Felicia Freeman, a CPN tribal member and commercial loan officer and certified credit counselor for the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation, started a two-year term in January 2021 as state secretary of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma.
Tribal member Amanda Funk sought a way to bring Native Americans together and help the wider community see their influence and offerings. In 2020, she founded the Widoktadwen Center for Native Knowledge.
Citizen Potawatomi Nation member Christina Foster’s artist portfolio shows her growth and self-discovery gained throughout her education. Much of her work centers around self-exploration and displays both her artistic process and final results.
Every year, ionOklahoma selects a group of leaders and achievers throughout the state for its NextGen Under 30 awards. This year, CPN Department of Environmental Protection environmental coordinator Lexi Freeman for her work in the STEM fields.
Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal member Christopher Szamosszegi set out to forge his own path in the skincare industry in 2015 through building connections in Los Angeles area.
CPN tribal member Terry Don Peltier considers a good pair of boots an essential piece of equipment for a cowboy, and the fit often determines their utility. There is little to no breaking in a pair from his shop.
CPN member Rebecca Gardom kept track of personal protective equipment as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Team, specifically the Controlled Air Purifying Respirator systems. The battery-operated air filtration devices added to PPE offer another safety precaution against the coronavirus.
The Toupin family descendants started by purchasing hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, laundry sanitizer, aerosol disinfectant and more.
Tribal member Katelyn Harker’s senior year at Lakin High School in Kansas moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, she took advantage of the opportunity to work toward a new goal inspired by those on the frontlines fighting the virus and the science behind a cure.
Linda Zook’s first novel tells the story of young doctor Joey Winters. Raised in Oklahoma City, she moves to rural Freeman, Oklahoma, after receiving her medical license to work for two years as part of the fictional Doctors for Rural Oklahoma Program.