September - 2011

This month we focus on:  Native Business and Asset Development. Creating healthy Native American economies requires innovative ideas and solutions. Through in-depth interviews, learn about Native people who are strengthening Native communities.

Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood?

Of course, many of you will recognize this from the all too familiar Sesame Street skit.  For me it brings to mind a recent conversation with my brother.  We were sitting around reminiscing about growing up in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the topic of our respective paper routes came up.  And after we got past the sibling rivalry of whose paper route was the more difficult, etc., we were both amazed that we could probably recreate our routes and customers from distant memory.  But the ‘Aha!’ moment for me was when I realized that my route consisted of mostly Indian customers. It dawned on me that even in the early 1970’s, Ketchikan remained a very segregated community – my paper route was south of Ketchikan Creek, a part of town once known as Indian Town.

So you may ask, what does this have to do with business and entrepreneurship?  Let me tell you.  On my route and in my neighborhood were Indian homeowners and the emerging Indian middle class.  More importantly, as I reflect today, there were a large number of Indian entrepreneurs who were taking risks, creating businesses, etc., in the hopes of creating wealth for their families and their community.  There was Pete Johnson of Johnson’s Glass, the Dalton family and their expanding apartment and real estate holdings, and even folks like the James family who owned their own fishing boats, employed crews (mostly family and other folks from the Indian community).  These folks and my daily interaction with them formed my early ideas of what was possible as an Indian person.  But there is a part that saddens me a bit in all of this.

What saddens me is that we have been remiss to capture these stories of our Indian entrepreneurs.  What was their motivation? How did their values and practices differ than other entrepreneurs in the community, etc.?

One of my favorite books about entrepreneurship is Lionel Sosa’s, “The Americano Dream: How Latinos Can Achieve Success in Business and in Life.”  It is a no nonsense book about Latinos who aspire to success in business and in life.  More importantly, he talks about ways in which Latino entrepreneurs can gain self-confidence and “transform your cultural heritage into an asset that can become a viable tool for success.”

Where is the “American Indian Dream” (Sueño de los Indios Americanos) book?  If we really want to encourage folks to continue to take risks and start wealth-creating businesses in Native communities, we need to begin sharing their stories – their ambitions, their successes, and yes, even their set-backs and failures.  Who are the entrepreneurs in your neighborhood and how can we get their stories about creating businesses and using their heritage and culture as an asset in business development?

We Are Not Limited by What We Are Given

When the Black Mesa Mine closed near the Shonto Chapter on the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona, this caused vast economic devastation to the Shonto community. More than 100 residents were left without jobs and had to find employment outside of the area. The impact triggered chronically high unemployment rates and a lack of economic opportunity.

When the mine closed, the Shonto Chapter stepped forward to take control of their future by leading residents from financial dependence to independence and economic sovereignty. Because the Shonto Community had achieved local governance certification in 1999, the first of 110 Navajo Nation Chapters to do so, the Chapter was able to utilize its resources to garner funding and economic development opportunities to rebuild the community. The Chapter established the Shonto Community Development Corporation (SCDC) in 2005, a Native-led nonprofit that is addressing community-driven economic development.

The Shonto Community Development Corporation received a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) grant from First Nations Development Institute to increase organizational capacity. SCDC utilized their grant funds to solidify their status as a nonprofit entity, and to implement plans to garner diverse funding resources. The organization is an incredible model of success for other Chapters on the Navajo Nation, as well as for Native nonprofits that are focused on tribal economic development.

Led by Leona Canyon and Brett Isaac, both from the Navajo Nation, First Nations staff recently visited with Canyon and Isaac to learn more about what drives their commitment to rebuild Shonto:

First Nations: What are some of the existing challenges in Shonto?

Isaac: With the economic impact of the mine closing, the Shonto community suffered from a lack of money. However, the challenges we face today are rooted in lack of capacity and community empowerment. As an organization we are working to empower the community through economic development.   

First Nations: What has SCF funding meant for SCDC?

Canyon: SCF funding has helped our organization really build capacity. We have achieved nonprofit status, and we have the ability to write funding proposals and raise money for the programs that we need to help the Shonto community. Our work has, in a way, created a cookbook of what other Navajo Chapters can do to strengthen their economies.

First Nations: What do you hope to achieve for the Shonto Chapter?

Isaac: I believe we are not limited by what we are given. Even though we have suffered economically, through our work, we are planting seeds that are driven by ideas that will garner revenue for our community and build our capacity. Our projects are derived from economic opportunity, and we will accomplish financial independence through community empowerment.

Helping People Help the Land

American citizens often take our food systems, access to clean drinking water and natural resources for granted. We also often fail to take into consideration that our economy requires a successful agricultural industry. One group in the United States that clearly recognizes the need for sound stewardship of natural resources is farmers and ranchers. And one tribal community in particular that experiences the acute impact of an agricultural-based economy is the Navajo Nation.

In an effort to reverse the decline of farmers and ranchers on the Navajo Nation, First Nations Development Institute launched the Navajo Western Agency Training and Technical Assistance Project through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Advocacy and Outreach. In partnership with North Leupp Family Farm, First Nations is working with Chapters located within the geographic borders of the Western Agency of the Navajo Nation. First Nations is encouraging and assisting socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to own and operate their own farms and ranches, allowing them to become an integral part of the agricultural community and strengthening the rural economy.

As part of the project, First Nations recently provided a regional training institute to Western Agency farmers, ranchers and program partners.  The two-day training institute was held at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Arizona in August 2011. The training activities consisted of workshop themes that addressed USDA opportunities for farmers and ranchers, nonprofit management, grant writing and key areas of capacity building.

During the institute, First Nations staff interviewed one of the program partners, Felix Nez (Navajo Nation) from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services, to learn more about the importance of this initiative for Navajo farmers and ranchers:

First Nations: Why are you involved with this project?

Nez: I have always been interested in agriculture, ever since I was a young man growing up on the Navajo reservation. Through my work at the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Services our focus is on helping people help the land. I believe in natural resource conservation and it is important to provide Navajo farmers and ranchers with the resources they need to succeed.     

First Nations: Why is tribal culture integral to Navajo farming and ranching?

Nez: In order to understand how our farming and ranching techniques work on the reservation, you have to know and understand Navajo culture. We have to have patience when we work with the land, and our culture teaches us how to be that way… how to walk in two worlds. The laws and principles of the Navajo Nation teach us to care for the land, leading to successful resource conservation.

Native Entrepreneurs: Faces and Stories of Economic Development
A Profile on Tocabe, An American Indian Eatery

Creating healthy Native American economies requires innovative and successful entrepreneurs. First Nations Development Institute recently launched the Native entrepreneur online series to share success stories about business owners with the broader public. We are featuring restaurant owners Ben Jacobs (Osage) and Matt Chandra of Tocabe, the only American Indian eatery in Denver, Colorado, because of their vision as entrepreneurs to become the industry standard of American Indian cuisine.

Serving Native food in a restaurant environment that infuses American Indian cultural elements with a clean and modern design, this eatery has quickly become one of the most popular places to dine in Denver. Tocabe, a name which denotes an old Osage translation for the color blue, is a wonderful example of what entrepreneurs can do when they have the resources necessary for effective business development.

Jacobs and Chandra are the epitome of what an entrepreneur can be; someone who not only has the ability to create and innovate, but also to be self-sacrificing while remaining confident amidst great challenges. They have shown us what it means to be successful entrepreneurs that blend a sound business model with a community-driven experience.

Based on the tremendous accomplishments of the team at Tocabe, the restaurant was recently featured on the highly popular Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”, hosted by the New York Times best-selling cookbook author and restaurateur Guy Fieri. When asked about what Tocabe means to him, Jacobs shared, “Native businesses being successful, that is the most important part.”  He also discussed how his work as an entrepreneur will impact future generations, “It shows our children that we can do things, too. We can go out and open things and be proud of what we do. We can create successful businesses.”

The online series includes a feature-length profile and a four-minute video, where the Tocabe team discusses their impact on Native communities. The online story also includes photos that illustrate the restaurant’s design, Native cuisine that is offered, and the faces of Tocabe, the people and owners who have made it a successful Native business today.

To learn more about their story, visit First Nations' Native Entrepreneurs series.