On the evening of Nov. 17, the Native American Student Association (NASA)organized a momentous event at the Truax campus. After going through some internal challenges, they successfully managed to put together a major gathering. NASA’s message was clear that night — there is great power in healing.

Jolie Lippitt, Liberal Arts transfer student and NASA event lead, explained that “you can go through life-changing trauma and still heal, and you can still be strong.”

Their welcome ceremony was accompanied by a traditional Native American song written and sung by champion hand drummer Ashley Hall from Halliday, North Dakota. Her performance was the catalyst for what was about to follow.

Six Native American women sat in front of a colorful audience and shared their personal stories about strength and resilience as Native women in the community.

Joann Jones, the first speaker, introduced herself as the former president of the Ho Chunk Nation. She shared that when conflict and confusion ran through the Nation, the officers came to the consensus that a new constitution was needed. She said that her proudest accomplishment was to be part of the creation of a new constitution for her people.   

Then Frankie Brandon, criminal justice major, presented herself as a mother and survivor of domestic violence. After going through a painful attack on her body and her psychology by her baby’s father, she is determined to stop perpetrators of domestic violence.    

Bianca Cook, also a survivor of domestic violence, viewed herself not only as a mother and wife but also as a medium for the preservation of Native American traditions. Her passion is dancing and sharing her love for Native American traditions to her children.

Rochelle Mann, a young mother, talked about addiction and recovery. She announced that she was a year sober and hopes to continue on that path for the sake of her son.  

Rachel Byington, once a high school dropout, and now Madison College alumna and current UW-Madison doctoral student, addressed issues in education. She recalled that she was never encouraged by her mother to pursue a higher education. Today, students can find inspiration in her story.

Finally, Donna Rae Hall, Ashley Hall’s mother, spoke about survival and faith. She confidently shared that she wanted to become a successful writer and encouraged all that were present at the event to find strength in spirituality regardless of religious or ethnic background.

The panelists’ intensity and honesty filled the room with awe. Their remarkable stories connected the dots between a community’s struggle and the individual’s desire for improvement as a whole. Each one of them displayed qualities of wisdom, justice, sensitivity, hope, knowledge and strength.

Chelsea Thompson, president of NASA, testifies: “I am very thankful that we were able to have such a powerful event. Many people have told me how much they appreciated the realness of the panel and how touched they were by the stories that were told. At the end of the day, NASA came out stronger than we were before we hosted the event. I hope that as a group we can continue to impact people’s lives in a good way and continue growing stronger as a team.”