Đat'ia,
Re-Elect
Candace Schmidt
for Chair
Honoring the ancestors who came before us, supporting our community today, and building a foundation for the next seven generations.
Đat'ia,
Honoring the ancestors who came before us, supporting our community today, and building a foundation for the next seven generations.
Serving as your Chairwoman is a responsibility I carry with deep gratitude every single day — but my leadership didn't start in this role.
Many of you know me as the one who answered your phone calls and messages during the pandemic to help navigate relief initiatives like iPonca, iPep, and iMap. Staying directly connected and accessible to you all still remains one of my highest priorities.
I hold a bachelor's degree from Wayne State College and am a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. Throughout my careers in city, county, and tribal government, I have worked across social services, housing, health services, public relations and policy, and workforce and economic development. As a certified grant writer, I have successfully secured millions of dollars in grant funding.
My work over the last four years has focused on honoring our ancestors that came before us, supporting our community today, and building a foundation for future generations.
My leadership commitment is rooted in my lineage, connecting me to my grandparents Oscar & Inez Taylor; great-grandparents Alex & Elizabeth Taylor and Thomas & Alice Wright; 2nd great-grandparents Moses Taylor & Lucy Laravie and Thomas Otto & Elizabeth Knudsen; 3rd great-grandparents Napoleon & Dancing Moon Laravie, Emil Otto & Mary Two Buffalo Knudsen, and Louis Roy & Road Colored Red; 4th great-grandfather Chief Two Bulls; and 5th great-grandfather Chief Buffalo Bull/Little Bear.
Our elders offer wisdom, guidance, and cultural grounding. I have attended Elder Council meetings and luncheons to ensure their needs guide council actions. Direct deposit options have streamlined elder assistance payments. Supported the Red Tear Society's Cemetery Clean-Up and joined elders at the National Elders Conference. Direct advocacy with Social Security Administration leadership resolved a nationwide issue, ensuring local offices properly recognize Tribal IDs.
Passage of Nebraska Legislative Bill 1032 secured state recognition for Tribal Customary Adoptions. Enhanced the Ponca Youth Fund through direct deposit, expanded the Childcare Program's service area, and restarted the Ponca Youth Camp. New hybrid internship positions were created specifically to support Ponca students.
Added a second Annual General Membership meeting and public comment at every Saturday Council meeting. Encouraged participation on tribal boards and committees, resulting in the highest number of out-of-area members serving to date. Launched an electronic messaging system for email and text alerts. Outreach continues through the Tribal Council Booth at the Powwow, district-level Facebook pages, and the Chairwoman's Corner in the newsletter.
Built government-to-government relationships at the local, state, and federal levels — direct meetings with mayors, the Governor, and local and federal officials, and the Tribe's first Nebraska State Legislator Luncheon. Connected our state and federal lobbying teams for the first time, establishing an Annual D.C. Fly-In. Submitted our first-ever federal earmark requests, earning Congressman Bacon's support for the Omaha Clinic expansion, and secured three-quarters of a million dollars from Nebraska Game and Parks.
Protected transportation funding, maintained the highest Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding in the State, and advanced our largest housing development to date. Met with the U.S. Secretaries of Transportation, Labor, SBA, HHS, Interior, and the FBI Director. Secured 105(l) lease revenue and law enforcement collaboration on MMIP. Phase II expansion of Prairie Flower Casino, a USDA grant to ship our buffalo meat nationwide, expanded telehealth and mail-order prescriptions, monthly food and diaper distributions, and the Joint Venture groundbreaking this fall.
Received 80 acres of land back that generates steady agricultural income, expanded our Trust Land footprint with the O Street property in Lincoln, and received USDA approval for our official Hemp Plan. Three years of Sacred Ponca corn planting and harvesting in our homelands. Record attendance at our Annual Powwow, cultural classes, the Ponca Dictionary project, a formal Language Resolution, repatriation efforts, and the Chief Standing Bear High School dedication.
Driven by feedback you shared in our needs assessment and discussions, here is what we can accomplish together:
Let us put our minds together to see what we can build for our children.
Wíbđahą
I have enjoyed getting to visit with many of you at my in-person and virtual meet & greets. Thank you for being an engaged Ponca citizen. Every accomplishment we achieve is a team effort. Never forget the power of your voice and your vote. Together, the possibilities are endless.
I appreciate your time and consideration. Contact me anytime. Take care.
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