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White Earth Nation seeks $5 million for cultural center to host intergenerational services
Summary
White Earth Nation leaders asked the Minnesota House Legacy Committee for a $5 million appropriation to build a cultural center on the reservation to support language, ceremonies, youth programs and wraparound services.
Representative Bud Bliss introduced House File 24‑11 to the Legacy Committee asking for $5,000,000 for construction of a White Earth Nation Cultural Center on the reservation.
The requested facility, testifiers said, would provide a gathering space for intergenerational learning, community events, Boys & Girls Club activities, language and cultural instruction, ceremonies and office space to deliver wraparound services. Laura Lee Erickson, identified as White Earth District 3 representative, told the committee the center would host workshops, drum and dance gatherings and ceremonies and would “offer a gathering space for intergenerational learning, community events, and a safe place for our Boys and Girls Club.”
Lori York, executive director for White Earth Nation, said cultural access supports emotional, physical, social and spiritual well‑being. “When our children know their Ojibwe spirit names, they have a sense of belonging, which can deter from gang involvement,” York said, and she linked language and cultural teaching to prevention efforts including reduced risk of substance misuse and better access to traditional foods.
Representative Bliss noted the request in the context of local economic need, saying Manoomin County—identified in testimony as the heart of the White Earth Indian Reservation—has a poverty rate of 21.6%, which representatives described as the highest in the state.
Committee members heard the presentations and reserved time for questions. No formal committee action or vote on the bill was recorded in the transcript.
Ending: The request remains before the Legacy Committee for possible inclusion in a future legacy omnibus bill; no appropriation or vote on HF 24‑11 was recorded in the hearing transcript.
