Ahéhee': Thanksgiving

The Long Walk: The Navajo people being forcefully removed from their homeland

Thanksgiving has always been a difficult holiday for me to celebrate. As a Native American, I can't help but wince when I see thanksgiving pageants celebrating the first Thanksgiving between "Indians" and pilgrims.  I see children in paper Indian headband cutouts and run around making the "whooping" noise with their mouths. It's an unpleasant reminder that for many Americans, indigenous people have vanished with the dinosaurs or hidden in the pages of history textbooks with Christopher Columbus and Cortez. Yet, we are still here-vibrant, proud, and alive. So, while I do celebrate Thanksgiving, I give thanks to my ancestors who overcame genocide, assimilation, and acculturation so I can stand here today and continue working toward the betterment of my people. I give thanks to their dedication and tenacity to defy the odds and providing hope for the 7th generation. Ahéhee' (Thank you in Navajo). 

Career Services Write Up: MCLEAPS Internship

So, I'm applying for the MCLEAPS spring internship with the Treasures office! I was going to apply for it back in September, but graduate life has a funny way of weighing you down and the next thing you know the deadline has come and gone. So when I heard they were reposting a few of the positions, I knew it was a sign sent from Odin to apply.

When I glanced at the internship projects for the Treasure's office, I noticed records management was an area of focus.I have experience in records management (and even hold a certificate) working for the National Archives in Washington D.C. and in Seattle. So, naturally this peaked my interested along with policy and procedural research and implementation. While working for the Town of Gilbert, I have become fascinated with policy research and analysis and I wanted to explore this area even further at the Treasure's office.

So, I contacted my adviser to discuss the alignment of the MCLEAPS internship with my career goals, and she agreed this internship would be a wonderful opportunity for my academic and professional career. Then I contacted Maryjo, ASU's Public Affairs Career Specialist, about submitting my resume and letter of interest by the November 24th deadline. Since she helps other interns with the pre-application process with the MCLEAPS internships, she was able to present the necessary information to include in my resume and letter of interest.

 I also had the Assistant of the Town Manager take a look at my resume. He suggested editing my resume to exclude job experience that was no longer applicable to the position I was applying for. Furthermore, he said to refrain from repeating job duties that I've already stated in my resume. So, if I listed researching a public policy under a job description, I don't have to put "researched program procedures", under the same job, because I've already shown I have acquired researching skills. He shared his resume with me and I was absolutely floored! He was able to highlight the most important aspects in his work experience to create a comprehensive picture of all his qualifications and capabilities as strong candidate for a town manager. His cover letter was a well-written narrative that complemented his resume to present his best attributes and work experiences.

With the help of my adviser, Maryjo, and my boss, I was able to submit a  resume and cover letter that highlighted my strengths as a candidate for the MCLEAPS internship. I hope I am selected for an interview, so I have a chance to prove myself even further.

Ron Swanson aka Gabe E.

Working for local government has given me a new found appreciation for the show Parks and Rec. I now point out several things in the show and say "IT'S SO TRUE!" It also helps that I have a supervisor who reminds me of one of my favorite characters. My supervisor Gabe reminds me of Ron Swanson. There is an element of mystery that surrounds him. A man of many qualities with a vast breath of knowledge in almost all areas of local government. A Wikipedia of knowledge if you will. Just ask him anything from parks and rec to public works-He's your guy. Yet, he's pretty laid, back and down to earth. I can tell he's just a dude that you can kick it with for a bit...but don't over stay your welcome. That's where the Ron Swanson comes in-very no nonsense, down to business, "let's get this work done" kinda guy comes in. I like his leadership style, because it allows for a greater degree of autonomy. Anyhow, this blog was just an excuse to post some Swanologues.

Veteran's Day in Gilbert

Gilbert staff, residents and leaders honored veterans on November 10th's Annual Veterans Day Ceremony at Town Hall. The ceremony featured a presentation of colors, music by local schools, resources for veterans, and a catered lunch.  Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services Director Ted Vogt spoke about the importance of honoring veterans in his keynote address.

Hello Rivulon

Today, I was fortunate to attend the ground breaking for the new Rivulon development project in Gilbert.

According to their site: 

" Rivulon is a 250-acre mixed-use development located at the corner of Gilbert Road and the AZ 202. The premier business district will include approximately 3 million square feet of Class A office, 500,000 square feet of retail, and hotels. Rivulon will be designed with a holistic view of the site, ensuring a cohesive flow, compatibility of uses and sensitivity to the sustainability of resources."

This event and the development project itself is a major deal for the town of Gilbert. Rivulon will bring new jobs to the town and boost the town's economy. The $75 million dollar investment would not have come to fruition without the collaborative efforts between state and local government and the public sector and those involved were in attendance to celebrate the construction of this enormous project. I met real estate and business investors, business owners, state and local officials, and industry professionals. 

Since I'm a self-proclaimed introvert, I challenged myself to move outside my comfort zone and meet new people. My boss, Leah Hubbard, is the perfect example of a networking goddess. I observed her closely to pick the following networking tips: 

1.  Introduce yourself with a warm smile and firm handshake
2. "Advocate"/Promote yourself-first appearances are important
3. When introducing someone make sure to quickly list one of their accomplishments. Ex: "Have you met (name), she/he is (xxxx) and they did ( list accomplishments). 
4. Work the room. Make sure to give ample time to each conversation and then move on to the next group
5. Listen to what people have to say about themselves and tease out their qualifications and strengths. People love talking about themselves :D
6. Connect, Connect, Connect. Connect people who might have similar interest. You never know if that connection could lead to something bigger
7. Ask for business card. ( I sometimes forget this) Also, bring a few of your own.
8.  Follow up the next day to say you've enjoyed meeting them and hopefully work together soon.

Election Day!

Election Day! The superbowl for political science nerds! Everyone has a team they are rooting to win on every level of government, but sadly only one team can be victorious in our democratic system. The talking heads will be abuzz for weeks over the winners and loser, the influence the election will have on future policy, and analysis of voter turn out. The winners will tout their victory while the loser will grumble and look for brighter days saying, "We'll come back in two years, just you wait..." Either way, it's an exciting time for America when most people are influenced by politics now more than previous generations. I was reading an article on NPR stating politics is the most divisive aspect of contemporary American society. What is Really Tearing America Apart: Politics. Pretty interesting read.

Interestingly enough, my tribal government did not have their election yesterday. The Navajo Nation decided to postpone their election for Navajo Nation president since one of the candidates was disqualified from the race due to the Navajo language fluency requirement. My nation is currently split between those who feel our language is vital to tribal government and Navajo culture and those who feel in today's society business and political knowledge is more important than language. There is now a clear divide between traditionalist, who compose most of the older Navajo speaking generation, and progressives, who are the younger non-Navajo speaking generation. Many young people feel that this election turmoil sends a clear message that if you don't speak the language than you're not considered a true Navajo. When only 30% of the population speaks Navajo fluently it doesn't seem that this debate will end any time soon.

Anyway, I've been working a new project concerning Design Review Boards and creating a Gantt Chart for the Human Needs Assessment Project. Gantt Charts are a lot of fun and if you're interested in project management its a valuable tool to keep track of project timelines and deadlines. Check it out here: How to create a Gantt Chart.

I've also been busy getting the most of this internship during the last few weeks I have left. I'm a big advocate of diversifying skill sets and accumulating as much knowledge as I possibly can because you never know when it will come handy. Sure, I have no interest in zoning law or utility franchisee fees, but what can I gain from what I am doing that can help me in the future. You never really know, so learn as much as you can and take every opportunity to expand your skills. Look past the mundane, tedious tasks and projects to see what this can really teach you in other aspects of your life and career path.

Besides the two projects I'm working on, I'm also meeting with people from purchasing to event planning. Again, I want to learn as much as I can and extend my networking circle while I have the ability to do so here during this internship. It never hurts to ask and you will be surprised how many people are willing to help you when they see you're willing to learn.