I definitely want to focus on economic development, because that is what is needed in the community, as well as education.

Another area I am deeply passionate about is the education of the people in the region. Without an educated populace, it becomes challenging for them to actively participate in the development of their community.

As a member of parliament, I was able to understand the real problems of the population; I was able to understand the real needs of the population of my country.

[listening and learning] first-hand about the views attitudes and experiences of the Tribes ... the more I heard, the more I’ve learned, and the more I saw, the more resolved I became about helping to address the challenges that plague the Native American community."

Well, I loved being a County Supervisor, and I love the challenge to deal, locally, with the issues that are of greatest concern. I mean urban issues are my passion. Trying to make our cities work.

The racism we experienced really burned a flame in my heart that created a passion to help my community. Because of that scholarship, I felt this burden – I was one of the few people who looked like me to get this opportunity, so I owed my community to do well, and it wasn’t acceptable to fail.

I took that job in hopes of serving the region that had nurtured me and taught me so much, and at the same time, to do it from a perspective where I was also serving another dimension, which is the UN system.

My hopes and dreams as a child were simple: to be a difference- maker for good. I’ve always had empathy for the under- served and determined to do something about it through advocacy and action. Coming from a region where there’s a lot to be done, I feel that there are huge opportunities for the private sector to work alongside governments while doing well entrepreneurially.

I intend to undertake certain causes that are dear to my heart and be ready to assist national, regional and international efforts, especially in the areas of poverty eradication, people with disabilities, food production through agriculture and infrastructure development.

I began to understand the importance of seeing problems from the other person’s viewpoint and I have built on that ever since.

The thing is that there aren’t many stories told that are being shown to everybody from this, so any opportunity that I have to see a project that we could just release that to people that they could see a slice of life that they may not recognize or they may not know. It’s about family, it’s about being good people, it’s about culture, whether it’s music, theater, arts. And the opportunity to show that in a neighborhood and in a culture that I grew up in is very important to me.

I think that there has been a real opportunity for me to be a champion for issues that I might not hear about if I only was going to the population centers of the state

This sense of community instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility and the belief that we all have a role to play in uplifting our society. It also fuelled my passion for giving back and contributing to the welfare of others.

It was an essential experience, impacting me on a personal level as well as affecting my family, constituency, and party.