
Ben Barnes
Chief
Shawnee Tribe
Shawnee, OK USA
“This soil that we walk upon, this history we all share, this is ours. Our ancestors built this place for us—for us, about us, to us.”
Shawnee Tribe
Shawnee, OK USA
“This soil that we walk upon, this history we all share, this is ours. Our ancestors built this place for us—for us, about us, to us.”
Chief
I am an elected leader for the Shawnee Tribe, a federally recognized tribe of American Indians.
Tribal citizens call and tell me about issues they have—some our government can assist with or I can direct them to appropriate resources elsewhere. Sometimes they need someone to talk a problem through with. Other times they'll describe a situation where a governmental program should be in place to fill an unmet need within our communities. The role that I fill that can't be filled by others within the Tribal Nation organization is the establishment of goals and priorities for our people.
Here's the first step for everyone
If I could recommend anything, it would be to encourage young people to get involved with their Tribe's government as soon as they are able. Volunteer and be useful to your people. The projects that I have worked on for the Shawnee Tribe never feel like labor. While it is certainly true that there are days that are struggles, each day really is its own reward.
Rising Native leaders are fighting for a brighter future