Winds of Change - Spring 2017 - 33

RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF ELDERS
JUSTIN COX PHOTOGRAPHY (FACING PAGE, POSTER PRESENTATION; THIS PAGE, COUNCIL OF ELDERS, ECHOHAWK, BAKER-DEMARAY); MISSING SCIENTISTS PROJECT (DUKEPOO)

Elders have been a vital part of the AISES family
from the early beginnings.

"Tony and Hazel Dukepoo were the original
AISES 'Grandparents.' Geneticist Frank
Dukepoo, one of the original professionals
involved during the formative years of
AISES, brought in his father, Tony. Tony
carved kachina dolls in the Hopi tradition,
and he presented the Talavai (Morning)
Kachina doll to AISES at the 1983 conference
in Albuquerque. Tony died in 1984 and
Frank died in 1999. Phil Lane Sr. stepped in
to fill the role of AISES elder after Tony
passed away."

- PAUL KABOTIE

We asked past and present AISES leaders to
share their thoughts about the next 40 years.

Sarah
EchoHawk

-AL QÖYAWAYMA

Horace
Axtell

- NORBERT HILL

"What many other organizations do not
see is the hidden strength of our
ancestors, our elders, our culture. It is the
bedrock and foundation of our beliefs
and the basis for the actions we take."

- RICK STEPHENS

Council of Elders
at 2016 National
Conference

Quoted in this article are Jerry Elliott High Eagle, Carol Metcalf-Gardipe, Al Qöyawayma,
and Jim Shorty, founding members; Norbert Hill, former executive director; Sarah
EchoHawk, AISES CEO; Dr. Twyla Baker-Demaray, chair, Board of Directors; Rick
Stephens, Board ex officio; and Paul Kabotie, member, Board of Directors.

1984
* Sequoyah Fellowship program established

1985
* First Leadership Conference
* Stelvio J. Zanin Distinguished Chapter
Award established
* AISES Publishing Inc. (API) established to
produce a quarterly magazine

1986
* API produces first issue of Winds of Change

1987
* First national effort launched to involve tribal
leaders in shaping STEM education
* National Conference in Seattle marks 10th
anniversary

1988
* National American Indian Science and
Engineering Fair (NAISEF) established

aises.org

Twyla BakerDemaray

Jerry Elliott
High Eagle

Phil Lane Sr.

"Frank Dukepoo [left] and Tony were interacting
with AISES, and the organization was benefiting.
Norbert Hill and others thought it would be good
if this type of relationship could be formalized in
a Council of Elders."

"The elders became our rudder in terms
of having these kids be Indians when
they graduate. I used to say to the
students, 'When you finish your degree,
land on your moccasins - not your
Guccis.' The elders did more to stabilize
AISES than anyone."

THE FUTURE

Sequoyah
Fellowship
Medal

"I saw other magazines about minorities
and thought, 'Why not have our own
voice?' When we started Winds of
Change I had no idea what was
involved, and being naive was probably
a blessing. But we started it and never
missed a deadline."

- NORBERT HILL

The first issue
of Winds of
Change

Al Qöyawayma

Norbert Hill

ON THE ORGANIZATION'S
STRENGTHS
"First, I'm struck by the very history and longevity of the
organization, and all the people who have contributed
during that time. The organization has benefited from
committed and capable leadership, starting with the
founders and the executive directors like A.T. Anderson,
Norbert Hill, Sandra Begay-Campbell, Everett Chavez,
Teresa Gomez, and Pam Silas,
then the many Board
"We call it a
members over the years. The
family. I didn't
other big strength is all the
members and staff. I've been
understand it
amazed at the staying power
when I came on
of the people who have been
board, but I get
involved. I think that's the
it now. AISES
reason AISES has made it
people are so
through 40 years given all the
personally
challenges in the economy.
invested in the
There is this incredible
network of people who
organization
refuse to let AISES fail, and
- they're
they come in at the right time
committed for
with the right expertise."
- SARAH ECHOHAWK

the long haul."

- SARAH ECHOHAWK

"Our strengths lie in our
diverse talents. I think of Board and committee members,
our students and sponsors, our partners and elders, all
who give so selflessly of their abundance of talents, for the
good of the whole. That speaks to our traditional value of
generosity. There is a humility among our people as well,
which I think of every time I see these amazingly talented
and accomplished individuals, who never lack for time and
space for our students. The professional chapters are
growing, doing awesome work in their regions, and
bringing our students right along with them. That has been
our model for building leadership. We ask much of our
students because we know they are capable of anything."
- TWYLA BAKER-DEMARAY

SPRING 2017 * WINDS OF CHANGE 33

http://www.aises.org

Winds of Change - Spring 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Winds of Change - Spring 2017