"Educator David Gipp, the only Native person scheduled to address delegates at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, plans to share a few ideas on how the White House can renew its promise of a better life for all Americans.

Gipp, president of the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, N.D., said he would remind convention-goers of the sacrifices made by Native people, but would mostly inform them of the contributions ready to be made, including valuable natural resources, a rich culture and good leadership.

“All of these things can make a better and richer America in terms of its diversity,” said Gipp, a Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. He said many Native communities could contribute to the American economy with valuable natural resources, including coal, oil and water.

From a podium at the Pepsi Center in Denver, the tribal college president will address more than 20,000 convention delegates, providing inspiration on ways to jump-start the economy, create jobs and expand opportunities for millions of Americans doing their best to survive in a weak economy.

The DNC marks an unprecedented year with a record number of 140 convention delegates representing Indian Country, a group that held its first caucus meeting on Monday as the four-day convention began. Native convention delegate numbers are up from the 86 delegates who attended the Democratic convention in Boston in 2004."

Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: Lakota college president to address Native issues at DNC (The Missoulian 8/26)

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