Madison, WI—The State of the Tribes address is delivered each year by a Tribal leader nominated by their peers, making the selection both a profound honor and a mark of deep trust. It is one of the few moments when Tribal Nations can speak directly to the Legislature about the reality of Tribal/State relations. Chairwoman Nicole Boyd’s selection reflects the respect she has earned among fellow leaders. In her remarks, Chairwoman Boyd recognized meaningful progress where it exists, while also calling out the ways the Legislature has too often failed to live up to its responsibilities to be true partners with sovereign Tribal Nations.
Representative Angela Stroud (D-Ashland), whose district includes the Red Cliff and Bad River Reservations, had this to say about the address:
“It has been an absolute joy to work with Chairwoman Boyd in my short time in the Legislature. She is an incredibly smart, hardworking, and dedicated leader who is always doing whatever she can to improve the lives of the people she represents. Today she brought a critically important message to the Legislature about the need for us to protect water, prioritize education, and learn from the wisdom found in Anishinaabe teachings. One of the critical takeaways from her speech is that true partnership with tribes means that they are consulted early in any process, not as an afterthought. As a Legislature, we need to commit to this principle as we strive to live up to the legal and moral obligations contained in the treaties that our federal government signed with these nations.”
