July 17, 2014 –
MAYETTA: For the past two days topics involved with protecting and empowering families in Indian Country have been discussed at the 2014 Indian Country Conference held at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort.
“One in four Native American women will be raped in their lifetime,” said Barry Grissom, U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas, at today’s conference, “and we can’t continue to let this happen.” Grissom also discussed how important the annual Indian Country Conference is and as long as he is in office it will continue to be held.
Throughout the conference there were discussions on how to treat victims of family violence or sexual assault and the elderly through collaborating with agencies at the local, state and federal level. Another highlight of the conference was learning how to utilize new protective laws like the 2013 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and the 2010 Tribal Law and Order Code.
The conference was sponsored by the U.S. Attorneys’ offices in the Districts of Kansas, Nebraska and Northern Iowa, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office for Victims of Crime (DOJ), the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Victim Services program and the Kansas Law Enforcement Training program.
Below are some photos taken by the Potawatomi News:
Speakers during yesterday’s opening ceremony included (left to right) Alfred Urbina, Chief Prosecutor of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona, Cordelia Clapp, RN, BSN, from the Pawnee Nation, Joyce Guerrero, Vice Chairperson of the PBPN, Robert Stuart, First Assistant for U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Nebraska, and Thomas Beall, First Assistant for U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Kansas.
We-Ta-Se Post #410 posted colors yesterday to open the ceremony.
A presentation titled Collaboration: Working Together-Victim Advocates and Law Enforcement was given today by (left to right) John Calvert, Daniel Goombi and Terry Clark. Calvert and Clark are with the Potawatomi Tribal Police Department and Goombi is a specialist with the PBPN Tribal Victim Services program.
Participants were involved in several mixers during the conference.
Barry Grissom gave remarks at today’s conference.
PBPN Attorney Vivien Olsen gave a presentation during the Legislative Updates portion today.
This group had a lot to do with organizing the 2014 Indian Country Conference. On the front row (left to right) is Kim Reese, Samantha Wahwassuck, and Vivien Olsen. Back row (left to right) is Rebekah Jones, Daniel Goombi, Barry Grissom, and Kent Miller. Reese is the Victim Witness Coordinator for U.S. Attorney’s First District Kansas Office, and Grissom is U.S. Attorney, District of Kansas. Olsen is the PBPN Attorney and the others are with the PBPN Tribal Victim Services program.