Nez Perce woman named emissary

LAPWAI, Idaho – Even her boss says it – Patricia Carter has the personality and drive to be an ambassador.

But it came as a surprise to Carter, a 22-year-old Lapwai college student, when she won a debate to be chosen in the first-ever group of American Indian youth ambassadors.

Carter was selected as one of two youth ambassadors, part of a National Congress of American Indians program to empower youth and expand youth leadership.

She was happily “shocked” by the selection. Carter said having her name associated with a group like the congress is amazing.

“I can’t believe I won,” she said.

Carter and Quintin Lopez of the Tohono O’odham Nation were selected as the first two ambassadors nationwide at the congress’ meeting in California earlier this month. Two under-ambassadors also were selected to round out a youth commission.

The four youth will serve as spokespeople for the congress’ youth commission to raise awareness about the issues affecting American Indian and Alaska native youth.

“If we don’t have youth participating then we don’t have an accurate voice,” Carter said. “So we’re encouraging all groups to get involved.”

The two-year commitment will take them all over the country, and as far as Bolivia, to speak for American Indian youth at national events.

Carter initially thought she lost the honor after her performance in a final-round debate, but emerged as the judges’ favorite in a discussion on the use of American Indian emblems.

“It was so stressful,” Carter said of the three-day selection process. Eight finalists in the program were narrowed down through a series of speeches and debates to test the potential ambassadors’ grasp of the issues affecting their tribes.

In her role, Carter wants to do all she can to raise awareness of the problem of drug and alcohol abuse in American Indian populations.

One way to do that, she said, is for stronger possession laws. It takes those laws and parental involvement to help reduce the problem, she said.

“This issue is preventing people from continuing education, it’s preventing them from graduating high school,” Carter said of drug and alcohol abuse. “It’s putting a strain on our resources.”

What began as a minor problem, Carter said, is escalating into a bigger issue for American Indian families.

To raise awareness of drug and alcohol abuse, she believes the issue needs to be acknowledged and addressed in every American Indian community

Curbing domestic violence, campaigns to get out the American Indian vote and cultural preservation are among the other issues Carter hopes to raise awareness of during her two-year term.

Carter works in human resources for Nez Perce Tribal Enterprises. She also is a sophomore at Northwest Indian College, majoring in Native American studies.

“Hopefully I’ll get a degree in anthropology and hopefully use that to help my tribe,” she said, adding she may pursue a degree in business.

One of Carter’s superiors at the Clearwater River Casino is shift manager Mark Souza. He described Carter as an approachable and well-rounded employee who always keeps a smile on her face. He called her selection as an ambassador, “fabulous.”

“If there’s somebody I want representing me I think it would be her,” Souza said. “And throughout everything I see her go through she always stays humble.

“I think if she puts her mind to it she can almost go anywhere that she wants to,” he said.

A full-time student with a full-time job at the casino, Carter also works part time at a children’s home in addition to her new duties as ambassador.

“I’m definitely up for the challenge and I know that I can do more,” she said.

As part of the first group of ambassadors, Carter believes they need to set the bar high for future ambassadors. That starts by getting young people involved locally.

“It starts within our community,” she said. “Encourage others to voice their opinions. I’m just trying to get as many youth to participate as possible.”

Carter said they need the support of young Nez Perce tribal members to shape the future of the Nez Perce Tribe.

“If we aren’t actively participating in the community for those issues, we won’t have a community to support.”