I found the courage to leave my abuser and a path to my own healing when I took a self-defense course offered by the University of North Dakota. I wanted to share my teachings with other women, but rural Indigenous communities have almost no access to culturally relevant or geographically accessible programs. The closest program was 200 miles away at UND. Wanting to share my experience with other survivors, I decided to develop an IMPACT chapter on the Turtle Mountain reservation. I began collaborating with IMPACT Boston to get training and fiscal sponsorship, and my grassroots group became a recognized member of IMPACT International. Turtle Mountain IMPACT created a culturally specific curriculum that addresses the unique realities facing Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit relatives in the upper Midwest—the first Indigenous-led IMPACT chapter taught on sovereign tribal land. Today, I'm a nationally recognized leader chosen by the Tory Burch Foundation's Empowered Women initiative and have been interviewed by NPR, Upworthy, and Sirius Radio. I was awarded the 2023 Bush Fellowship and have taught self-defense workshops for Indigenous employees of House of the Moon and Google. I built my program while working full-time as a surgical technologist at Indian Health Service. My 17 years of experience includes my college degree, various surgical specialties from bigger hospitals, six medical missions abroad, and the knowledge to effectively precept new surgical techs. I planned to leave surgery in 2023 and transition to full-time Executive Director for TM IMPACT, but my departure would have closed the surgical doors at IHS because there was no one experienced to take my place. Since obstetrics and gynecology make up the majority of procedures performed at IHS, and I value safe spaces for women and girls, I felt responsible to remain employed until I could thoroughly train others. After sacrificing an additional year to IHS, I fulfilled my duty of care, trained others, and left in August 2024 to pursue my true path. A career change and returning to college at my age wasn't an easy decision. However, my vision remains the same: to create a world where no Indigenous person feels trapped in an abusive situation and everyone has the skills to protect themselves and others. I also know that if I'm going to help other women reclaim their dreams, I want to do the same for myself. My priority is staying engaged with the matriarchs in our community by sending personal invites to our workshops, events, and Listening Sessions. Our Tribal Court Judge, Madonna Marcellais, attends our self-defense graduation ceremonies to bring support and acknowledgement to participants. Psychologist, Bush Fellow, and tribe member Dr. Tammy Jollie-Trottier has taken an IMPACT workshop and expressed gratitude, stating that our program is necessary. I receive spiritual guidance from traditional leaders in my community, who keep me grounded in traditional Anishinaabe beliefs and teachings. I have presented at various MMIW events, the National Sexual Assault Conference, Gathering of Native Americans conference, Heart of Her Nation and Keep the Home Fires Burning for Seventh Generation, and taught a virtual workshop for the American Indian College Fund. I currently sit on two boards: Mikinaak Wajew Missing & Murdered Indigenous People, and a Community Advisory Board regarding the interruption of sexual assault in Indian Country for the Psychology Department at University of North Dakota. These relationships and collaborations have forever changed and cultivated my leadership journey. I will follow my path to finish the Ogimiwaawiwin Leadership and Management bachelor program at TMC and use those skills to help Turtle Mountain IMPACT thrive and contribute to building other chapters throughout Indian Country.

My greatest achievement to date is leading an abuse prevention and survivor healing program in Indian Country. I found the courage to leave my abuser and a path to my own healing when I took a self-defense course offered by the University of North Dakota. I wanted to share my teachings with other Indigenous women, but it wasn’t enough to carpool Native women to self-defense classes so far away, and it was quickly noticed that rural Indigenous communities have almost no access to culturally relevant or geographically accessible programs. The closest program was located at UND 200 miles away, and that program closed in 2015 due to lack of funding from the state. Wanting to share my experience with other survivors, I decided it was time to start the journey of developing an IMPACT chapter on the Turtle Mountain reservation. I began collaborating with IMPACT Boston to get training and fiscal sponsorship. As a result of this collaboration, my grassroots group became a recognized member of IMPACT International. Through this collaboration Turtle Mountain IMPACT created a culturally specific curriculum that addresses the unique realities facing Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit relatives in the upper Midwest; the first Indigenous-led IMPACT chapter taught on sovereign tribal land. We have built and maintained strong collaborations with tribal programs and organizations, receiving invitations and support as we organize & host workshops and events throughout the community. Today, I'm a nationally recognized leader who was chosen by the Tory Burch Foundation's Empowered Women initiative and have been interviewed by NPR, Upworthy, and Sirius Radio. I was awarded the 2023 Bush Fellowship, and I've taught self-defense workshops for Indigenous employees of House of the Moon, and Google. My biggest challenge was building my program while working full-time as a surgical technologist at Indian Health Service. My 17 years of experience includes my college degree, a variety of surgical specialties from bigger hospitals, six medical missions abroad, and the knowledge and skill to effectively precept new surgical techs. My plan was to leave surgery in 2023 and transition to full-time Executive Director for TM IMPACT, however, my departure would have closed the surgical doors at IHS because there was no one experienced to take my place. Since obstetrics and gynecology make up the majority of the procedures performed at IHS, and I'm a person who values safe spaces for women and girls, I felt it was my responsibility to remain employed until I can thoroughly train others to take my place. After sacrificing an additional year to IHS, I have fulfilled my duty of care, trained others, and left in August 2024 to pursue my true path in life. A career change and going back to college at my age was not an easy decision. However, my vision remains the same: to create a world where no Indigenous person feels trapped in an abusive situation and everyone has the skills to protect themselves and others. But I also know that if I'm going to help other women reclaim their dreams, I want to do the same for myself. My priority is to stay engaged with the matriarchs in our community by sending personal invites to our workshops, events, and Listening Sessions. Our Tribal Court Judge, Madonna Marcellais, attends our self-defense graduation ceremonies to bring support and acknowledgement to our participants. Psychologist, Bush Fellow, and tribe member, Dr Tammy Jollie-Trottier, has taken an IMPACT workshop and expressed gratitude, stating that our program is necessary. I receive spiritual guidance from traditional leaders in my community, who keep me grounded in traditional Anishinaabe beliefs and teachings. I have presented at various MMIW events, the National Sexual Assault Conference, Gathering of Native Americans conference, Heart of Her Nation and Keep the Home Fires Burning for Seventh Generation, and taught a virtual workshop for the American Indian College Fund. I currently sit on two boards, Mikinaak Wajing Missing & Murdered Indigenous People, and a Community Advisory Board regarding the interruption of sexual assault in Indian Country for the Psychology Department at University of North Dakota. These relationships and collaborations have forever changed and cultivated my leadership journey. My plan is to continue to strengthen these relationships and build my network by attending more Indigenous-led conferences, webinars, and ceremonies that aim to empower and strengthen my well-being. I will follow my path to finish the Ogimiwaawiwin Leadership and Management bachelor program at TMC and use those skills to help Turtle Mountain IMPACT thrive and contribute to building other chapters throughout Indian Country.

Boozhoo! Mandaamin Zenibaahn Ikwe indizhinekaaz, Migizi Doodem, Mikinaak Wajiw Doonjii. Hello! My name is Corn Silk Woman, I am Eagle Clan, I’m Ojibwe from the Turtle Mountains. My English name is Shanda Lynn Poitra. I was born and raised on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in Belcourt, ND. I’m currently employed as a surgical technologist for IHS in Belcourt, and I’m also the Founder & Executive Director for Turtle Mountain IMPACT, a grassroots organization that is dedicated to teaching physical & verbal self-defense skills to indigenous communities. IMPACT is an international organization with chapters across the globe, and I’m very proud to say that Turtle Mountain IMPACT is the first chapter created and led by all indigenous people AND taught on tribal sovereign land! Woo! So far, I’m learning how to manage this program as I go. I’m new to business management, but I do know that this work in teaching others how to resist violence and heal from trauma is much needed in our community. The fact that an organization called Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women exists is enough to prove that empowerment self-defense for our people is necessary. Empowering our indigenous people should be as common as knowing how to perform CPR. I feel a strong responsibility to share my teachings with others in my community because it saved my life, it could help others as well. Truth is, I know what it feels like to be on both sides of empowerment. I know the fear, pain, and humiliation that comes with domestic violence & sexual assault, yet I also know what it feels like to step out of that proverbial cage. To breathe freely. To speak freely. To walk the earth in a good and healthy way. I wish this freedom and empowerment for every indigenous being, especially for those in my own community. Witnessing the strength and transformation our participants experience during our workshops is overwhelming and makes all of this hard work worth it; we get to see them TAKE their power back from those who hurt them. I hope to continue this work for the rest of my life. My goal is to leave my job at the hospital and pursue this self-defense program full-time. My life experience and previous leadership experiences have prepared me to lead abuse prevention and survivor healing in Indian Country. Today, I’m a nationally recognized leader who has officially created the first IMPACT Chapter for Indigenous communities; I was chosen by the Tory Burch Foundation’s Empowered Women initiative and have been interviewed by NPR, Upworthy, and Sirius Radio. I was awarded the 2023 Bush Fellowship, and I’ve taught self-defense workshops for indigenous employees of House of the Moon, and Google. I acknowledge the fact that I need more skills for TM IMPACT to be sustainable. The first skill set I need is nonprofit management and administration. I have passion and a vision, but I need practical skills to turn that vision into sustainable work. This includes financial management, grant proposal writing, fundraising, budgeting, and the unique realities of founding a nonprofit organization on a reservation. This bachelor's program is ideal for teaching me the skills I'll need to manage Turtle Mountain IMPACT and keep this initiative going for the long haul. Please consider my application for the Little Miami Brewing Native American Scholarship. I’m excited and ready to make this transition in my life and I would be a solid candidate. Chi miigwech (big thank you) for your time.

Boozhoo! Mandaamin Zenibaahn Ikwe indizhinekaaz, Migizi Doodem, Mikinaak Wajiw Doonjii. Hello! My name is Corn Silk Woman, I am Eagle Clan, I’m from the Turtle Mountains. My English name is Shanda Lynn Poitra. I was born and raised on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in Belcourt, ND. I’m currently employed as a surgical technologist for IHS in Belcourt, and I’m also the Founder & Executive Director for Turtle Mountain IMPACT, a grassroots organization that is dedicated to teaching physical & verbal self-defense skills to indigenous communities. IMPACT is an international organization with chapters across the globe, and I’m very proud to say that Turtle Mountain IMPACT is the first chapter created and led by all indigenous people AND taught on tribal sovereign land! Woo! So far, I’m learning how to manage this program as I go. I’m new to business management, but I do know that this work in teaching others how to resist violence and heal from trauma is much needed in our community. The fact that an organization called Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women exists is enough to prove that empowerment self-defense for our people is necessary. Empowering our indigenous people should be as common as knowing how to perform CPR. I feel a strong responsibility to share my teachings with others in my community because it saved my life, it could help others as well. Truth is, I know what it feels like to be on both sides of empowerment. I know the fear, pain, and humiliation that comes with domestic violence & sexual assault, yet I also know what it feels like to step out of that proverbial cage. To breathe freely. To speak freely. To walk the earth in a good and healthy way. I wish this freedom and empowerment for every indigenous being, especially for those in my own community. Witnessing the strength and transformation our participants experience during our workshops is overwhelming and makes all of this hard work worth it; we get to see them TAKE their power back from those who hurt them. I hope to continue this work for the rest of my life. My goal is to leave my job at the hospital and pursue this self-defense program full-time. My life experience and previous leadership experiences have prepared me to lead abuse prevention and survivor healing in Indian Country. Today, I’m a nationally recognized leader who has officially created the first IMPACT Chapter for Indigenous communities; I was chosen by the Tory Burch Foundation’s Empowered Women initiative and have been interviewed by NPR, Upworthy, and Sirius Radio. I was awarded the 2023 Bush Fellowship, and I’ve taught self-defense workshops for indigenous employees of House of the Moon, and Google. I acknowledge the fact that I need more skills for TM IMPACT to be sustainable. The first skill set I need is nonprofit management and administration. I have passion and a vision, but I need practical skills to turn that vision into sustainable work. This includes financial management, grant proposal writing, fundraising, budgeting, and the unique realities of founding a nonprofit organization on a reservation. This bachelor's program is ideal for teaching me the skills I'll need to manage Turtle Mountain IMPACT and keep this initiative going for the long haul. Please consider my application for the Connie Konatsotis Scholarship. I’m excited and ready to make this transition in my life and I would be a solid candidate. Chi miigwech for your time.

Boozhoo! Mandaamin Zenibaahn Ikwe indizhinekaaz, Migizi Doodem, Mikinaak Wajiw Doonjii. Hello! My name is Corn Silk Woman, I am Eagle Clan, I’m from the Turtle Mountains. My English name is Shanda Lynn Poitra. I was born and raised on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians Reservation in Belcourt, ND. I’m currently employed as a surgical technologist for Indian Health Service (IHS) in Belcourt, and I’m also the Founder & Executive Director for Turtle Mountain IMPACT, a grassroots organization that is dedicated to teaching physical & verbal self-defense skills to indigenous communities. IMPACT is an international organization with chapters across the globe, and I’m very proud to say that Turtle Mountain IMPACT is the first chapter created and led by all indigenous people AND taught on tribal sovereign land! Woo! So far, I’m learning how to manage this program as I go. I’m new to business management, but I do know that this work in teaching others how to resist violence and heal from trauma is much needed in our community. The fact that an organization called Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women exists is enough to prove that empowerment self-defense for our people is necessary. Empowering our indigenous people should be as common as knowing how to perform CPR. I feel a strong responsibility to share my teachings with others in my community because it saved my life, it could help others as well. Truth is, I know what it feels like to be on both sides of empowerment. I grew up with the mentality that domestic violence is a normal way of life. Every woman I knew growing up were abused one way or another. Unfortunately, that was a cycle that I repeated. I know the fear, pain, and humiliation that comes with domestic violence & sexual assault, yet I also know what it feels like to step out of that proverbial cage. To breathe freely. To speak freely. To walk the earth in a good and healthy way. I wish this freedom and empowerment for every indigenous being, especially for those in my own community. Witnessing the strength and transformation our participants experience during our workshops is overwhelming and makes all this hard work worth it; we get to see them TAKE their power back from those who hurt them. My goal is to leave my job at the hospital and pursue this self-defense program full-time. My life experience and previous leadership experiences have prepared me to lead abuse prevention and survivor healing in Indian Country. Today, I’m a nationally recognized leader who has officially created the first IMPACT Chapter for Indigenous communities; I was chosen by the Tory Burch Foundation’s Empowered Women initiative and have been interviewed by NPR, Upworthy, and Sirius Radio. I was awarded the 2023 Bush Fellowship, and I’ve taught self-defense workshops for indigenous employees of House of the Moon, and Google. I acknowledge the fact that I need more skills for TM IMPACT to be sustainable. The first skill set I need is nonprofit management and administration. I have passion and a vision, but I need practical skills to turn that vision into sustainable work. This includes financial management, grant proposal writing, fundraising, budgeting, and the unique realities of founding a nonprofit organization on a reservation. This bachelor's program is ideal for teaching me the skills I'll need to manage Turtle Mountain IMPACT and keep this initiative going for the long haul. Please consider my application. I’m excited and ready to make this transition in my life and I would be a solid candidate. Chi miigwech (big thank you) for your time.

Boozhoo! Mandaamin Zenibaahn Ikwe indizhinekaaz, Migizi Doodem, Mikinaak Wajiw Doonjii. Hello! My name is Corn Silk Woman, I am Eagle Clan, I’m from the Turtle Mountains. My English name is Shanda Lynn Poitra. I was born and raised on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians Reservation in Belcourt, ND. I’m currently employed as a surgical technologist for Indian Health Service (IHS) in Belcourt, and I’m also the Founder & Executive Director for Turtle Mountain IMPACT, a grassroots organization that is dedicated to teaching physical & verbal self-defense skills to indigenous communities. IMPACT is an international organization with chapters across the globe, and I’m very proud to say that Turtle Mountain IMPACT is the first chapter created and led by all indigenous people AND taught on tribal sovereign land! Woo! So far, I’m learning how to manage this program as I go. I’m new to business management, but I do know that this work in teaching others how to resist violence and heal from trauma is much needed in our community. The fact that an organization called Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women exists is enough to prove that empowerment self-defense for our people is necessary. Empowering our indigenous people should be as common as knowing how to perform CPR. I feel a strong responsibility to share my teachings with others in my community because it saved my life, it could help others as well. Truth is, I know what it feels like to be on both sides of empowerment. I know the fear, pain, and humiliation that comes with domestic violence & sexual assault, yet I also know what it feels like to step out of that proverbial cage. To breathe freely. To speak freely. To walk the earth in a good and healthy way. I wish this freedom and empowerment for every indigenous being, especially for those in my own community. Witnessing the strength and transformation our participants experience during our workshops is overwhelming and makes all this hard work worth it; we get to see them TAKE their power back from those who hurt them. My goal is to leave my job at the hospital and pursue this self-defense program full-time. My life experience and previous leadership experiences have prepared me to lead abuse prevention and survivor healing in Indian Country. Today, I’m a nationally recognized leader who has officially created the first IMPACT Chapter for Indigenous communities; I was chosen by the Tory Burch Foundation’s Empowered Women initiative and have been interviewed by NPR, Upworthy, and Sirius Radio. I was awarded the 2023 Bush Fellowship, and I’ve taught self-defense workshops for indigenous employees of House of the Moon, and Google. I acknowledge the fact that I need more skills for TM IMPACT to be sustainable. The first skill set I need is nonprofit management and administration. I have passion and a vision, but I need practical skills to turn that vision into sustainable work. This includes financial management, grant proposal writing, fundraising, budgeting, and the unique realities of founding a nonprofit organization on a reservation. This bachelor's program is ideal for teaching me the skills I'll need to manage Turtle Mountain IMPACT and keep this initiative going for the long haul. Please consider my application. I’m excited and ready to make this transition in my life and I would be a solid candidate. Chi miigwech (big thank you) for your time.

Maandaamin Zeynibahn Ikwe Indizhinekaus, Migizi Doodem, Mikinak Wajing Doongee. My name is Corn Silk Woman, Eagle Clan, Anishinaabe/Ojibwe from the Turtle Mountains. My government name is Shanda Poitra. While employed full-time, I am also the founder, executive director, and lead instructor for Turtle Mountain IMPACT; formerly known as Turtle Mountain Empowerment Self Defense, established in 2018. We are now a non-profit for the state of ND and the first official chapter of IMPACT International - created for Indigenous communities and led by Indigenous people. Turtle Mountain IMPACT is a chapter of the IMPACT International organization and is comprised o female lead instructors (the “vigil-aunties”), and male suit instructors (who portray the “bad” or “suspicious” characters, wear fully padded suits, and take full-force physical strikes from participants). Our workshops are now requested on reservations all over the country and in Canada. We can hardly keep up due to my instructors also having full-time jobs, college courses, and kids at home; but we manage. We all share the same passion and dedication to this work because we have witnessed firsthand how important and life-changing it can be for those who take our workshops. Self-defense training is one of the few types of victim services that simultaneously promotes body-oriented healing and practical safety planning strategies. Feminist empowerment approaches to self-defense go well beyond physical skills. These programs teach assertive communication and boundary-setting skills, conflict resolution and de-escalation, and strategic physical escape from potentially dangerous situations. Research shows that survivors who are taught physical and verbal skills as part of feminist self-defense skills report finding their voices, speaking up for themselves, and ending relationships with abusive and coercive people due to increased confidence in their ability to take care of themselves. When I returned home, I noticed an increase in crime; mostly against women & girls, or vulnerable people. Every time this topic was brought up to a group of people, there were always more stories and injustices that were added on. I remembered the self-defense course that I took while attending the University of North Dakota, called IMPACT-U; this one-credit course changed my life forever. I was able to recognize the horrible conditions that my children and I were living in, leave my abuser, and live my life with more confidence than I’ve ever had. After discussing the issues with a former instructor, it was established that I would do instructor training and bring these skills back to our community myself. I had no idea how much work it was going to take to get this going, but I was determined. I have spent the last five years working to make this method of healing and safety planning available to others on the reservation. Turtle Mountain IMPACT (Empowerment Self-Defense) has taught basic skills to so many of all ages. Additionally, we partnered with IMPACT Boston, a program of Triangle, Inc., to bring more rigorous self-defense courses to the reservation in June 2018. Through this collaboration, my team worked with IMPACT Boston trainers to create a customized curriculum that addresses the unique realities facing indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and people with disabilities of all genders. Our biggest accomplishments were obtaining our chapter status while training, organizing, and teaching workshops, WHILE maintaining our full-time obligations with employers, school requirements, and family & ceremony life. The desired impact of this project is that Tribe members will be able to access healing programs without having to self-identify as victims of crime. Since there is a stigma in reporting to law enforcement or accessing victim services, this project will present an alternative way for Tribe members experiencing abuse to get the healing and practical safety skills they need. Self-defense programs will be offered in the school systems, including college, and community gathering spaces that are adjacent to the lowest-income housing on the reservation. By offering programs in these spaces, and advertising them as open to all women, teen girls, two-spirit or students receiving special education, survivors can access support in neutral locations that they go to as part of regular routines. Turtle Mountain IMPACT will offer programs in special education classrooms, during afterschool program time at the high school, and on weekends and evenings to reach adult women. We also created boundary-setting exercises based on the cultural norms of the community and the unique experiences of violence women and children experience. Safety planning strategies were developed for racially motivated hate violence, abduction, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, sexual harassment in medical settings, and domestic violence.

Maandaamin Zeynibahn Ikwe Indizhinekaus, Migizi Doodem, Mikinak Wajing Doongee. My name is Corn Silk Woman, Eagle Clan, I am Anishinaabe/Ojibwe from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. My government name is Shanda Poitra. I am the Executive Director & Lead Instructor for Turtle Mountain IMPACT: Empowerment Self-Defense, and a Surgical Technologist for the Indian Health Service. I was born and raised on the TM reservation. I left for college in 2005 and returned home in 2015 with a degree in surgical technology and began working for our Indian Health Service in Belcourt, ND. I've been in the surgical field for 14 years now and have worked at hospitals throughout North Dakota. While employed full-time, I founded Turtle Mountain IMPACT: Empowerment Self-Defense, an official chapter of IMPACT International. We are now a nonprofit for the state of North Dakota and the first chapter was created for indigenous communities and led by indigenous people. I am prepared to end my career as a surgical technologist with the Indian Health Service in 2023 to pursue a bachelor's degree in Leadership and Management and continue to serve Indian Country by providing an effective and culturally relevant abuse prevention program. Just like I've been doing while working full-time at the hospital, I'll continue to direct, organize, and teach for Turtle Mountain IMPACT; along with attending the necessary training, meetings, and informative conferences that will assist my program. I strongly feel like now is the perfect time for me to pursue transformational growth through academics because I'm ready for new challenges. After several years of training, teaching, and revising a self-defense curriculum that works, my passion and dedication have led me to a point where I would like my program to become independent of our fiscal sponsor, IMPACT Boston. I acknowledge that for this to become possible, I would need to learn and develop the skills to sustain a business. To realize my vision, I need the skills to manage and sustain a nonprofit organization. My plan will involve training courses on nonprofit management and fundraising from recognized national leaders. This bachelor's degree in Ogimaawiwin (Leadership) & Management will give me the skills I need to build a thriving abuse and violence prevention organization in a rural tribal community, while also building a foundation that would support traveling to other tribal nations to teach empowerment self-defense. This bachelor's program focuses on leadership and management in tribal communities, so I would also be attending courses like Tribal Government, Elements of Economics & Tribal Economic Development, Sociology of Indian Reservations, and Anishinaabe Cultural Involvement. This program also includes other courses that would be beneficial, like Business Law, Grant Writing, Finance, Human Resource Management, etc. My vision is to create and sustain an abuse prevention and trauma healing program for Indian Country. Well, I already have, now I just want to be a quality Executive Director and sustain this program independently. I believe I deserve this scholarship because I am experienced in teaching empowerment to women and girls in indigenous communities. Our tribal people have been disadvantaged for decades due to genocide and colonization, which resulted in a ripple effect of despair. I grew up thinking that toxic relationships are a normal part of life because that's what I witnessed; it all stems from elders who lost their way during the boarding school era. I'm reminding our indigenous women and girls of the power and strength they have inside of them and teaching them how to bring that out by using their voices, setting boundaries, advocating for themselves, and recognizing violence & abuse. This will be my legacy.