The FireLake Corner Store in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Photo from Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Researcher Gosia Glinska of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business discusses how the Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma built its economy:
The scenario: The Citizen Potawatomi Nation is a tribe of the Potawatomi people, about 10,000 of whom are based in Oklahoma. Like other Native Americans, the Potawatomis have lived with a legacy of broken treaties, land theft, destruction of natural resources, paternalism and federal policies aimed at the eradication of Native language and culture. Four decades ago, the tribe was in disarray. It had 2.5 acres of trust land, $500 in cash and a tribal headquarters in a run-down trailer. The resolution: Things turned around under the leadership of John “Rocky” Barrett, who took the helm of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in 1973. As chairman of the tribal government, Barrett spearheaded the adoption of a new constitution and statutes that emphasized tribal self-determination under federal law and also held tribal officials accountable for their mistakes. Barrett’s focus on entrepreneurship and astute management of the tribal sovereignty that gave tribes a competitive edge under federal and state laws resulted in profitable enterprises and jobs. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation reinvested profits and poured them into education, housing, health care and social services.Get the Story:
Gosia Glinska: Citizen Potawatomi Nation reverses decline through strong leaders, entrepreneurship (The Washington Post 7/18)
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