Miisaninawiind January 3-9, 2022
Gichimanidoo-Giizis (Great Spirit Moon)
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Boozhoo and welcome to the Miisaninawiind weekly newsletter!
The Miisaniinawind brings you important news, announcements and updates, designed specifically for the Red Cliff community. But that's not all. The weekly eNewsletter will also provide news about neighboring tribes, communities and broader issues across Indian Country that matter to you.
If you have photos, news or information you'd like to share, please email submissions to communications@redcliff-nsn.gov.
Check out our website HERE and our Facebook page HERE.
Want to receive the newsletter each week? Sign up HERE.
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Red Cliff contracts with consultant to
assess and improve program practices
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The Red Cliff Tribal Council has contracted with business consulting firm WIPFLI, a Minneapolis-based company that specializes in assessing organizations’ processes and policies.
WIPFLI will work with Tribal Administration and the Indian Child Welfare Department to help identify areas in which the ICW program can restructure and improve its practices, with the goal of best-serving the Red Cliff community and families. This assessment process will eventually take place across all Tribal departments and programs to increase efficiency within Tribal operations.
“Our Administration is looking forward to working with WIPFLI as we continue to listen and address the needs of our community,” said Chairman Christopher Boyd. “This work will ultimately help us become more effective and helpful for our families across all of our programs.”
After working with Red Cliff leadership, WIPFLI will conduct several workshops with ICW program personnel. The workshops will help WIPFLI identify specific improvement strategies as part of an Improvement Roadmap. WIPFLI will also conduct reviews of policy manuals to ensure all program procedures conform with best practices and federal grant regulations.
Tribal Administration would like to thank community members for continuing to provide feedback on issues that affect Miskwaabikaang. The Tribal Council strives to continually improve all programs, resources, and services offered to Red Cliff Tribal Members and community.
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Ernie Stevens Jr Visits Red Cliff,
Donates to Boys & Girls Club
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Ernie Stevens Jr., Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, visited Miskwaabikaang last week. After speaking with staff at Legendary Waters, he visited with Miskwaabikaang youth and donated $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Club.
Ernie urged the youth to remain strong and resilient, as they are the ones who can control their future. The funds will help cover costs for youth activities.
Chi-Miigwech to Ernie Stevens Jr. for the visit and the donation to Miskwaabikaang's Boys & Girls Club!
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Copper Crow Distillery Featured In Fortune
How cheese by-product is being reused by the first Native American distillery
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By Adam Erace
Some 1,500 years ago, the Indigenous people living on the Atlantic coast of what would become the Northeastern U.S. and Canada packed up and headed inland. They journeyed along the St. Lawrence Seaway and through the Great Lakes, following a prophecy directing them west until they found the land where food grows on water. When they arrived, they called the sacred destination Miskwaabekong (Red Cliff) for the crimson bluffs rising from the shores of Gitchigami (Lake Superior), whose bays and rivers rustled with wild rice.
Today this is the Bayfield Peninsula, “as far north in Wisconsin as you can get,” says Curtis Basina, a local distiller and one of the 1,300 members of the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa who live on and around the 14,000-acre Red Cliff Reservation.
“The water and the woods and the air quality is phenomenal,” which makes this gateway to Apostle Islands National Park a haven for outdoorsy tourists who come to kayak in the summer, snowmobile in the winter, and, hopefully, enjoy a couple of cocktails at Curtis and his wife Linda Basina’s Copper Crow Distillery, the first Native-owned in the country.
At Copper Crow, the lake’s artesian aquifers provide the pristine water, and the Basinas provide the rest. They distill vodka, gin, navy-strength rum, apple brandy, and whiskey in a clearing of evergreens off a two-lane state highway a quarter mile from the scenic lakeshore.
Back when Basina patrolled this and other roads during his 17-year law-enforcement career, the idea of a distillery here, within the Red Cliff Reservation, was not only unlikely, it was illegal. “The prohibition of distillation on Indian lands goes all the way back to the 23rd Congress of 1834, where the Andrew Jackson administration came up with laws to regulate trade and commerce with Native Americans, and part of that was no alcohol whatsoever on reservations,” he says.
“To add further insult, soldiers stationed on reservations were exempted from the booze ban and enjoyed government-supplied daily whiskey rations,” according to a 2018 New York Times story that also cited “a condescending view of Native Americans as helpless to resist the intoxicating allure of alcohol” as a part of the motivation for the ban. “During that era, the stereotype of the drunken Indian was pervasive, and federal lawmakers enacted laws intended to ‘protect’ Native Americans from both themselves and deceitful liquor traders.”
While the racist ban was partially repealed in the 1950s, allowing alcohol to be sold on reservations, the distilling prohibition remained until the Basinas found a loophole. “The distillery is within the boundaries of the reservation, but Linda and I actually own the title to the land,” he says. They submitted their application, which was approved, a watershed moment for Native American entrepreneurs long denied a slice of a booming craft-distilling industry that last year did $6.7 billion in sales and grew at a rate of 9.8%, according to the American Craft Spirits Association.
Copper Crow opened in 2018, existing not only at a political inflection point but an environmental one. “Lake Superior is our spiritual hub,” says Red Cliff vice chairman Nathan Gordon. “The water is how we came to be here,” and that water is under internal and external threats.
“Superior still ranks among the world’s coldest and most pristine lakes, but it is also one of the fastest warming lakes in the world,” a 2019 white paper from Northland College’s Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation reported. “Today, the lake is showing signs of new vulnerability to the complex impacts of a shifting climate, such as increases in the ferocity and frequency of major storm events, accelerating sedimentation rates, rising water temperatures, escalating infrastructure damage and—most surprising of all—a growing threat from blue-green algal blooms, which can sometimes be toxic.”
Meanwhile last summer, “Not for Sale” signs with images of the lake started popping up on local lawns in protest of Kristle KLR, a bottled water startup seeking a permit to tap and bottle water from the well on its family-owned property. Opponents say Kristle, which recently suggested to the rapper Kevin Gates on Twitter, “Other than prayer the next best way to cleanse is ‘NATURAL’ alkaline water,” will have a negative impact on the water table and violate the 2008 federal Great Lakes Compact barring water diversion from the lakes. The county Planning and Zoning Committee denied the permit in July, a decision Kristle appealed only to be denied again in September. The appeals process is ongoing.
“Our process, a lot of it has to do with our water source,” Basina says, “and a lot of it has to do with where we get our whey.”
One hundred and fifty miles southwest of Bayfield in Grantsburg, Burnett Dairy Cooperative supplies Copper Crow with 750 gallons of whey, the liquid by-product of cheesemaking, at a time. Basina learned about whey-based spirits from Rusty Figgins, master distiller and lead lecturer at the Spirits Institute Puget Sound (SIPS), where Basina was attending a class before opening Copper Crow. “He said, ‘You’re from Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the Dairy State,” Basina recalls. “Look at doing something with dairy, primarily whey. It’s fairly complex, but if you can make this work, you’re gonna do well with it.’ It was certainly not my first choice, but I accepted his challenge.”
Every pound of cheese leaves behind about nine pounds of whey. The market for the protein-rich, lactose-clouded liquid is minuscule—mostly makers of workout snacks and wellness tonics—but distillers represent a small yet emerging new customer base, with American producers beginning to follow the lead of those in the U.K., France, Australia, and New Zealand.
For the Basinas, whey provides not only a positive input to their spirits but also offsets a negative output. Dairies with the right (costly) equipment can convert whey to biogas and electricity, but most reuse it for animal feed and fertilizer. “It has to be treated gingerly,” Basina says. “If whey runs off from fields and gets into a water source, it consumes the oxygen, and pretty soon you start seeing fish and other microorganisms die off.”
Copper Crow’s Whey Vodka and Whey Gin take longer to make than their grain-based counterparts, but Basina says the effort is worth it. Not only does the whey produce a distinct, intriguing finish (“creamy and a little bit sweet, almost like sake”) and meaningful Wisconsin connection, it also, in a small way, helps protects the Red Cliff’s sacred waters.
“We’re the People of the Big Water,” Gordon says. “The lake is our historical, spiritual, and cultural crossroads.”
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Council Meeting January 3 |
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The Red Cliff Tribal Council is set to meet on Monday January 3 at Legendary Waters.
The Regular Session is scheduled to begin at 4:30 PM. Community Members are invited to attend.
Click HERE to view the meeting agenda.
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Resources Available for Veterans |
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Greetings Veterans,
We want to wish you a very happy holiday season. For many, the holidays can be a very joyful time, but for some, it may lead to an increase in anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health symptoms. Please know VA has several resources available and we are ready to help you cope.
VA is the world’s leading research and educational center of excellence on PTSD and traumatic stress. VA has a National Center for PTSD and there are abundant resources available on the website. By visiting this site, you can learn more about PTSD and available treatment options, as well as locate VA care centers near you.
VA also created “PTSD Coach,” an app that provides tools and resources to help you learn about and manage PTSD symptoms. Additionally, VA has developed this helpful guide you can share with families and friends to help them understand PTSD and how they can support you.
Letting others know how you feel and asking for support can be extremely helpful. We encourage you to access information regarding mental health care and resources here. allows this site, you can explore mental health resources by topic and locate VA and community resources near you. Additional assistance can also be found at this website, Don't wait. Reach out.
If you are experiencing a crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, is available by dialing 1-800-273-8255, (Veterans press 1). The crisis line is staffed around the clock by a caring, qualified responders, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We care about you and encourage you to use these resources. Please do not hesitate to reach out to VA with any assistance you might need for a safe and joyful holiday season!
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Legendary Pow Wow Set for January 29-30 |
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Grand Entry times are set for 1 PM and 6 PM on Saturday January 29, followed by a 1 PM grand entry on Sunday. Dance specials will be announced soon!
Leslie Gibbs will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The Arena Director will be George Dick, and Keller Paap will serve as Spiritual Advisor.
Josh Zunker and Gretchen Morris will be featured as Head Dancers and Edward Bressette will be honored as Head Veteran.
Invited drums include Cedar Creek, Always Thundering, Little Thunder, War Thunder, Standing Bear, Ojibwe Park, Black Water, and Bad River.
For vendor information and any other questions, please contact Demetri Morris at 715-779-9463.
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Waawaashkeshi Hunting Season Extended |
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Attention any Tribal Members interested in hunting and harvesting waawaashkeshi (deer): This year's hunting season has been extended and will now end on January 9, 2022.
Please note - this order only applies to the Ceded Territories within the state of Wisconsin, and is only effective for this current deer season.
View the entire order from the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission.
Please direct any questions to the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission at 715-682-6619 or to the Red Cliff Wardens at 715-779-3732.
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Bayfield Chamber Collecting Warm Clothing
Items are donated to Bayfield School and Red Cliff Warming Shelter
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The Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau is inviting community members to drop off new or gently used coats, sweaters, hats, mittens, and other warm clothing items as part of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Big Bundle Up campaign. Warm clothing donations can be dropped off at the Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau through January 7, 2022.
“We’re so grateful to collaborate with the Bayfield Chamber as part of this warm clothing campaign,” said Red Cliff Family & Human Services Director Rebecca Benton. “Chi-Miigwech to the Chamber and to all area residents for considering donating warm clothing to school children and to our area’s homeless population.”
The Bayfield Chamber is located at 42 South Broad Street in Bayfield. The Red Cliff Homeless Warming Shelter is located at 89645 Youth Center Dr in Red Cliff. The shelter is open every night from 9 PM – 8 AM.
Questions about the Big Bundle Up Campaign can be directed to Kati Anderson, Bayfield Marketing Director at 715-779-1069 or via email at kati@bayfield.org.
Questions about the Red Cliff Homeless Warming Shelter can be directed to 715-779-3700 or 715-779-3706.
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The Red Cliff Wardens have proposed changes pertaining to Chapter 10 of the Red Cliff Code of Laws. Click HERE to view the proposed changes.
Public comment on this proposal is encouraged. Please drop your comments at the Tribal Administration Building or forward them directly to the Tribal Council.
This proposal will be voted upon on Tuesday January 18, 2022.
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Red Cliff Community Invited to Take
Native Organizers Alliance Survey
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Last year, tribal and Native communities showed up to the election polls in record numbers and proved to the rest of the country something we already knew -- that there is power in our voices.
The Indigenous Futures Survey (IFS) is an opportunity to raise our voices once again, and to share our experiences, issues, and priorities that are important to our families and communities and how we will strengthen the sovereign role of our tribal governments.
Please click HERE to take a brief survey by January 31, 2022. Learn more about the survey and how it will benefit Indian Country HERE.
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Homebuyers Wanted,
Pre-Developed Sites Available
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Multiple lease sites (8) in current development will be ready for a home to be placed in 2022. Clearing, utilities, driveway and slab done – giving you a leg up on development!
To choose your site, bring in your pre-approval from a mortgage lender and select your manufactured home! These sites provide a homebuyer with immediate equity as the site development cost is subsidized with grant funding. Act soon to have a new home in 2022!*
For more information and for map review of sites, please contact Liz Boyd, Homebuyer/Homeowner Program Manager at 715-779-3744 ext. 3518 or email eboyd@redcliffhousing.org.
If you haven’t prequalified, we also can assist with getting you matched with a mortgage lender!
Don’t miss out! Own your own home today!
*Please note: lead times for ordering homes can vary; and COVID still does have impact on supply chains, labor and transportation. Home ordering must take place soon in order to have a home delivered & placed in the 2022 year.
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COVID-19 Relief Payments & SSI Eligibility |
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For Tribal Members who are enrolled in SSI programs or receive SSI payments: Any COVID-19 relief direct assistance payments you receive from the Red Cliff Tribal Government do NOT count against your SSI eligibility or your SSI payment.
See images or click HERE for details.
Please contact 715-779-3707 ext 2238 with any questions.
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Are you a tribal member-owned business interested in having your business included in our Business Directory? Click HERE.
Tribal Members and non-tribal members planning to do business within the boundaries of the Red Cliff Reservation are reminded to please submit a Business Permit Application. Completed permit applications should be sent to the Red Cliff Legal Department, 88455 Pike Rd, Bayfield, WI 54814.
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Emergency Rental Assistance Available For
Tribal Members in Ashland and Bayfield County
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The Emergency Rental Assistance Program is still offering help and is accepting applications. This program is open to Red Cliff Tribal Members who rent housing in either Ashland County or Bayfield County.
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program can pay up to 12 months of rent and utilities for qualifying households. It is NOT required that applicants live in tribal housing or have past due bills.
Contact 715-779-3700 ext 4208 or ext 4209 with any questions.
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Happy Birthday To Our Members This Week! |
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Aurora McCarthy
Ayden Juntunen
Derick Paulson
Scott Charette
Lynn Kroger
Sergio Diaz
Terry Freeland
Jennie Gordon
Gabriel Morrin
Richard Wilmot
Patricia Webster
Anastasia Gordon
Clara Richards
Gary Vandervest
Carol Fisher
Joy Steele
Aubrey Defoe
Edward Bresette
Shelby King
Jesse Bonney
Henry Espinoza
Amy Davis
Robert Claugherty
Jody Bresette
Emersen Peppenger Landen Falkowski
Jamie McCutcheon Antwaun Hackman
Mary Peterson
Mary Slomba
Jessica Mathewson
Nikki Andrews
Charles Fields
Kathryn Babineau Benjamin Topping
David Beeksma
Rhianna Olson
Lily Lifschultz
Cera Richards
Courtney Whalen
Jeffrey Garrett
Eileen Hood
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Emily Fairbanks
Walter Durant
Amanda Peterson-Teschner
William Bagby Hammond Hadley Chamberlain Catherine Becker
Delilah Van Vlack
Douglas Hanson
Jaime Leichtman
Gwen Jordan
Zoe Miller
Patrick Gordon
Kerri Newago
Brandon Liberty
Colleen Quick
Landon Smart
Marla Kokesh
Amanda Newago
Erik Defoe
Derrick Crozier
Ida Nemec
Lanah Davis
Driskill Sawyer
Jackson Schnabel
Peter Gordon
Charles Bressette
Robert Buffalo
Logan Matke
Lori Mc Avaney
Ayla Koszalinski
Ashton Everett
Justin Newago
Declan McCarthy
Kouvr La Fernier
Kristi Holmes
Aniah Gokee
Eli Anderson
John Aitkin
Isabelle Richards
Brianna Weber
Brayden Smith
David Goslin
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Daryl DePerry
Honor Lindahl
Grant Melville
Richard Peterson
Terri Sales
Kateri Cadotte
Skarlette Albert
Daniel Topping Mariaelena Rodriguez Adrian Antiel
Linda Moder-Pauna
Randi Defoe
Debra Defoe
Brendan Wagman
Daniel La Grew Christopher Cassidy Jonathan Liberty
Brianna Flores
Andrew Westlund
Luis Franchi
Darrell Murphy
Waylan Cawcutt
Joshua Landvik
Lance Ritter
Steven Smith
Traeven Marsland
Tamara Richards
Jasmine Sonen
Denise Barningham
Linda Lawver
Cherie Hudson
Diana Reijo
Tanya Whaples
Tyler Bielicki
Randy Erickson
Paula Mayer
Justin Hilburn
Margaret Defoe
Dylan Hudson
Meredith Derschan
Peter Newago
Natalie Kivi
Justin Deragon
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Carbon Monoxide Reminder:
Check Your Batteries!
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As the colder weather approaches – remember to check the batteries in your carbon monoxide (CO) detector. If you don’t have a battery-powered or battery back-up CO alarm, now is a great time to buy one. More than 400 people die each year in the United States from unintentional, non-fire related CO poisoning.
CO is found in fumes produced by furnaces, vehicles, generators, stoves, lanterns, gas ranges, or burning charcoal or wood. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned and can die from breathing CO. When power outages occur during emergencies such as severe winter storms, the use of alternative sources of power for heating or cooking can cause CO to build up in a home, garage, or camper and to poison the people and animals inside.
Stay safe!
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Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way |
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Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.
Follow these five steps every time.
1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
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The Scoop on Snow Shoveling Safety |
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Shoveling snow is very hard work. It can cause muscle strains and back injuries, especially if you are relatively inactive and out of shape or do not lift properly. It can also put severe stress on your heart. For some, shoveling snow may even result in a heart attack. Shoveling snow, especially if the snow is wet, is like picking up heavy weights. One full shovel load of wet snow can weigh as much as 25 pounds.
To avoid injuries from snow shoveling:
Before you start shoveling, move and stretch your muscles to warm them up.
Do not shovel right after eating or while smoking.
Use a shovel with a handle that is long enough to let you keep your back just about straight when lifting. An ergonomic shovel with a bent handle is better than one with straight handle. A plastic shovel is lighter than a metal one and less strain on your back.
Take it slow! Shoveling can raise your heart rate and blood pressure dramatically.
Push the snow whenever possible rather than lifting it.
Lift smaller loads of snow. Don’t overload your shovel.
Lift with your legs bent and your back as straight as possible so you are lifting with your legs rather than your back.
Step in the direction you are throwing the snow. This will help to avoid twisting your lower back.
Take frequent breaks. To reverse the excessive bending and extend your back, stand straight and walk around. Place your hands toward the back of your hips and bend backward slightly for several seconds.
Don’t shovel to the point of exhaustion. If you are out of breath, take a break. If you feel tightness in your chest, stop immediately. If you have any health problems or are in poor shape, don’t consider shoveling. Arrange for someone else to shovel your driveway and sidewalk.
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Recognize and Control the Spread of the Flu |
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National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is an annual observance in December to remind everyone six months and older that there’s still time to get vaccinated against flu. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications, including people with certain chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
Vaccination against the flu is especially important for American Indians and Alaska Natives, who have been found to be at high risk of developing complications from the flu (ihs.gov).
Below are some helpful facts to get you through the flu season:
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CONTROL THE SPREAD OF THE FLU
If you think you have the flu, stay home.
Get tested to rule out Covid-19.
The standard recommendation is that you stay home until you are fever-free for 24 hours.
If leaving your home for any reason, follow standard infection control standards:
Cough into your sleeve or wear a face mask.
Wash or sanitize your hands frequently.
Avoid close contact (6 feet or less) with other individuals.
Flu vaccines are still available at the Red Cliff Community Health Center. Please call to make an appointment at (715) 779-3707 Ext. 5341
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Harm Reduction - Keep our Community "SAFE" |
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Saving lives from HIV and Hepatitis C requires aggressive strategies to reach people at high risk. The purpose of the Red Cliff SAFE Program is to help reduce harm from risky behaviors.
The SAFE Program is operated out of the Red Cliff Community Health Center. This program is available to all members of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa as well as surrounding communities. Individuals can access clean syringes, sharps containers, sterile water, antibiotic cream, alcohol wipes, and condoms. By improving access to these materials, we help people who inject heroin, meth, and other drugs to reduce their risk of contracting HIV and Hepatitis C.
In addition, the Red Cliff Community Health Center now offers Narcan. Narcan is for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. When you come in for our needle exchange, you can request a dose(s) of Narcan at no charge to you.
If you or a loved one are at risk for HIV or Hepatitis C, we will never judge you or your behaviors. You can access the services by simply stopping at the health center reception and asking for the SAFE Program. The services are provided within the health center setting and are completely confidential.
The goal is to expand sites within the next year. The current services are available Monday – Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm except holidays. You can get more information by calling (715) 779-3707.
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NARCAN Training Available |
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Have you been trained and are looking to get a refresher or are you looking to get trained in the use of NARCAN?
It only takes 30 minutes to learn how to save someone from an overdose.
Do you own a business in Red Cliff and want to get trained? A training for you and your employees can be arranged.
If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Justin Hansen at the Noojimo’iwewin Center at 715-779-3707 ext. 2397 or jhansen@redcliffhealth.org
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We're Hiring - Come Join Our Team! |
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Red Cliff Health Division continues to grow and hire. The health staff are committed to serving the community and are a great team to work with!
Positions we are recruiting for:
· Youth Engagement Peer Specialist
· Client Engagement Specialist
· Homeless Services Coordinator
Please click HERE for more information.
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Click HERE to visit the Red Cliff Community Health Center website.
Click HERE for COVID-19 Updates and Resources.
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Know the Signs: Stalking Awareness - Human Trafficking - Slavery Prevention |
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Red Cliff Family Violence Prevention Program is here to help. January is National Stalking Awareness, Human Trafficking, and Slavery Prevention Month. Please know the signs of stalking, including cyberstalking, human trafficking and being held for slavery purposes. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at 715-779-3706.
The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) uplifts the tireless work of Native advocates and programs as we work together to shine a light on January as National Stalking Awareness, Human Trafficking, and Slavery Prevention Month. As a national Native-led nonprofit organization dedicated to ending violence against Indigenous women and children, NIWRC strongly supports the efforts to raise awareness of and action to end these crimes, given American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians experience some of the highest rates of sex trafficking and stalking in the United States.
Indigenous groups in the U.S. - including American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians - are especially at risk for targeting by traffickers.1 American Indians and Alaska Natives are also disproportionately affected by stalking, where 1 out of 2 Native women and 1 out of 10 Native men are stalked in their lifetime.2 Native LGBTQ and Two-Spirit people experience higher poverty and homelessness rates, making this community more vulnerable to stalking and trafficking.3
At NIWRC, a critical component of our work involves lifting up the voices of Tribal Nations and grassroots advocates in the call for safety, sovereignty, and justice for victims of trafficking and stalking in their communities. We provide support in raising awareness of crimes alongside Native advocates in addition to offering technical assistance and training, resources, and policy development specific to these issues.
We will continue to center the experiences of Native survivors of violence and support the sovereign rights of Indigenous Nations to increase safety for their citizens to prevent future acts of violence against Indigenous women and children.
Find information and resources on stalking and human trafficking below, and visit NIWRC’s social media pages in January for sharable information to support survivors in our communities.
What is Stalking?
Stalking is a pattern of unwanted behaviors that violate your privacy, making you feel threatened, in danger, or scared. Stalking behaviors can include, but are not limited to:
- Following, watching, or driving by where you are
- Making repeated calls, texts, or messages
- Sending unwanted gifts or letters
- Getting information about you through family, relatives, your garbage
- Other intimidating, controlling, or invasive behaviors
What is Cyberstalking?
Cyberstalking is the misuse of the Internet or other technology to stalk and harass someone.4 For stalkers, the Internet can be a prime place for gender-based violence. Cyberstalking behaviors can include, but are not limited to:
- Hacking a camera on your phone or computer to watch you or view your surroundings
- Monitoring your computer, social media accounts, calls, or texts
- Using GPS or apps to view your surroundings, track your location, or monitor your actions online
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Sharing your personal information, images, or videos without consent to hurt or expose you5
Stalking is often a part of gender-based violence6 and can cause fear, sleep problems, or depression. Stalking is unpredictable and dangerous because no two stalking situations are alike.
If you’re being stalked, there are steps you can take to increase your awareness and safety:
- Know that it’s never your fault.
- Never approach or respond to a stalker or attempt to deal with the situation by yourself–get help immediately from law enforcement, a domestic violence program, and/or trusted family and friends.
- Take all threats seriously, especially if there is talk of suicide or murder, or if you’re trying to leave or end a relationship.
- If you feel unsafe, stay with family or friends or in a domestic violence shelter.
- Do not travel alone; change your routine and travel routes, if you can.
- Document everything that happens with time and dates, save texts, record phone calls, keep unwanted “gifts,” etc.
- Call the police and ask for written reports of all incidents.
- Contact the police to request a protection or restraining order.
- Protect your privacy online by creating strong passwords for all your devices and accounts, including social media, and cover your computer camera with a piece of tape.
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is a crime involving the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person to perform some type of labor or commercial sex. Trafficking can happen in any community and anyone can be trafficked, regardless of age, race, gender, nationality, or socioeconomic status. Native populations experience disproportionately high rates given the history of government-sanctioned policies that resulted in being trafficked in boarding schools and by child welfare systems, churches, the military, and extractive industries. Traffickers often use violence, physical and psychological torture, manipulation, and/or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to entrap victims into trafficking situations.
Another type of human trafficking is sex trafficking, which involves the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for commercial sex, in which sexual acts are induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age. Traffickers may use technology to target their victims. In the United States, 40% of victims are recruited online, frequently through means such as false job postings and social media.7
Victims of sex trafficking are often isolated, “invisible” to society, labeled as “throwaway kids”, addicts, or are targeted because they are already vulnerable. It’s important to note that traffickers can be part of a gang, organized crime syndicate, a family member/relative, or a supposed friend, boyfriend, or spouse.
Signs that someone might be trafficked can look like but are not limited to when a person:
- Is fearful and mistrusting
- Cannot buy their own food or clothes
- Is malnourished
- Has no contact with relatives or friends
- Cannot travel/move about independently
- Is prevented from getting medical attention, and/or is accompanied during medical care visits
- Has scarring, cigarette burns, or tattoos/branding
- Shows signs of substance abuse or addiction
- Has traumatic brain injury
- Has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is anxious or depressed
If you or someone you know is being trafficked, there are resources to help:
- Remember trafficking is never the victim’s fault.
- Call local police if you or the victim are in danger.
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StrongHearts Native Helpline 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483) is a 24/7 safe, confidential and anonymous domestic, dating, and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, offering culturally-appropriate support and advocacy. Visit strongheartshelpline.org and click on the “Chat Now” icon to connect one-on-one with a live advocate.
- Reach out to your local domestic violence or sexual violence program, Red Cliff Family Violence Prevention Program at 715-779-3706 or contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BeFree” to 233733.
- To report suspected human trafficking to federal authorities, contact the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at 1-888-347-2423.
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Financial Assistance Available for
Families At Risk Of Domestic Abuse
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The challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, including economic stress, have increased the risks and severity of domestic abuse. To support families whose safety is at risk, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) has launched the Living Independently Through Financial Empowerment (LIFE) program using emergency funding allocated to the state through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Under this program, domestic violence survivors can access pandemic relief funds to become financially empowered to live independent, violence-free lives. Eligible survivors will receive temporary financial assistance totaling $3,500 over a three-month period ($1,500 in month one and $1,000 in months two and three). To learn more, visit www.dcf.wisconsin.gov/life.
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Tips for a Healthy New Year |
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Don’t skip meals. When you go without food for longer than three or four hours, your blood sugar drops. This can lead to overeating and feeling too tired to be active. Instead, stick to a regular schedule of three healthy meals and two snacks each day.
Take time to enjoy your meals. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know when your stomach is full. You can consume a lot of extra calories in 20 minutes, especially when you are eating fast! Try different ways to train yourself to eat slowly. Chew each mouthful 10 times. Put down your utensils between bites. If you’re with others, take breaks to focus on the conversation.
Focus on the facts. The Nutrition Facts, that is. Don’t let healthy-sounding terms on food labels mislead you. Words like “whole-grain,” “multigrain,” “light,” and “fat-free” don’t tell the whole story. Check the Nutrition Facts label for serving size and calories per serving. Those are the facts, no matter what else the label says.
Make your kitchen healthier. Your success with any goal depends on your commitment to making it easier. Your living environment plays a powerful role here. Today, look at your kitchen and see what changes you can make to encourage your new healthy habits.
Eat a rainbow of vegetables today. The color of a vegetable is a clue to some of the nutrients inside. By eating a wide variety of colors, you will get a broad range of nutrients. A mix of color on your plate will make eating vegetables more appealing, too!
Volunteer your time. Becoming a volunteer can make an incredible impact on someone else’s life — but have you ever considered all the ways that volunteering can impact your own wellness? Aside from giving our lives meaning and purpose, helping others lowers stress and adds movement to your day.
Be bold in the cold. A great way to fight the exercise blahs in the winter is to do something outside. Try cross-country skiing, winter hiking, or snowshoeing. Take your friends or family ice skating. Dress warmly and go for it! You may discover that winter is your favorite time of year.
For More Information
Contact Carol Basina Nutrition Educator
Red Cliff Food Distribution
715-779-3740
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FoodWIse Newsletter - January 2022 |
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FoodWIse Nutrition has released its January 2022 newsletter.
FoodWIse is federally funded statewide by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). FoodWIse advances healthy eating habits, active lifestyles and healthy community environments for Wisconsin residents with limited incomes through nutrition education at the individual, community and systems levels.
Click HERE to view the full January 2022 FoodWIse newsletter.
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LCOOC Registration Closes January 7 |
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Are you or someone you know interested in attending Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College spring semester? ALL students (new and returning) must be registered by Friday, January 7th, 2022. New student orientation is Tuesday, January 11th from 9am-12pm (available on zoom). Spring semester classes start on Monday, January 17th, 2022.
There are many online options for courses and most classes are available on the Zoom platform. LCOOC also utilizes an interactive student learning management software called Canvas which assists with student success and communication between them and their instructors.
Student services and programs include: 24/7 access to the mental health/ counseling online platform Uwill; emergency aid; tutoring; internships and career services; student engagement opportunities; student organizations; and much more!
Click HERE to get started.
Learn more about LCOOC HERE.
If you have any questions regarding next steps or the admissions process please contact Jaci Sulley at jsulley@lco.edu or call 715-634-4790 Ext 148.
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Bayfield School District Updates |
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You can view the school's news and updates on their website:
You can also find updates on the
Bayfield School District Facebook page.
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Access Scholarship Opportunities |
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Red Cliff Community Members have access to a variety of scholarships.
Click HERE to visit the Education Department's Scholarships page.
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Boys and Girls Club of Gitchigami |
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Chi-Miigwech to Ernie Stevens Jr. for the visit and the donation! |
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Housing Job Opportunities: |
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Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority is currently hiring for multiple positions:
Receptionist / Program Assistant
Executive Assistant / HR Manager
Maintenance Assistants
Construction Project Manager
View all position descriptions and application instructions HERE.
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The Great Lakes Indian Housing Association Scholarship is open and accepting applications through January 15, 2022.
Click HERE to access the GLIHA scholarship application.
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Residential Resource Coordinator
Available For Housing Tenants
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Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority tenants now have access to a Residential Resource Coordinator. The coordinator will help tenants get connected with various resources.
This service is available to Housing tenants Monday through Friday at New Hope Building A, at 37580 Pageant Road.
Please call 715-779-3744 extension 3514 with any questions.
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Legendary Waters Resort & Casino |
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News Across Indian Country |
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Madeline Island Ferry Schedule |
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Madeline Island ferry schedule effective Monday, January 3 thru freeze-up. All trips are ice and weather permitting. Any schedule updates will post at madferry.com.
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GLIFWC presents its quarterly newspaper Mazina’igan. The Biboon 2021-22 edition is packed with features, Ojibwemowin exercises, Ceded Territory news, research updates, and includes our reader-favorite phenology calendar.
Learn about the hunting reprieve for ma’iingan in Wisconsin; conservation wardens in Ojibwe communities; climate collaborations; and academic connections with UW-Superior and Loyola University’s Gregory Gagnon.
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Red Cliff Tribal Administration Office
88455 Pike Road
Bayfield, Wi. 54814
715-779-3700
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