National Indian Gaming Association joins annual women's luncheon

(PRESS RELEASE) -- National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. once again joined in the 23rd Annual National Indian Women's Honoring Luncheon, hosted in conjunction with the National Congress of American Indian (NCAI) Winter Executive Session at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C. The honoring luncheon paid tribute to Juanita Ahtone, a citizen of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and Debra Haaland of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico.

Ahtone, 90, was born in 1928. At an early age, she made a commitment work for and support Native people at the local, regional and national levels. In the 1960s, she began her volunteer work for the Kiowa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). In 1973, she was elected Secretary of the Kiowa Tribal Council and NCAI Anadarko Area Vice President and became a Lifetime Member of NCAI. Today, 45 years later, she is still an employee of her tribe and volunteers as the Chair of the election, resolution and many committees of NCAI. Ahtone attended Carnegie Public School and graduated from the Haskell Institute (now known as the Haskell Indian Nations University) in 1947. In 1948, she married the love of her life, Vernon R. Ahtone. They had six sons and two daughters. Today, she is blessed with 19 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Debra Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, is a graduate of the U of New Mexico Law School, a former State Party Chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party who successfully retired the State Democratic party's debts after two years in 2016. She is a woman who has worked successfully for tribes in the New Mexico region and has supported tribal priorities throughout Indian County. In 2015, Debra was requested to run for Congress and represent New Mexico in 2018. After lengthy discussions with elders and tribal leaders, she was told, "Congress has never heard a voice like yours, the voice of a Native woman. You have earned the honor and respect of not only our people here in New Mexico but of many tribes in the U.S. Go forward."

The Native Indian Women's Honoring Luncheon, in its 23rd year, has been led by Julie Johnson and other prominent women tribal leaders. The two Native American women honored have served Native people on the local, regional and national levels for many years, and they are shining examples of wisdom, generosity, commitment and happiness, and have shared their love and their services for families, people and all tribal communities.

As part of the honoring ceremonies, NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. and Vice Chairman David Bean presented flowers of appreciation to both Ahtone and Haaland, as well as the women tribal leaders present. Chairman Stevens said, "It is always empowering to be among our powerful Indian women leaders being honored today. Being raised for the most part by my mom, grandma and my aunties, I have been instilled with the importance of respecting and honoring our Native women. I attribute much of my success in my life to the teaching brought to me by the women who raised me."