November marks Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the enduring contributions of Indigenous people throughout Minnesota. For employers across the state, especially in Greater Minnesota, it's also a powerful opportunity to engage with a growing yet underutilized segment of the workforce that brings unique cultural insights, loyalty, and resilience.
Research consistently shows that diverse teams are more productive and profitable. By becoming an Indigenized Employer - one that moves beyond mere inclusivity toward true partnership with and respect for Native people and nations - you don't just support equity; you gain access to a highly motivated and valuable workforce.
Understanding the Foundation: Sovereignty and Reconciliation
To effectively partner with Native communities, employers must first understand the foundation of the relationship: Sovereignty.
As James Whirlwind Soldier, the DEED Northwest Workforce Strategy Consultant, explained: sovereignty is the inherent right of Native nations to govern themselves and make their own laws. This right is recognized through treaties and affirmed by the U.S. Constitution, establishing a government-to-government relationship. There are 11 sovereign Native nations in Minnesota: seven Anishinaabe (Chippewa, Ojibwe) nations and four Dakota (Sioux) nations.
Sovereignty extends into the modern era through data sovereignty, which is the right of Indigenous Nations to govern the collection, ownership, and use of data about their people. To honor this, employers should:
- Build Relationships with the communities they hope to serve.
- Co-create metrics of success.
- Invest in Indigenous data capacity through training and infrastructure.
Our shared work is ultimately about economic reconciliation: repairing the economic relationship between Indigenous Nations and the systems that benefited from their lands and labor. This is achieved in three key ways:
- Acknowledgment: Facing the history built on broken treaties and land loss and turning that history into responsibility for a better future.
- Restoration and Partnership: Supporting the leadership and innovation being driven by Indigenous leaders.
- Generational Impact: Dismantling inequitable systems and rebuilding them through true, lasting partnership.
Building the Pipeline: From Education to Employment
Recruiting and retaining Native talent requires a pipeline built on cultural affirmation and practical support.
Education and Training: A Community-Based Approach
Dr. Evelyn Campbell, Human Services Director for the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, highlights the importance of making education accessible and relevant. This starts with:
- Exposure Programs: Bringing students from reservations to college campuses for immersive, hands-on experiences.
- Community-Based Placements: Placing students in internships and preceptorships in tribal health clinics or businesses close to home and family.
Dr. Joe Hobot, President/CEO of the American Indian OIC in Minneapolis, notes the unique challenges of urban Native learners, who often face barriers like housing, childcare, and a significant skills gap due to historically low graduation rates in public schools. The American Indian OIC addresses this by offering education (like GED programs) and career training in environments that are unmistakably Indigenous.
The Lesson: "People learn better in environments that affirm who they are," says Dr. Hobot. Culturally supportive learning - with Native language, art, and ceremony - leads to higher engagement and success, a principle that applies to the workplace, too.
Creating a Healing-Centered Workplace
Many Indigenous employees carry intergenerational trauma. To foster an environment where Native talent can truly thrive, employers must help foster healing.
“Healing spaces can look different depending on the setting. When I was teaching at UMD, we were allowed to smudge in the classroom. That simple act, bringing in our medicines and ceremony, made a huge difference for Native students,” Dr. Evelyn Campbell, Director of Human Services of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, explained on the session. “For workforce programs, that could mean asking Native staff and participants what would make the space welcoming. When I taught, I decorated my office with birchbark baskets, beadwork, and Native art. It let students know this was a space where they were seen and supported.”
Practical Steps Employers Can Take Toward Healing:
- Visibility: Respectfully include Native art, flags, or symbols to signal that Indigenous presence is valued.
- Flexibility: Allow time for ceremony, smudging, or traditional grieving practices.
- Listen and Learn: Be open to feedback, address unconscious bias, and engage respectfully by supporting cultural events like powwows.
Beyond the Checkbox: Partnership and Purpose
What signals a company is truly committed? Follow-through.
Robert Blake, founder of the Indigenous-owned solar company Solar Bear, notes that genuine partnership means asking: “What do your people need to succeed?”
Leading with Purpose: Energy Sovereignty
Blake advocates for energy sovereignty as a core component of economic reconciliation. Energy sovereignty means creating Tribal utilities, generating local power, and keeping that economic value within the community.
"When we create clean energy projects... we’re creating sovereignty, self-sufficiency, and purpose," says Blake. This kind of work is not just employment; it’s an opportunity to lead, reconnect with values, and contribute to a global-scale solution.
To start a genuine partnership, take these steps:
- Contact Tribal Job Training Centers: These 11 centers across Minnesota already have the relationships and infrastructure to connect you with skilled talent.
- Show Up: Visit a Tribal college, attend community events, and bring your hiring team to meet local leaders face-to-face.
- Commit to Long-Term Agreements: Create real partnerships through internships, mentoring, and committed hiring—not one-off volunteer days.
By embracing the principles of sovereignty, cultural affirmation, and true partnership, you can transform your workplace into an Indigenized Employer—gaining access to a talented workforce and building a shared, prosperous future for all of Minnesota.
