWYER, WHO
WAS HANDLING HER ESTATE, CALLED
AND SAID THAT THERE WERE 50
BOXES OF ADA'S PAPERS FROM WHEN
SHE WAS AT THE BIA IN HER
STOREROOM.
SO HE HAD IT MOVED OVER TO ADA'S
GARAGE, AND I WENT TO ADA'S
HOUSE TO GO THROUGH IT.
WELL, I OPENED THE FIRST BOX AND
I GO THROUGH AND FORTUNATELY HER
ASSISTANT WAS EXTRAORDINARILY
WELL ORGANIZED.
AND SO THERE WASES AN INDEX THERE WAS AN INDEX AT THE
BEGINNING OF WHAT WAS IN IT AND
EACH LETTER THAT WAS IN A FILE.
AND SO I THOUGHT THIS IS NOT
GOING TO BE THAT BAD.
SO I PUT THAT BOX DOWN.
AND I OPENED THE SECOND BOX.
AND A RAT THAT WAS AT LEAST
THREE FEET LONG JUMPED OUT AND
OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER.
[LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, I SENT ADA TO THE
GROCERY STORE TO GET SOME RAT
KILLER.
AND I KEPT ON PLOWING THROUGH
THEM, ALTHOUGH I MUST SAY THAT
WE DID MOVE THEM INTO THE HOUSE
AT THAT POINT AND PROCEEDED FROM
THERE.
SO THIS WAS REALLY NOT ONLY A
JOINT EFFORT, BUT A TEAM EFFORT,
BECAUSE WE HAD WONDERFUL SUPPORT
FROM THE AMERICAN INDIAN CENTER
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH
CAROLINA, WHO ARRANGED FOR THE
BRUISE, ARRANGEDINTERVIEWS, ARRANGED FOR THE
TRANSCRIBING AND FOOTED THE BILL
FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF IT.
AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THEM.
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING VERY
SPECIAL ABOUT AMERICAN INDIAN
CENTERS ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES.
WE TALK ABOUT INDIANS BEING
TRIBAL PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S ALSO
A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT CUTS
ACROSS TRIBAL LINES.
AND I THINK THAT IN THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO HELP WITH THIS
AND TO FUND THIS, IN PART, I
THINK THAT THAT DEMONSTRATES THE
EXISTENCE OF SUCH COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO 60 HOURS, AT LEAST, RIGHT?
ADA, PROBABLY MORE LIKE 100,
RIGHT?
SOME OF THAT, I ASSUME, WAS
PLEASURABLE, TO REMEMBER SOME OF
THESE THINGS.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MORE
PLEASURABLE THINGS TO REMEMBER
ABOUT YOUR LIFE IN THIS PROCESS
OF PUTTING TOGETHER THIS STORY
OF YOUR LIFE?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I HAD TO
TAP INTO MY MEMORY, AND THAT WAS
THE HARD IN CERTAIN AREAS.
BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, THE BOOK WAS
OVER 83 YEARS.
AND THAT WAS A LOT OF TIME TO
COVER.
BUT, ACTUALLY, IT WAS AN
INTERESTING INTELLECTUAL
EXERCISE, BECAUSE I HAD TO
RETHINK AND ALSO TO REMEMBER.
SO REMEMBER THAT.
RETHINK AND REMEMBER FOR THOSE
OF YOU WHO ARE FUTURE AUTHORS.
SO AT TIMES IT WAS FRUSTRATING
BECAUSE I WAS IRKED WITH MYSELF
THAT I COULDN'T REMEMBER, YOU
KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS.
BUT AS YOU HAVE HEARD, BOTH SHE
AND HER LATE HUSBAND WERE
SCHOLARS, WERE AND ARE SCHOLARS,
AND THEY UNCOVERED A LOT OF
STUFF THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, WHICH
I THOUGHT WAS FABULOUS.
LIKE THIS PICTURE OF ME FROM
1939 WHEN I WAS A TEENSY KID.
>> THAT WAS IN THE BOX WITH THE
RAT.
[LAUGHTER]
>> IS THAT RIGHT?
OKAY.
SO --
>> IT'S IN THE BOOK.
NOT THE RAT, BUT THE PICTURE.
>> YEAH.
BUT THEY WERE TROOPERS.
AND THEY WORKED HARD AND MADE
GOOD USE OF THE TIME.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD ALL THAT
STUFF, BUT I HARDLY EVER THROW
ANYTHING AWAY UNTIL I'VE REALLY
LOOKED AT IT.
SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T ALLOW
ANYBODY INTO MY HOUSE.
BECAUSE IT'S PILES OF PAPERS
THAT I DON'T HAVE TIME TO FILE.
MY DEAR FRIEND OLIVIA BIKFORD
WAS WONDERFUL IN DOING THAT.
SO I CERTAINLY MISS HER.
SO CHERISH YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR
FAMILY AS YOU PROCEED WITH YOUR
LIFE.
I THINK TOO OFTEN WE TAKE IT FOR
GRANTED.
AND WE CAN'T DO THAT.
EVERY DAY IS IS A GIFT AND A
BLESSING, AND I FEEL VERY
BLESSED KNOWING BOTH OF THESE
PEOPLE HERE, THEY'RE SCHOLARS,
THEY'RE TEACHERS, THEY'RE HUMANS
AND THEY ARE FUN!
>> WELL, THANK YOU, ADA.
THEDA, DO YOU REMEMBER IN
WRITING CERTAIN PARTS OF THE
BOOK THAT WERE EITHER MORE
PLEASURABLE OR CHALLENGING?
>> I LOVED HEARING ABOUT ADA'S
CHILDHOOD.
AND HER MEMORY OF HER CHILDHOOD
AND HER YOUNG ADULTHOOD, HER
TIME IN NEW YORK WHEN SHE WAS AT
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, HER TIME
THERE WORK WITHING AS A SOCIAL
WORKER.
IT WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL
TO HEAR HER TELL THOSE STORIES.
I THINK THE HARDEST PART TO WORK
ON WAS HER TIME AT THE BUREAU OF
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE THAT'S A
CHAPTER IN ADA'S LIFE THAT WE
KNOW RELATIVELY LITTLE ABOUT AS
IT CONNECTS TO HER.
WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE THINGS
THAT WERE ON THE FRONT BURNER AT
THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
DURING THOSE YEARS.
INDIAN GAMING WAS BEGINNING TO
EXPAND.
IT HAD BEEN FAIRLY LIMITED UNTIL
ADA WAS IN THE BUREAU OF INDIAN
AFFAIRS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
EVERYBODY WANTED TO GET ON THE
GAMING BANDWAGON.
AND ADA WAS IN SOME WAYS A
SUPPORTER, BUT I DON'T MEAN TO
TELL YOUR STORY, BECAUSE IT GAVE
TRIBES RESOURCES TO TAKE OVER
THEIR OWN AFFAIRS.
AS LONG AS THEY WERE SO
FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT ON THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INDIAN
TRIBES COULDN'T PLOT THEIR OWN
COURSE.
AND SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL AT
CONNECTING GAMING MONEY AND
TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY.
AND THIS WAS SUCH AN EXCITING
STORY BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS
ONE THAT REALLY HAD NOT BEEN
TOLD ADEQUATELY.
AND I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING ON
THAT.
AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW MUCH
ABOUT THAT PERIOD.
YOU HEARD THAT I WAS AN
HISTORIAN OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH.
I PRIMARILY TAUGHT AMERICAN
INDIAN HISTORY, SO IN PLACES
OTHER THAN THE SOUTH, BUT I DO
SPECIALIZE ON SOUTHERN INDIAN
TRIBES.
AND SO I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL
FROM THE PERIOD OF THE '90s IN
PARTICULAR BY GOING THROUGH
ADA'S PAPERS.
THOSE 50 BOXES WERE AN EDUCATION
FOR ME.
>> THANK YOU.
LET'S GO TO THAT TIME THEN,
SINCE YOU BRING THAT UP, AND
DETAIL THAT TO SOME EXTENT IN
YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT PERIOD.
I WAS STRUCK IN READING AND
REREADING THAT SECTION OF THE
BOOK HOW MUCH CONFLICT THERE WAS
AND THE COMPLEXITY OF NAVIGATING
THE VARIOUS INTERESTS AMONG
PRETTY EGOTISTICAL PEOPLE WHO
HAD PRETTY CLEAR AGENDAS.
A VERY ANTIINDIAN PERSON, COULD
YOU JUST COMMENT ON HOW DID YOU
HANDLE THAT WITH SUCH APPARENT
GRACE IN TERMS OF THE OUTCOME OF
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK
PLACE.
YOU DID RECOGNIZE 226 ALASKAN
NATIVE COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS
NEARLY DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF
TRIBAL NATIONS.
THAT WAS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO
AND THAT WASN'T SOMETHING
EVERYBODY WAS EXCITED ABOUT
HAPPENING.
BUT NONETHELESS THAT HAPPENED
AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK
DESERVES THE APPLAUSE THAT IT'S
ACHIEVING HERE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, THAT'S A WHOLE STORY.
BUT, ANYWAY, I'LL HIT SOME OF
THE HIGHLIGHTS.
I FEEL THAT IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GROUNDING.
YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND
KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THEN YOU
HAVE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
OKAY.
SO IN TERMS OF THE ALASKA
NATIVES, I WAS CERTAINLY
SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
AND I ANNOUNCED WHEN I BECAME
THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, I TOLD
PEOPLE I WANTED TO DO AS MUCH AS
I COULD AS FAST AS I COULD FOR
AS MANY AS I COULD.
AND OF COURSE THIS SURPRISED
MANY.
BECAUSE BEING THE FIRST WOMAN
AND AN INDIAN AT THAT, PLUS
BEING A SOCIAL WORKER, THESE ARE
NOT HIGH TICKET ITEMS IN THIS
SOCIETY, RIGHT?
OKAY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CURIOSITY.
AND THE FIRST TIME THAT I SAW
THE OFFICE, IT WAS THIS KIND OF
DRAB, BORING OFFICE.
AND SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY
THAT MY FRIENDS HERE IN THE
SOCIAL WORK COMMUNITY, STEVEN
WEBSTER AND HIS WIFE, SUSAN,
SENT ME THIS HUGE PLANT.
AND THAT BRIGHTENED UP THE
OFFICE TO A DEGREE.
BUT I ALSO DECIDED THAT I WASN'T
GOING TO HAVE JUST A BIG, LONG
TABLE WHERE YOU HAD SOMEBODY AT
THE HEAD, SOMEBODY AT THE BOTTOM
AND THEN OTHERS IN BETWEEN.
SO I SAID, BOY, I WOULD REALLY
LIKE TO HAVE A ROUND TABLE.
THEY'RE GOING LIKE WHAT?
SO THEY SAID, WELL, OKAY.
SO OUT CAME A TABLE LIKE THIS,
PEANUT-SIZED ROUND TABLE.
SO THEN I SAID, WELL, THAT'S NOT
WHAT I WOULD LIKE.
AND COULD YOU HAVE SOMEBODY GO
TO THE GOVERNMENT WAREHOUSE.
AB BOREWOMAN KNOWS ABOUT THE WAREHOUSE.
HELLO.
I'M A GRADUATE OF COLUMBIA
UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN-MADISON, NOT PO DUNK
U.
I GOT A WONDERFUL EDUCATION AT
MADISON HERE.
SO THEY CAME BACK WITH A
WONDERFUL CIRCULAR WOODEN TABLE.
AND I SAID, THANK YOU.
THAT'S RIGHT THERE.
OKAY.
SO THEN THE PEOPLE WOULD COME
IN.
AS YOU'RE CONSTANTLY SEEING
PEOPLE.
AND EVERYBODY WOULD BE
QUESTIONING, WELL, WHERE DO WE
SIT?
I SAID, WELL, IT'S A ROUND
TABLE, YOU CAN SIT ANYWHERE AND
WE'LL ALL TALK TOGETHER.
WELL, THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WERE
EXPECTING, BECAUSE THERE'S GOT
TO BE A HEAD AND THERE'S GOT TO
BE A FOOT, YOU KNOW.
SO, ANYWAY, A THAT WAS KIND OF
WEIRD TO THEM.
SO THAT KIND OF SET THEM APART
-- OR SET ME APART FROM THE
USUAL.
>> AND SO I WAS AWARE THAT THERE
WOULD BE A LOT OF SUBTERFUGE
BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND, BEING
A WOMAN AND BEING AN INDIAN, AND
AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL.
EVEN ONE OF MY FRIENDS TOLD ME
THAT IF THIS HAD BEEN OFFERED TO
HER, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN IT.
WELL, IT'S NOT QUITE A QUESTION
OF BEING OFFERED.
YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A VERY
RIGOROUS PROCESS TO GET
NOMINATED.
YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH -- ONCE
THE HEADHUNTERS DECIDE THAT
YOU'RE A POSSIBILITY, THEN THEY
DRAW UP A LIST OF PEOPLE AND
THEY THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH A
FULL FBI FIELD INVESTIGATION.
AND SO I ACTUALLY WENT TO ONE OF
THE OFFICES IN ONE OF THE TOWNS
IN WISCONSIN.
I THINK IT WAS GREEN BAY.
I SAID, HELLO, I'M ADA DEER AND
I'M BEING CONSIDERED FOR A
PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT.
AND THEY'RE GOING, LIKE, WHAT?
THIS IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE
ONEIDA.
SO I THINK THEY DID SOME SPADE
WORK THERE.
AT ANY RATE, AND SO I SAID THE
ONLY THING YOU'RE GOING TO FIND
IN MY RECORD ARE SPEED TICKETS.
I SAID, THE WORLD IS IN SLOW
GEAR AND THE DEER IS IN FAST
GEAR.
[LAUGHTER]
>> AND OF COURSING THEY DIDN'T
KNOW -- I LIKE TO BE HUMOROUS.
I LIKE TO LAUGH, YOU KNOW.
AND SO I WASN'T THIS IRONCLAD
BUREAUCRAT, YOU KNOW, JUST
SITTING THERE LIKE THIS, DUH.
NO.
BUT, ANYWAY, I DON'T WANT TO SAY
THAT ABOUT ALL BUREAUCRATS.
THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE AROUND,
BUT THEY'RE IN A MINORITY.
OKAY?
>> SO YOU SEE WHY THIS WAS SO
MUCH FUN.
>> HEY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION
NOW THAT YOU ASKED ME?
>> I DON'T REMEMBER.
[LAUGHTER]
>> ANYWAY, I WANT TO FINISH THIS
POINT, THAT RACISM AND SEXISM
AND ALL THESEISMS THESE ISMS ARE VERY
EVIDENT IN OUR SOCIETY.
IF THEY DON'T LIKE YOU, THEY
UNDERMINE YOU.
THEY LOSE YOUR LETTERS AND THEY
START GOSSIPING.
THEY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW I
COULD BE THIS FAR UP.
AND I'M A SINGLE PERSON BY
CHOICE AND I MADE THAT WHEN I
WAS VERY YOUNG I MADE THAT
CHOICE.
AND PEOPLE WERE KIND OF
SURPRISED.
HERE I WAS IN THIS HIGH
GOVERNMENT POSITION, AND I
DIDN'T HAVE A MAN AT MY SIDE,
YOU KNOW.
SO THAT UPSET A LOT OF PEOPLE,
TOO.
SO, ANYWAY, SO THERE WERE -- I
TELL PEOPLE THAT THERE WERE
ARROWS FROM THE --
>> INDIANS.
>> FROM THE INDIANS AND SPEARS
FROM THE WHITES.
BUT I TELL EVERYBODY, I HAVE
TOUGH DEER HIDE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> PLUS I'M A VERY DETERMINED
PERSON.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD
GROUNDING IN WHAT YOU WANT TO
DO.
I ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT TO
THEM.
BUT THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME.
AND I THINK SOMETIMES I GET
UNDUE CREDIT FOR THINGS.
BUT I'LL TAKE IT ANYWAY.
SO THIS IS FOR ALASKA.
THIS IS ACTUALLY -- IT WAS THE
SECRETARIAL ORDER.
AND I HAD BEEN TO ALASKA ON MY
OWN BEFORE COMING INTO THE
BUREAU.
AT ANY RATE, I SAID, WELL, I
DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS.
SO I MADE A CALL AND CALLED IN
THE LAWYERS.
I SAID, I NEED TO BE BRIEFED ON
THIS.
AND SO THEY BRIEFED ME.
AND THERE'S SO MUCH CHICANERY
THAT GOES ON.
IT WAS VERY SAD TO HEAR WHAT
HAPPENED.
THE SENATOR STEVENS, TED
STEVENS, WAS THE SENATOR, AND HE
WAS THIS IMPORTANT PERSON FOR
APPROXIMATELY 50 YEARS IN
ALASKA.
AND YOU GO INTO THE AIRPORT AND
IT'S TED STEVENS INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.
HE HAD A LOT OF POWER AND
INFLUENCE.
HE DID QUITE A LOT OF GOOD.
BUT HE ALSO IN THE TERMS OF THE
ALASKA NATIVE CLAIM, HE DIDN'T
CONSULT THE INDIAN PEOPLE.
HE HAD A GROUP OF INDIANS THAT
WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CONSULTED,
BUT ACTUALLY THEY MADE THE
DECISIONS.
HE AND HIS BUDDIES MAKE THE
DECISIONS ABOUT THE ALASKA CLAIM
SETTLEMENT ACT AND DIDN'T
CONSULT THEM.
>> WHICH DID NOT PROVIDE FOR
ALASKAN NATIVES TRIBAL
SOVEREIGNTY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SO AT ANY RATE THIS LIST CAME IN
AND I ASKED PEOPLE TO EXPLAIN
THIS TO ME.
SO I SAID ALL THESE VILLAGES
WERE LEFT OUT OF THE ALASKA
CLAIM SETTLEMENT ACT?
THEY SAID YES.
I'M SAYING WHAT, TO MYSELF, YOU
KNOW.
ACTUALLY, I'M ALWAYS CALM.
I'M NOT VERY EMOTIONAL EVEN
THOUGH I'M ANGRY BECAUSE I DON'T
WANT TO GIVE THEM A REASON FOR
NOT LISTENING TO ME.
AND SO I'M DIPLOMATIC.
AND A READ A LOT ABOUT MY
MENOMINEE PEOPLE AND THAT WAS
ONE OF THEIR STRENGTHS.
THEY WERE DIPLOMATIC, AND AS A
RESULT OF THEIR DIP DIPLOMACY -- I'M
DEVIATING A LITTLE BIT HERE, BUT
I TRIED TO BE DIPLOMATIC WITH
EVERYBODY, LOOK THEM STRAIGHT IN
THE EYE, TALK TO THEM, LISTEN TO
THEM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF
MANAGING CONFLICT, YOU CAN'T
MANAGE ALL THE CONFLICTS BECAUSE
SOME OF THEM ARE TOO DEEP AND
THERE ARE LOTS OF HIDDEN
AGENDAS, PEOPLE UP AND DOWN,
ABOVE YOU AND BELOW YOU.
BUT THOSE THAT CAME ACROSS, I
RECOGNIZED OTHER TRIBES.
SO THEN I FINISHED THE BRIEFING
AND THEN I SAID, OKAY.
SO MY SIGNATURE ON HERE MEANS
THAT ALL THOSE NATIVE VILLAGES
WILL BE RECOGNIZED AND RECEIVE
SERVICES FROM THE GOVERNMENT,
LIKE THE OTHER TRIBES DO.
AND THEY SAID YES.
OKAY.
SO I SIGNED IT.
AND THAT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH
POWER THAT ONE CAN EXERT.
AND YOU CAN'T DISMISS THE
PROBLEMS.
IF YOU DON'T DEAL WITH THEM,
THEN SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO DEAL
WITH THEM.
AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, MAKING
IT POSSIBLE FOR THE ALASKA
NATIVE PEOPLE TO BE RECOGNIZED
AS FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES.
AND --
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO THIS PAPER ARRIVED AT MY
DESK.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF
HOMEWORK.
AND BY THIS TIME PEOPLE ARE
BEGINNING TO WONDER WHAT KIND OF
A PERSON AM I.
I'M EXERTING, SIGNING ALL THESE
PAPERS, AND I'M SIGNING GAMING
COMPACTS.
>> SHE'S DOING THINGS FOR
INDIANS.
>> YES.
YEAH.
I WAS DOING MY JOB.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU KNOW.
HELLO?
[LAUGHTER]
>> SO MANAGING CONFLICT IS HARD,
AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE
DETERMINATION.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE STRENGTH.
YOU CAN'T LET PEOPLE TELL YOU
YOU CAN'T DO IT.
OH.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU PART OF THIS.
SO I GET INTO WASHINGTON.
I START -- I SAID, OKAY.
THIS IS WITH MENOMINEE
RESTORATION.
SO I GO FIRST TO THE BIA AND I
GET TO AN APPOINTMENT WITH THIS
GUY.
I STILL REMEMBER HIS NAME.
SCOTT CEET.
I TOLD HIM I'M HERE TO WORK ON
THE TRIBAL RESTORATION.
HE SAID, NO, THAT'S NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN.
WHAT?
>> THIS IS IN THE 1970s.
GO AHEAD.
>> RIGHT.
RIGHT.
BUT THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR MY
WHOLE STORY.
AND SO THEN I SAID, WELL, WHO'S
YOUR SUPERVISOR?
SO I GO TO HIS SUPERVISOR.
IT WAS A GRAND -- OH.
AB ROARSHE KNOWS TO ASK FOR THE
SUPERVISOR.
YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE.
YOU CAN'T CAVE IN.
YOU JUST KEEP PLOWING AHEAD AND
GO OVER THEM OR BEHIND THEM OR
GET SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S MORE
POWERFUL TO STEP IN.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL YOUR TOOLS
THERE.
SO, AT ANY RATE, THE SUPERVISOR
SAYS, WOW, THIS IS EXCITING.
WE'LL SUPPORT YOU.
SO, ANYWAYS, I'M THERE.
FAST FORWARD.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALASKA.
THERE HE WAS ALL THIS TIME,
STILL NOT HELPING INDIANS.
HURTING INDIAN PEOPLE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE
BIA AND THE GOVERNMENT THAT
DON'T DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED
TO DO.
AND IT WAS KIND OF A SWEET
VICTORY TO GREET HIM AS THE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY WHEN HE WAS
TRYING TO DISMISS ME WHEN I CAME
TO WORK ON THE RESTORATION ACT.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LONG
MEMORY, RIGHT?
>> ADA HAS A VERY GOOD MEMORY.
>> YEAH.
SO I DON'T KNOW.
I KIND OF DEVIATE.
THAT'S THE WAY MY THOUGHT
PROCESS GOES.
SO, AT ANY RATE, WHAT ELSE?
>> LARRY IS ASKING THE
QUESTIONS.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S RIGHT.
OKAY.
YOU SAID ABOUT THE RESTORATION
IS IMPORTANT.
REALLY AN IMPORTANT, CRITICAL
THING.
YOUR NAME IS REALLY SYNONYMOUS
WITH MENOMINEE RESTORATION AND
ALSO THE RECOGNITION OF THE
ALASKA TRIBES.
IS THAT GOING TO BE YOUR LEGACY,
DO YOU THINK?
HOW DO YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOUR
LEGACY IS GOING TO BE?
>> I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT MY
LEGACY.
I DO WHAT I DO AND IT GIVES ME
GREAT JOY TO HAVE THE POWER THAT
I HAD IN THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
POSITION.
I RECOGNIZED OTHER TRIBES AND A
LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WERE
BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
AND IT WAS EXCITING.
AND YOU HAVE TO -- YOU'RE UP
THERE BY YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU
DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU
SHOULD HAVE.
AND I KNEW THAT THAT WAS GOING
TO HAPPEN.
AND SO I WASN'T BEFUDDLED BY
THAT.
I JUST KEPT EVERY DAY DOING WHAT
I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT.
AND SO I'M NOT DONE YET.
>> SO WHAT IS IT NOW THEN THAT
YOU ARE WORKING ON?
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IN RECENT
YEARS.
>> WELL, MY MOST RECENT CAMPAIGN
WAS HELPING MY GODSON, BEN
WICKLER, BECOME THE CHAIR OF THE
WISCONSIN DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
NOW, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND --
[LAUGHTER]
>> NOW, IS HE IN THE AUDIENCE?
>> ALL RIGHT, BEN!
>> STAND UP.
STAND UP.
COME ON UP HERE SO THEY CAN SEE
YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> OKAY.
>> THANKS, BEN.
>> HIS MOTHER LYNN IS ONE OF MY
DEAREST, DEAREST FRIENDS.
AND SHE AND I ARE BOTH SOCIAL
WORKERS.
OUR OFFICES WERE RIGHT ACROSS
FROM EACH OTHER.
LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS VERY
INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF THINGS
WITH THE FAMILY AND IT WAS
WONDERFUL SHARING THE
EXPERIENCE.
AND WITH BEN I WAS THERE, BUT I
WASN'T HOVERING OR SMOTHERING.
I WAS ONLY THERE WHEN I GOT
INVITED.
AND SO SOME OF THE BIRTHDAY
PARTIES.
AND THEN HE PAID ME BACK IN ONE
WAY.
WHEN I WAS 64, HE GOT HIS HIGH
SCHOOL BUDDIES TOGETHER AND THEY
SANG "WHEN YOU'RE 64."
SO HE HAS THIS VERY INCLUSIVE
AND EXPANSIVE APPROACH TO
EVERYTHING.
AND SO WE TALKED AND I'VE BEEN
TO HIS BAR MITZVAH AND I WAS IN
HIS WEDDING AND NOW I SPEND TIME
WITH HIS THREE CHILDREN.
IT'S JUST A VERY JOYOUS
EXPERIENCE.
BUT THEN HE AND HIS WIFE MOVED
LAST DECEMBER.
THEY CAME TO MADISON.
AND NEITHER OF THEM HAD A JOB.
WELL, PRETTY SOON THE WORD IS
OUT.
BEN WICKLER IS HERE.
BECAUSE HE HAS HIS OWN
REPUTATION, TOO.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, ANYWAY, LONG STORY SHORT,
THE THEN OUTGOING DEMOCRATIC
PERSON SAID SHE WAS -- AFTER TWO
TERMS SHE WASN'T GOING TO BE
THERE OR SHE WAS NOT GOING TO
RUN.
AND SO HE DECIDED -- AND SHE
WANTED HIM TO KNOW THAT AND RUN.
AND SO I GOT INVOLVED IN HIS
CAMPAIGN.
AND IT WAS REALLY FUNNY BECAUSE
HE GOT ACCUSED OF BEING A
CARPETBAGGER AT FIRST BECAUSE
HE'D BEEN ABSENT FROM WISCONSIN.
HE GREW UP IN THE MADISON AREA.
SEE, I DON'T JUST DO INDIANS.
I DO EVERYBODY.
OKAY?
[LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, IT'S TRUE, YOU KNOW.
>> IT IS TRUE.
>> I GET INVOLVED WITH ALL KINDS
OF PEOPLE.
IT ENRICHES MY LIFE SO MUCH AND
I GET SUCH JOY AND SATISFACTION
BEING OF SOME ASSISTANCE TO
WHOEVER I CAN HELP.
OKAY.
SOCIAL WORKERS, WE LIKE TO HELP
PEOPLE.
BUT YOU GO TO SOCIAL WORK
SCHOOL, YOU LEARN TO HELP,
RIGHT?
SO IT'S MEANINGFUL.
AT ANY RATE, HE MENTIONED THAT
HE STARTED TELLING PEOPLE WHAT
HIS BACKGROUND WAS IN WISCONSIN.
SO I'M JUST SAYING ONE EXAMPLE
IN HOW IT'S REFLECTING OUT.
ALL RIGHT.
WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WE
TALKED ABOUT WHAT HE WANTED TO
DO.
HE WAS KIND OF EXPLORING.
HE WANTED TO GO INTO POLITICS
AND BECOME AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
BUT, ANYWAY, HE DIDN'T DO THAT.
HE WENT TO HARVARD.
THEN HE WORKED IN THE OFFICES IN
WASHINGTON WITH SOME OF THE
SENATORS.
AND THEN, WELL, ANYWAY, HE CAME
BACK HERE.
BUT HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH
MOVEON.ORG.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY HE RAN AND
THEN HE STARTED TELLING PEOPLE
THAT I WAS HIS GODMOTHER.
AND PEOPLE SAID, WHAT?
SO THEN HE ASKED ME TO COME AND
CAMPAIGN WITH HIM.
SO I DID THAT FOR A WHILE.
AND THEN I INTRODUCED HIM OR
SUPPORTED HIM WHEN THE STATE
CONVENTION WAS.
AND HE WON.
AND THERE HE IS.
HE'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF
WISCONSIN!
[APPLAUSE]
>> ALL RIGHT.
I THINK YOU'RE READY TO HEAR
QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
>> OKAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, I CAN TALK
ENDLESSLY.
BUT I BELIEVE IN SHARING AND
CARING.
>> GREAT.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE RAISE YOUR
HAND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
ASKING A QUESTION.
WE HAVE TWO MICS THAT WILL BE
COMING AROUND.
DOWN FRONT.
>> HI, ADA.
IT'S SHALA.
HI.
>> OH, SHALA.
>> GREAT TO SEE YOU AND THANKS
FOR THE BOOK.
BUT I WANT TO ASK ABOUT YOUR
TIME RUNNING FOR CONGRESS AND
HOW YOU THINK THAT MIGHT PAVE
THE WAY FOR DISTRICT 7.
>> OKAY.
GOOD.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, LET'S SEE.
LET ME SAY THAT I FIRST GOT
DRAGGED INTO RUNNING FOR THE
SECRETARY OF STATE OFFICE WAY
BACK WHEN, IN THE '70s, AND I
CAME DOWN.
I WAS CHAIR OF THE MENOMINEE
RESTORATION COMMITTEE.
THAT WAS INTERIM TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT THAT HAD TO BE SET UP
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
RESTORATION ACT WAS PASSED BY
CONGRESS.
BUT I DECIDED THEN THAT THEY
SHOULD ALL -- WE SHOULD ALSO
HAVE A DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN
MENOMINEE.
AND I CAME DOWN TO THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND THE WOMAN
SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOU.
I SAID I DIDN'T DRIVE THREE
HOURS DOWN HERE TO TALK ABOUT
ME.
SHE WAS JUST ADAMANT.
SO I CAVED IN.
AND SHE SAID, WELL, I SAID, WHAT
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
SECRETARY OF STATE.
OH.
I HAD A VAGUE IDEA WHAT IT WAS.
AND THEN SHE ASKED, WELL, WHY?
IT'S VACANT.
THAT'S THE REASON TO RUN FOR
SECRETARY OF STATE.
IT WAS VACANT.
SO I TALKED WITH A FEW PEOPLE
AND THEY SAID OKAY.
WELL, THEN I FOUND OUT THAT I
REALLY LIKED CAMPAIGNING.
I LIKED ESPECIALLY GOING UP TO
NORTHERN WISCONSIN WHERE THEY'RE
NOT VERY FOND OF INDIANS UP
THERE, YOU KNOW?
SO THERE I AM UP THERE.
NOT EVERYBODY, BUT MOST OF THE
PEOPLE, OKAY?
AND SO I WOULD WALK INTO THE
OFFICE.
HELLO.
I'M ADA DEER AND I'M RUNNING FOR
SECRETARY OF STATE.
THEY GO LIKE WHAT?
SEE, YOU HAVE TO TOUGHEN
YOURSELF UP.
I'M CRASHING THROUGH, RIGHT?
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY
ADAMANT IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AT ANY RATE, SO THEN I SAID,
WELL, THE DUTIES OF THE
SECRETARY OF STATE ARE, ONE OF
THEM IS TO MAINTAIN THE SEAL OF
THE GREAT STATE OF WISCONSIN, IN
ADDITION TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE
DUTIES.
OH.
YOU KNOW, SO I SAID THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.
WELL, THEN MY CAMPAIGN TROOPS
SAID -- OH.
I CAME IN FOURTH IN THE FIELD OF
NINE.
VEL PHILLIPS WAS THE SECRETARY
OF STATE.
THEY SAID YOU HAVE TO DO IT
AGAIN.
SO THAT TIME THEN I BECAME A
CANDIDATE AND WAS SECOND IN A
FIELD OF FOUR.
SO I SAID, OKAY.
I'M DONE WITH THIS.
MY CAMPAIGN TROOPS LIKE
CAMPAIGNING, AND SO -- AND THEY
LIKED ME AND WE HAD FUN.
OKAY.
SO, ANYWAY, WE THEN -- THEY
CALLED ME UP THEN, SAID, YOU
HAVE TO RUN FOR CONGRESS.
AND I SAID CONGRESS?
I SAID, WHOA, THAT'S A BIG STEP.
BUT THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THE
PEOPLE I HAD MET IN WASHINGTON
WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR THE
RESTORATION ACT.
I THOUGHT, WOW, MANY GOOD
PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S A WHOLE LONG STORY.
THERE'S BECOMES ABOUT THE
MENOMINEES AND YOU CAN READ
THEM.
AND ANYWAY -- AND I COULD TALK,
BUT THAT'S NOT THE FOCUS OF THE
TIME HERE.
AT ANY RATE, I SAID, OKAY.
, BECAUSE I THOUGHT TO MYSELF
MANY TIMES, THESE PEOPLE ARE
RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT, YOU
KNOW?
AND YOU CAN REALLY SAY THAT NOW,
RIGHT?
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO, WELL, WE RAN THE
CAMPAIGN, AND PEOPLE WERE ANGRY
WITH ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT
ANY PAC MONEY.
AND I SAID THE REASON IS I WANT
TO BE UNBOUGHT AND UNBOSSED.
AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT ME LIKE
WHAT?
THIS WAS IN 1992.
AND SO I SAID, THAT'S THE TITLE
OF SURELY CHISHOLM'S BOOK AND
IT'S ALSO ON HER GRAVESTONE.
SHE WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO
RUN AND BECOME A MEMBER OF THE
CONGRESS.
AND SHE WAS FROM NEW YORK.
OKAY.
SO THEN I DIDN'T WIN -- I WON
THE PRIMARY, WHICH NOBODY
THOUGHT I COULD, BECAUSE I
DIDN'T TAKE THE PAC MONEY, I
DIDN'T DO THE USUAL STUFF, YOU
KNOW, THAT YOU DO.
I DON'T THINK YOU COULD DO THIS
NOW.
BUT I RAISED OVER $500,000 FROM
INDIVIDUALS.
AND THE WORD GOT OUT PRETTY
SOON.
AND SO GLORIA STEIN'EM CAME.
THAT WAS WONDERFUL.
250 PEOPLE PAID $50 FOR THE
LUNCHEON, HEAR THOSE TWO AND
SUPPORT ME.
SENATOR BILL BRADLEY, MAXINE
WATERS.
I HAD A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.
BUT THE PRESS DIDN'T LIKE ME,
WELL, BECAUSE I DIDN'T FALL INTO
THEIR TRAPS.
THEY ALSO WANTED ME TO SAY ABOUT
ABOUT MY PRIMARY OPPONENT.
HIS NAME WAS DAVID CLAIREENBACK.
HE'S A WONDERFUL PERSON.
HE WAS ON THE STRAIGHT LINE.
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO JUST ASCEND
INTO THE POSITION.
HE WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN THE
MADISON COMMUNITY AND HE SERVED
ON SOME BOARDS.
MAYBE IT WAS THE COUNTY BOARD.
DO YOU REMEMBER, JONATHAN?
[COMMENT OFF MIC]
>> MAYBE HE WAS A STATE
LEGISLATOR, TOO.
ANYWAY, THEY WERE ALWAYS ASKING
ME ABOUT HIM.
I SAID, HE'S RUNNING HIS
CAMPAIGN.
I'M RUNNING MY CAMPAIGN.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
THEY WERE TRYING TO TRAP ME INTO
SAYING SOMETHING BAD ABOUT HIM,
WHICH I DIDN'T DO.
THEY JUST IGNORED ME.
THAT WAS OKAY WITH ME.
WHEN I WON THE PRIMARY, THAT WAS
SOMETHING REALLY DIFFERENT.
WOW.
WHAT HAPPENED.
SO I'M TELLING YOU ALL WHATEVER
YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING, YOU
NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, YOU
KNOW?
KEEP A STEADY HAND, DO WHAT YOU
WANT TO DO AND THEN SEE WHAT
HAPPENS.
SO THIS ALL WAS LEADING UP THEN
TO MY TIME WITH BEING CONSIDERED
FOR WASHINGTON.
AT ANY RATE, MR. CLINTON SAID --
I DIDN'T WIN THE PRIMARY,
BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD FOR ANY
WOMAN TO REALLY GET UP AT THAT
LEVEL.
BUT AT LEAST I DID IT AND I HAD
A LOT OF FUN AND I MADE A LOT OF
FRIENDS.
SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY SITTING
IN THE AUDIENCE.
AT ANY RATE, THEN MY TROOPS
SAID, OKAY, THAT'S IT.
I SAID, WELL, NOW, I GOT TO TELL
ABOUT WHEN I -- THE PRESS
CONFERENCE FOR THE PRIMARY.
SO IT WAS KIND OF EXCITING.
I WAS KIND OF LIKING THIS, YOU
KNOW?
AT ANY RATE, I SAID I'VE BEEN
WAITING ALL MY LIFE TO SAY THIS.
AND MY TROOPS WERE SAYING YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO DO THAT, ARE YOU?
I SAID YES.
I'M THE CANDIDATE.
YOU'RE THE CAMPAIGN PEOPLE.
I DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO DO WHAT
YOU TELL ME, YOU KNOW.
SO, ANYWAY, SO I RAISED MY HAND
AND I SAID I'VE BEEN WAITING ALL
MY LIFE TO SAY THIS.
ME MENOMINEE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> ME NOMINEE.
I STILL HAVE PEOPLE COMING UP TO
ME AND THEY SAY "ME NOMINEE."
I THINK THAT'S A PHENOMENAL
IMPACT.
>> ONE OF HER SLOGANS WAS
"NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEER."
>> YEAH.
AND THE JOHN JOHN DEERE COMPANY WAS
UPSET.
THEY THOUGHT I STOLE THEIR
MOTTO.
SO I SAID -- MY TROOPS WERE A
LITTLE BEFUDDLED.
I SAID, OH, THEY CALL AGAIN,
I'LL TALK TO THEM.
THEY NEVER CALLED AGAIN.
I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE I'M THE
PLAIN AND SIMPLE DEER.
I'M NOT THE FANCY DEER.
WELL, ANYWAY, I KIND OF FORGOT
EXACTLY WHAT THIS PERSON WANTED
TO KNOW.
WELL -- OH, I KNOW.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONGRESS.
SO THEN I DECIDED WHEN I WAS
READING -- I LOVE TO READ.
I COULD RETIRE FROM LIFE AND
READ, BUT THEN I COULDN'T GET
ANYTHING DONE.
I HAVE THIS DO GENE IN ME.
I READ WHERE MR. CLINTON WANT
ADD GOVERNMENT WHO LOOKED LIKE
AMERICA.
THAT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA.
HERE I AM, YOU KNOW.
WOMAN SOCIAL WORKER.
PLUS I WON THE DEMOCRATIC
PRIMARY, RIGHT?
AND I WAS THE FIRST PERSON --
FIRST WOMAN TO BE A CHAIR OF MY
TRIBE.
NOW, THAT WAS ALSO HARD FOR MY
TRIBAL PEOPLE, TOO, BECAUSE THE
WOMEN -- SOME OF THE WOMEN AND A
LOT OF PEOPLE SAID, WELL, OUR
TRIBE HAS ALWAYS BEEN RUN BY --
OR NOT RUN, BUT LED BY MEN.
I SAID, WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE
PROBLEM, YOU KNOW?
AND YOU GOT TO HAVE HUMOR IN
THIS, RIGHT?
YOU CAN STILL MAKE A POINT,
RIGHT?
OKAY.
AND SO, ANYWAY, LONG STORY
SHORT, I BECAME ASSISTANT
SECRETARY.
THAT'S A WHOLE INTERESTING
PROCESS.
I GOT INTERVIEWED MY VARIOUS BY VARIOUS
PEOPLE AND SO ON.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION.
>> AND THEN SOME.
>> IS THERE OTHER QUESTIONS?
IF YOU DO RAISE YOUR HAND AND
WE'LL COME AROUND.
THANK YOU.
>> DON'T BE SHY.
>> HI, ADA.
IT'S LINDY.
>> HI, LINDY.
WHERE ARE YOU?
>> I'M RIGHT HERE.
>> I CAN'T SEE YOU.
>> WOULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
MILES AND AMY HORTON?
>> WELL, THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO.
AND MILES HORTON AND AMY HORTON
WERE VERY ACTIVE IN THE SOUTH.
THEY WERE REALLY INVOLVED IN
SOCIAL JUSTICE EFFORTS.
AND WHAT IS THE NAME OF THAT?
THE HIGHLANDER SCHOOL.
YEAH.
RIGHT.
AND THEY PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT
PART.
I LEARNED THIS FROM MY FRIEND
AMY HORTON.
AND I DID MEET MILES HORTON.
AND I WAS IMPRESSED WITH HIM.
THEY HAD TRAINING SESSIONS FOR
THE BLACKS DURING THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ERA, AND THAT IMPRESSED
ME.
WE WERE GULLS GOING TO ALWAYS GOING TO GO, BUT
WE WERE ALWAYS WAY
OVER-COMMITTED, AND SO WE NEVER
DID GO.
BUT I HAVE A VERY HIGH REGARD
FOR THE HIGHLANDER SCHOOL AND
WHAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE
TRAINING THAT PEOPLE GOT THERE.
YES.
OH.
YES.
>> NOT A QUESTION.
IT'S JUST A COMMENT.
>> WAIT FOR THE MIC.
THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS YOUR FRIEND KAY.
INOT A QUESTION, JUST A COMMENT.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF THIS TOOK
PLACE WHEN YOU WERE IN
WASHINGTON OR NEW YORK.
BUT A PURSE SNATCHER CAME AFTER
ADA AND GRABBED HER PURSE AND IT
WAS IN THE PAPERS AND I WAS SO
PROUD.
SHE SAID, THOUGHT TO HERSELF AND
THEY QUOTED HER, MY NAME IS DEER
AND SHE TOOK AFTER THEM AND GOT
IT BACK.
[LAUGHTER]
>> IT INVOLVED JUMPING ON A CITY
BUS TO CHASE THEM.
THE STORY'S IN THE BOOK.
>> ADA, WHO IS THE MOST
DIFFICULT PERSON YOU'VE HAD TO
DEAL WITH AND HOW DID YOU HANDLE
HIM OR HER?
>> WAIT.
WHO'S ASKING ME.
>> I AM.
>> WHO?
>> TOM LEVI.
>> YOU'RE ASKING ADA, RIGHT?
>> I'M ASKING ADA, WHO IS THE
MOST DIFFICULT PERSON YOU'VE HAD
TO DEAL WITH IN YOUR CAREER AND
HOW DID YOU HANDLE HIM OR HER?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS
A PERSON, BUT I GUESS YOU COULD
SAY THIS.
I WAS WELCOMED.
OKAY.
WHEN I GOT INTERVIEWED, I GOT
INTERVIEWED BY HENRY GONZALEZ,
WHO WAS THE HUD SECRETARY AT THE
TIME, AND BY BRUCE BABBIT.
SO FIRST THEY TALKED WITH HENRY
GONZALEZ, BECAUSE IN THE HUD
OFFICES THERE, THEY HAD A
PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC HOUSING FOR
INDIANS AND OTHERS AND I COULD
DO THAT BECAUSE I WORKED IN THE
PROJECTS WHEN I WAS IN NEW YORK.
AT ANY RATE, NO, HE SAID, WELL,
SOMEBODY ELSE HAD -- HE WAS
THERE IN THAT POSITION.
I SAID, WELL, OKAY.
I STARTED TO GET UP.
HE SAID, WAIT A MINUTE.
HOW ABOUT ASSISTANT SECRETARY?
AND I SAID, NO.
HE SAID, HOW ABOUT SPECIAL
ASSISTANT?
AND I SAID DOESN'T SOUND LIKE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY TO ME.
AND THEN HE SAID, WELL, WHY DO
YOU WANT TO BE AN ASSISTANT
SECRETARY?
I SAID, OH, POWER AND MONEY.
OKAY.
SO THEN I GOT INTERVIEWED BY
MR. BABBIT, THE FORMER GOVERNOR
OF ARIZONA, AND HE WAS THE
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR AND THAT'S
WHERE INDIANS ARE, OKAY?
>> ALONG WITH THE FOREST
SERVICE.
>> RIGHT.
RIGHT.
THE MINING IS NOT THERE ANYMORE.
BUT, ANYWAYS, THE PARK SERVICE
AND SO ON.
ALL RIGHT.
SO I TOLD HIM, I SAYS, I THANKED
MR. BABBIT FOR INTERVIEWING ME
AND I SAID, BEFORE WE GET INTO
THIS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE
COMMENT.
I SAID INDIAN AFFAIRS ARE VERY
COMPLICATED.
THERE'S THE MORAL ISSUE.
THERE'S THE LEGAL ISSUE.
THERE'S A POLITICAL ISSUE.
AND THESE ALL ARE IN TEAR INTERTWINED
AND THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE
STATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS,
THAT I'M EXTENDING TO YOU MY
THINKING ON THAT TO START WITH.
I JUST TOOK -- I JUST STARTED.
I WASN'T SITTING LIKE THIS,
PARALYZED, YOU KNOW.
AND SO HE SAID, WELL, YOU CAN
COUNT ON LEADERSHIP FROM ME.
SO I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT WAS
REALLY GOOD.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY -- IT
WAS VERY QUICK.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO
GRILL ME.
BUT ANYWAY, SO ANYWAY I BECAME
ASSISTANT SECRETARY.
AND IT STARTED OUT OKAY.
AND I JUST DECIDED THAT I WAS
GOING TO DO AS MUCH AS I CAN,
LIKE I EARLIER STATED, AND OVER
TIME MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM --
I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH OF A
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM TO START
WITH.
I GOT CALLED IN TO THE OFFICE BY
HIS ASSISTANT OR HIS DEPUTY AND
HE TOLD ME I WAS DOING A REALLY
GOOD JOB AND SO ON.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY
GOOD.
BUT, AT ANY RATE, OVER TIME IT
DIDN'T JUST -- IT JUST DIDN'T
GEL, OKAY?
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
I FIGURED OUT THERE WAS ANOTHER
SUBSUBTERFUGE AND I WASN'T GOING TO
GET ALL INVOLVED WITH ALL OF
THAT.
I WAS GOING TO JUST CONTINUE.
AND SO I THINK THE FACT CAME OUT
AFTER I HAD -- I'D BEEN CALLED.
I TALKED WITH HIM ONLY ABOUT
THREE TIMES.
AND EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT I WAS
DOING.
YOU HAVE TO SIGN ALL THESE MEMOS
AND SO ON.
SO SOMEHOW OR OTHER, HE CHANGED
HIS APPROACH.
AND SO HE CALLED UP AND I DIDN'T
HAVE THE HELP AROUND ME THAT I
NEEDED, EITHER.
SO I CALLED UP -- HE CALLED UP
AND I WENT TO HIS OFFICE AND HE
SAID, WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
ALASKA.
AND I SAID, OH, OKAY.
AND IS ALASKA INDIAN COUNTRY.
AND I SAID -- AND I'M THINKING
TO MYSELF WHAT KIND OF A
QUESTION IS THAT?
OKAY.
I SAID, WELL, OF COURSE IT'S
INDIAN COUNTRY, YOU KNOW.
NATIVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON THIS
CONTINENT FOR OVER 20,000,
30,000 YEARS.
AND SO IN MY OPINION IT'S INDIAN
COUNTRY.
AND SO THEN THERE WERE SOME
OTHER KINDS OF QUESTIONS.
BUT THE POINT OF IT WAS THAT WAS
ALASKA INDIAN COUNTRY.
I SAID, WELL, YES, IN MY OPINION
IT WAS.
AND WE'RE THE TRUSTEES AND WE
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING
THE INDIAN LANDS AND RESOURCESS.
AND WHY -- OH.
SOMEBODY TOLD ME ABOUT A
DECISION THAT WAS IN THE WANING
HOURS OF THE REPUBLICANS, AND I
DON'T QUITE KNOW WHO HE WAS.
BUT, AT ANY RATE, I THINK HE WAS
THE -- IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
AND HIS DECISION WAS THAT THERE
WAS NO INDIAN COUNTRY IN ALASKA.
AND I'M SAYING -- HE SAID, AND
-- BABBIT, MR. BABBIT SAID,
WELL, I'M TAKING MY POSITION
FROM JOHN.
JOHN.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS LAST NAME
NOW.
BUT HE WAS THIS SECRETARY.
HE WAS THE LEGAL GUY IN THE --
FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OF
INTERIOR.
AND HE SAID, WELL, HE AGREED
WITH SENINITTI.
SO I SAID YES.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NATIVE
PEOPLE UP THERE THAT HAVE BEEN
THERE FOREVER, YOU KNOW?
FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I SAID, WELL, GENTLEMEN, I
SAID, I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU AND
YOU'RE BOTH WRONG.
YOU KNOW, SO I'M TELLING BRUCE
BABB ITIT AND THE HEADED LAWYER FOR
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT THAT
THEY'RE BOTH WRONG.
WELL, YOU KNOW, SO I KNEW THAT
THAT WOULDN'T SIT VERY WELL.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SIT THERE
AND AGREE WITH THEM, YOU KNOW?
AND SO I KNEW THEN THAT THEY
WOULDN'T LIKE IT.
SO, ANYWAY, I THINK THAT'S WHEN
HE DECIDED I HAD TO GO, RIGHT?
SO I DID MY FOUR YEARS THERE AND
PEOPLE ARE STILL THANKING ME FOR
MY WORK.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE
THANKING BRUCE BABBIT FOR HIS
WORK OR THE OTHER GUY, YOU KNOW.
MY NAME IS GOING DOWN TO
HISTORY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEIRS ARE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> BUT WHAT GIVES ME GREAT JOY,
THAT WHEN I GO TO ALASKA, PEOPLE
UP THERE SAY, ADA DEER, WHAT?
THEY'RE JUST SO HAPPY THAT I
COME AND THAT GIVES ME GREAT
JOY, THAT THE PEOPLE UP THERE
LIKE ME AND THEY RESPECT ME AND
THEY HONOR ME.
AND I DO THAT FOR THEM, TOO.
AND SO YOU NEVER KNOW THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN
OPEN MIND AND AN OPEN HEART.
AND I SAW AS MANY PEOPLE AS I
COULD WHEN I WAS ASSISTANT
SECRETARY.
AND I HAD SOME FUN, TOO.
I WENT TO THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY
TO HEAR THE AUSTRIAN CHOIR.
WHO WAS THERE BUT THE WOMAN --
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE.
THE TEENSY LITTLE WOMAN.
>> RUTH BADER GINSBERG.
THERE SHE WAS.
JUSTICE GINSBERG.
WOW.
SO I WENT UP TO HER AND I
THANKED HER FOR HER WORK.
I TOLD HER WHO I WAS.
I SAID, IT'S SUCH A JOY AND
HONOR TO MEET YOU, YOU KNOW.
I RAN INTO SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
ONCE.
THAT WAS IN THE LADIES' ROOM.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN DOWN THERE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE FUN, YOU
KNOW?
YOU CAN'T JUST BE DRAGGING
AROUND WITH ALL THESE PILES OF
PAPERS ALL THE TIME.
SO, AT ANY RATE, YEAH.
SO I'M GLAD THAT I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE TO
NOT ONLY MY TRIBE FOR
RESTORATION, BUT ALSO FOR THE
ENTIRE INDIAN NATIONS ACROSS OUR
COUNTRY.
>> ADA, WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE
MORE QUESTION.
>> OKAY.
>> I HAVEN'T GONE TO THE BACK,
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO WAY BACK
HERE, WAY BACK, LITERALLY THE
LAST ROW.
>> HI, ADA.
YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN REALLY GOOD
AT TELLING JOURNALISTS WHAT THEY
SHOULD COVER IN INDIAN COUNTRY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE MOST
PRESSING ISSUES ARE THAT
JOURNALISTS SHOULD BE TELLING
THE COUNTRY ABOUT?
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU, PATTI LOWE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> SHE'S A VERY MODEST PERSON,
BUT SHE DOESN'T GET AWAY WITH
IT.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE
ABOUT HER.
SHE SHOWED UP AT MY CLASS AT THE
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, AND I
TAUGHT -- I ORIGINATED A CLASS,
CURRENT ISSUES IN AMERICAN
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
AND SHE SHOWED UP AT THE CLASS.
AND I TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS
NOT GOING TO BE A REGULAR CLASS.
I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
TERM PAPER AND WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE -- AND IT HAS TO BE AT
LEAST 15 PAGES AND THEY HAVE TO
READ AT LEAST FOUR BOOKS AND I
KNEW A LOT OF THE LITERATURE, SO
I KNEW IF THEY WERE TRYING TO
PULL A FAST ONE, I WOULD KNOW IT
IT.
AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE ONE
WRITTEN TEST AND ONE TERM PAPER.
HERS WAS EXCEPTIONAL.
SHE WAS A WRITER, A JOURNALIST.
NOW SHE'S A PROFESSOR.
YAY, PATTI.
[APPLAUSE]
>> BUT I GOT TO KNOW HER.
SHE CAME TO THE OFFICE.
WE STARTED TALKING.
SHE TOLD ME THIS WAS HER FIRST
CLASS UPON RETURNING TO THE
UNIVERSITY AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW
SHE COULD DO IT.
WOW.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY HONEST.
I SAID, PATTI, YOU'RE A MATURE
WOMAN, YOU'RE A JOURNALIST, AND
HERE YOU ARE EXPRESSING SOME
DOUBT ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO DO
THE WORK.
WELL, OF COURSE YOU'VE
DEMONSTRATED THIS TO ME.
AND THEN SHE SMILED AND SHE JUST
WENT ON AND GOT HER DOCTORATE.
SO I HAD SOME IMPACT ON HER AND
VICE VERSA.
SO OKAY.
WELL, I THINK THEY SHOULD LOOK
AT THEIR -- I FORGOT WHAT YOU
CALLED IT, STYLE.
THEY KEEP CALLING PEOPLE NATIVE
AMERICANS, AND THIS IS ONE OF MY
SPECIAL IRKS.
WE ARE AMERICAN INDIANS, IN MY
OPINION.
THE REASON I SAY THIS, IT'S THE
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN
INDIANS.
IT'S -- THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION
OF TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.
IT'S THE NATIONAL INDIAN
EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.
IT'S THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN
INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE
PHYSICIANS.
AND ONE OF THE EXCEPTIONS IS
NARF, NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS
FUND.
SO I WOULD LIKE THAT CORRECTED.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL
GO.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY ALWAYS TO
WANT KNOW WHAT IS THE INDIAN
PROBLEM, LIKE THERE'S ONLY ONE
INDIAN AND ONE PROBLEM, YOU
KNOW?
WELL, I MEAN, AND IT'S VERY SAD.
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE EDUCATED IN OUR CUND COUNTRY
AND THEY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT
AMERICAN INDIANS, BLACK HISTORY
AND CULTURE.
WE HAVE TWO MUSEUMS NOW IN
WASHINGTON D.C., SO THEY'RE
DOING A GOOD JOB ABOUT EDUCATING
AMERICANS ABOUT INDIANS AND
BLACKS AND SLAVERY AND ALL THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO DO
MORE IN-DEPTH REPORTING BECAUSE
IT'S TOO OVER-SIMPLIFIED AND
LOTS OF STEREOTYPES OCCUR.
AND SO IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT
ISSUE, VOTING.
YOU KNOW, OH, THEY ARE REALLY
SUPPRESSING THE VOTE ON THE
INDIAN RESERVATIONS AND INDIAN
COMMUNITIES.
AND THAT'S --
[APPLAUSE]
>> INDIAN CITIZENSHIP ACT WAS
PASSED IN 19 24, RIGHT?
OKAY.
SO THEY DIDN'T ASK THE INDIANS.
SOMEBODY JUST DECIDED THEY
WANTED TO DO THIS, RIGHT?
AND THEY HE THEY DIDN'T HOLD SESSIONS
ABOUT EDUCATING PEOPLE OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AFTER WORLD WAR II ONE OF THE
INDIANS IN NEW MEXICO WENT TO
VOTE AND HE WAS TOLD BY THE
AUTHORITIES THAT HE COULDN'T
VOTE.
WHAT?
HE SAID HE JUST CAME BACK FROM
EUROPE, WHERE I WAS FIGHTING FOR
FREEDOM AND HERE HE COMES BACK
HOME AND THEY DIDN'T DO A REALLY
GOOD EDUCATION OF THE STATE
ELECTION PEOPLE.
AND SO HERE IN 1924 THE INDIAN
CITIZENSHIP ACT PASSED AND HERE
HE COMES AFTER WORLD WAR II.
HE TOOK THEM TO COURT AND HE
WON.
SO VOTING.
IT'S A CURRENT PROBLEM.
THAT'S ONE OF THEM.
WATER IS A PROBLEM.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FIGHTING OVER
THE WATER.
AND OTHER RESOURCES.
SO A PERSON HAS TO DIG INTO WHAT
TRIBE ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT AND
WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES.
AND OH.
I SHOULD SAY THAT I'M JUST
REALLY ANGRY OVER THE FACT THAT
OUR CURRENT OCCUPANT IN THE
WHITE HOUSE TOOK AWAY THE
FEDERAL RECOGNIZEFEDERAL RECOGNITION OF THE FIRST
TRIBE THE PILGRIMS MET.
THEY SAVED THE LIVES OF MANY
PILGRIMS.
IT'S A SMALL TRIBE.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED?
AND WHY DID THEY DO THIS?
RHODE ISLAND DIDN'T WANT ANY
TRIBAL COMPETITION BECAUSE THEY
HAD A CASINO OR CASINOS IN
RHODE ISLAND.
SOMEHOW OR OTHER THEY GOT TO THE
CURRENT OCCUPANT.
SO HE JUST TOOK AWAY THAT.
SO WHEN WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON
IN THE WHITE HOUSE THAT'S
RECEPTIVE TO DOING JUSTICE, THEN
WE'RE GOING TO WORK.
I'M GOING TO GET RILED UP AND
I'M GOING TO GET THOSE PEOPLE
WORKING OUT THERE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW IF
THAT'S A COMPLETE ANSWER TO YOUR
QUESTION, PATTI, BUT I THINK YOU
HAVE TO LOOK AT THE REGIONS OF
THE COUNTRY AND THEN SEE WHAT
THEY ARE.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF FEDERAL
LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED AND
AMERICAN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT
AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS AND
THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS OBEYED.
SO THAT'S ONE THING.
AND THEN OF COURSE ANY STATE
WHERE THERE ARE INDIANS, THEY'RE
THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN
THE PRISONS, YOU KNOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, -- AND WE ALWAYS
ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF WHATEVER
LIST IS IN THE CENSUS.
SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THE
TRIBES AND BY INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE
AND ALSO YOU ALL NEED TO REFER
-- TO INFORM YOURSELVES, TOO.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF BOOKS THAT
YOU SHOULD READ.
THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE U.S.
INDIAN GIVERS.
>> MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, ANYWAY, I REALLY ENJOYED OUR
TIME HERE.
YOU'RE A VERY ATTENTIVE
AUDIENCE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ECHO THE
CHANCELLOR'S THANK YOU TO ALL
WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND I THINK THAT THE UNIVERSITY
SHOULD DO MORE EVENTS LIKE THIS
TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AND CONTINUE
THE WONDERFUL EDUCATION THAT IS
AVAILABLE TO MANY PEOPLE OUT
THERE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO I THINK WE ALL COULD STAY
HERE ALL NIGHT LISTENING TO
ADA'S STORIES.
BUT PLEASE JOIN ME AGAIN IN
THANKING THEDA PERDUE AND LARRY
NESPER AND ADA DEER FOR THIS
PROGRAM.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU.
AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT ADA
WITH THIS GIFT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO ON BEHALF OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AND THE
WISCONSIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION,
WE'RE PLEASED TO SHARE THESE
GIFTS WITH ADA AND LARRY AND
THEDA.
SO THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US AND
JOIN ADA AND THEDA IN THE SUNSET
LOUNGE FOR A RECEPTION.
WE WILL HAVE BOOKS FOR SALE.
SO, AS ADA SAID, READ MORE
BOOKS.
YOU CAN PURCHASE A BOOK AND
THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR SIGNING
FOR A WHILE AFTER THE PROGRAM.
AND A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS OF
THAT BOOK SALE ACTUALLY GO TO A
SCHOLARSHIP HERE AT THE
UNIVERSITY IN ADA DEER'S NAME.
SO YOU'LL BE SUPPORTING
SCHOLARSHIPS AS WELL.
AS WE LEAVE, THE MAD TOWN
SINGERS WILL PERFORM A
TRADITIONAL TRAVELING SONG FOR
ALL OF US TO WISH US SAFE
TRAVELS AS WE DEPART FROM HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
[APPLAUSE] [DRUMMING
[DRUMMING AND SINGING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE]