AAnniisshhiinnaaaabbeegg TTooddaayy A Monthly Chronicle of White Earth Reservation Vol. 26 No. 3 White Earth, Minn. [email protected] Wednesday, March 3, 2021 Avivo partners with White Earth to open ‘tiny house’ indoor village March 8 for homeless in Minneapolis By Kelly Smith sleeping spaces. Star Tribune “We’re hoping this is a model that will bring more people indoors,” said Emily Bastian, Avivo’s Scores of homeless Minnesotans used to sleeping vice president of chemical and mental health. “I think in cars, on couches or in tents will have a new safe something like this can be replicated.” place to stay this spring. The village will be set up inside an empty book Minneapolis nonprofit Avivo is opening an publishing warehouse in the North Loop, where crews indoor “village” with “tiny houses” in March, provid - are wrapping up the final touches of the publicly fund - ing a COVID-safe and secure place for 100 adults. ed project before most of the residents move in March The two-year pilot program, called Avivo Village, 8 (16 arrived in December). The 70-square-foot rooms could become a post-pandemic template for private emergency shelters in place of the usual congregate See Village Page 22 Submitted photo Students recently graduated from an internship helping install solar pannels throughout the reservation. They received a solar certification and an electrician’s kit. From left are Gwe Gasco, Gerilyn Lopez, George Lemelin (instructor), Jose’ Moreno and Grace Roberts. A project partnership with RREAL Building on previous solar successes, White Earth has once again partnered with the nonprofit solar developer Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL) and its subsidiary for-profit solar design and installation firm, REAL Solar. The scope of the project will include installation of five 40kW DC solar arrays, totaling 200 kw, at five sites on White Earth Reservation. The sites include the Pine Point Community Center, DOVE Women’s Shelter, White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC), Naytahwaush Sports Complex, and the Workforce Center in Naytahwaush. The project completion date is scheduled for summer 2021. Along with the solar array project, RREAL is working with Elizabeth Flores / Star Tribune See Partnership Page 4 Minneapolis Fire Inspectors made their way through tiny homes to make sure the fire alarms are working on Feb.19 in Minneapolis. N E 4 D M D 1 G E s R e A T O A k D T R N I a D S O t L A i N O S P t i P m Something A E r o T r S e R t S P P e U D fishy going on! Almost 800 people registered for the r White Earth Nation e Fishing Tournament m S o S held Feb. 20 at Roy t s W Lake. u R C Fishermen were C l E a treated to hot dogs, t s sloppy-joes, snacks, o coffee, hot coca, P prizes and more. Left : A photo of the winners and their fish. See article and more photos on Page 12. Submitted photo 2 Anishinaabeg Today Wednesday, March 3, 2021 Anishinaabeg Today Anishinaabe Mino-Bimaadiziwin calls us to protect the The Anishinaabeg Today (AT) is the offical publica - weak and vulnerable of our White Earth communities tion of White Earth Reservation and is published once a month. Editorials and articles appearing in the AT are By Dr. Carson Gardner - Scientists don’t know whether it may soon be neces - the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily White Earth Emergency Operations Center sary to give already-vaccinated people a yearly “COVID- reflect the opinion or attitude of the AT staff or the White booster,” like giving yearly flu shots. Earth Reservation Business Committee. “I don’t get it. On Gaa-waabaabiganikaag we’re ahead - Scientists are trying to figure out whether/when it of almost everybody else in Minnesota on COVID vaccina - will be necessary to vaccinate kids, worldwide, to prevent The AT reserves the right to reject any advertising tion. Over 30 percent of our White Earth central-county COVID-spread among adults. Research on kids’ vaccines or materials submitted for publication. The submission residents have had at least one vaccine dose, and over 80 of articles, and photos is encouraged, however, they are is just starting. percent of our central-county elders have been vaccinated subject to editing for grammar, length, and malicious/ - And scientists don’t know how to successfully treat against COVID. Why are you guys still telling us we need libelous content. The Editor makes the sole decision of “long COVID,” the fistful of unpleasant symptoms that still to #MaskUpWhiteEarth? How far ahead is enough?” what is published in the AT and will not assume any make some people feel miserable months after their Here’s why far ahead isn’t far enough ahead yet with responsibility for unsolicited material nor will the AT COVID infection is over. COVID: guarantee publication upon submission. Deadlines are The science book is still being written on those issues strictly enforced! Deadline dates are printed on Page 2 - Vaccine keeps almost everybody who is fully vacci - and others right now, as we head toward spring 2021. But in each issue. nated (second dose at least two weeks ago) from getting we do know that COVID is real; it has killed our loved really sick with COVID or dying from COVID. ones, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. And we know that The AT is distributed at no charge to all postal - Vaccine might keep most people who are fully vacci - Anishinaabe Mino-Bimaadiziwin calls us to protect the patrons living on White Earth Reservation, and by mail nated from getting even mild COVID. weak and vulnerable of our White Earth communities. to White Earth Reservation members (who request the - But vaccine doesn’t do a darn thing to protect people newspaper) living within the United States. One per So, would you like to avoid worrying so much about who aren’t vaccinated, no matter how high the community- all that stuff? Good. Then #MaskUpWhiteEarth. Even if household. The cost of a newspaper subscription is $12 vaccination percent is, if the unvaccinated get exposed to per year for non-members (including descendants) liv - you’re already completely vaccinated, even if you’re young COVID. ing off the reservation. The AT can be read online for and healthy, even if you have already had COVID and got - Some people either choose not to get vaccinated, or no cost at www.whiteearth.com. over it just fine; keep on masking up, standing back, wash - choose to get their COVID vaccine off-rez and are still in a ing up, and staying home when possible—until we get safe For more information call 218-983-3285 Ext. long waiting line to get it. They still need COVID-expo - answers. 5903, email: [email protected], fax: 218-983- sure safety. 3641, or write to: - Scientists don’t know yet whether getting vaccinated And if you’re not vaccinated, then get vaccinated. against COVID prevents carrying and shedding COVID Because if you don’t get COVID in the first place, you Anishinaabeg Today virus without having any symptoms. can’t carry it, you can’t spread it to the vulnerable, and you PO Box 418 won’t get the long-COVID miseries that could spoil your White Earth, MN 56591 - Scientists don’t know yet what will happen more than 3 to 6 months after a person got their vaccine doses of spring, summer, and fall. Member of the The answer is to keep faithfully doing the simple stuff v Moderna or Pfizer m-RNA vaccine; or 6 to 9 months after Native American Journalist Association we’ve been doing for the past year. It still works to protect v COVID infection. Minnesota Newspaper Association - Scientists don’t know whether or when the COVID the weak and vulnerable, as well as the healthy and strong. genetic-variant viruses—like the United Kingdom, South How far ahead is far enough? Just far enough ahead to WER Business Committee Africa, or Brazil variants—might resist vaccination or post- understand #MaskUpWhiteEarth is still very important on infection immunity. White Earth lands in 2021. Michael Fairbanks Chairman 2020 : Native people have dealt with similar events in our lifetime Leonard Alan Roy Secretary-Treasurer By Evelyn Bellanger The privilege of armed militants storming the capitol Pine Point, Minn. in protest vs the armed military handlings of the peaceful Raymond Auginaush Sr. unarmed water protesters with military armory, water can - District I Representative I want to reflect on some of the events that happened nons and crop planes spraying chemicals. The immediate Kathy Goodwin in the past year and is still happening in the world today. I mass media coverage they received world-wide. District II Representative reflect on this because of how Native people have already Protesting to stop the oil pipelines, to the struggles of dealt with the similar events in our lifetimes and continue not having clean water available in Flint, Mich., and in Cheryl “Annie” Jackson to do so. It seems to have never been recognized or given a Texas. Many people have taken for granted every day that District III Representative second thought to the similarities by mainstream America. they will have clean water to drink, cook and clean with. Editor The pandemic, Something Else, black and white, armed The concerns of PTSD affecting the children from the militants in public, the water situation in Texas, PTSD, to pandemic today. We have had the trauma in our lives that the loss of half a million of lives.