Sokaogon Chippewa Community News
UW Listening Session Targets 2020 and Beyond
A small group of Tribal Members gathered at the Mole Lake Lodge last week to meet with Jessie Conaway, Indigenous Arts and Sciences

Jessie Conaway meets with Tribal Members
Research Coordinator and Faculty Associate for Native Nations Partnerships in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison.
Jessie served as moderator of the listening session. The first discussion topic evaluated the successes and shortcomings of the proposed Native Nations-UW initiative. The group then discussed Mole Lake’s role in establishing a Great Lakes Indigenous Research and Education Center. Lastly, the group worked on a plan for a partnership between the Tribe and UW-Madison.
Jessie explained that listening sessions are part the overall planning process. “This particular plan is ready to close this segment of the initiative, and we will be taking the next step forward with the Tribe,” she said.
The session, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, also included discussions on priorities such as language and culture, relationship building, environment, health, Native Education Pathways, Native Campus Climate research.
Since this past spring, Jessie has been developing a planning proposal for a Great Lakes Indigenous Research and Education Center. She wanted to confirm Mole Lake’s continued interest in creating this new entity, and sought to firm up the Tribe’s level of interest, especially in the area of maintaining a sustaining role of advising for and governing a proposed research and education center.
More information is available at the Earth Partnership website, or you may email Jessie Conaway.