{"id":21710,"date":"2022-03-02T12:15:38","date_gmt":"2022-03-02T17:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=21710"},"modified":"2022-03-02T12:18:50","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T17:18:50","slug":"educator-from-saginaw-chippewa-tribe-attends-state-of-the-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/03\/02\/educator-from-saginaw-chippewa-tribe-attends-state-of-the-union\/","title":{"rendered":"Educator from Saginaw Chippewa Tribe attends State of the Union"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The White House: President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address – March 1, 2022<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n
Educator from Saginaw Chippewa Tribe attends State of the Union<\/div>\r\n
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<\/p>\r\nMelissa Isaac, a citizen of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe<\/a> with a strong background in education, attended the State of the Union<\/a> as a guest of First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nIsaac wore a ribbon skirt and a shrug<\/a> to the event, which took place on Tuesday evening at the U.S. Capitol. She was seated in Dr. Biden’s box for the speech and images of her were featured prominently in media coverage.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n“Honored to be selected as a special guest to First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden for the State of the Union Address,” Isaac said on social media<\/a> after the White House announced her presence<\/a>. \r\n

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Honored to be a special guest of our First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden to the 2022 State of the Union…<\/p>Posted by Melissa Isaac<\/a> on Tuesday, March 1, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><\/div>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nIsaac also shared photos taken at the White House<\/a> on social media. She credited Summer Peters as the creator of the ribbon skirt and Memigwaans Begay as the maker of the shrug.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n“My sister and niece are very talented! Miigwetch for making me this beautiful look!! I am forever grateful!!” Isaac wrote.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nWhile working for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, Isaac brought the Project AWARE Program to her community<\/a> in Michigan. Through a grant from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration<\/a>, she helped start an initiative to meet the needs of students in three different school systems.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \u201cThe key to Project AWARE is fostering resilience by strengthening relationships through building community,\u201d Isaac said<\/a> at the time. \u201cThe positive impact Project AWARE will have on the mental health and wellness of all of our communities will be significant.\u201d\r\n

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<\/P>\r\nDuring a trip to Michigan last October, Dr. Biden visited the tribe and learned more about the efforts of Isaac and the tribe’s Department of Education. Isaac was serving as director of the department at the time.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n Biden hosted a listening session at the Ziibiwing Center<\/a>, where the tribe highlights its culture and lifeways. Isaac and her husband, Nathan Isaac, who is also an educator, took part in the event. The couple also brought their child, who was 7 years old at the time, according to the White House.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n“I am a teacher, so I’m looking forward to hearing [about] Project AWARE,” the First Lady noted at the listening session on October 24, 2021. [Note: Additional photos at bottom of page.<\/em>]\r\n

<\/p> \r\nIn a post on social media<\/a> ahead of the State of the Union on Tuesday, Biden called attention to Isaac’s efforts for her community.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n“As a teacher, she recognized the need to support the mental health of her students and helped secure a @HHSGov Project AWARE grant to expand resources,” the First Lady wrote.\r\n

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Melissa Isaac is from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan and is currently an enrolled member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.

As a teacher, she recognized the need to support the mental health of her students and helped secure a @HHSGov<\/a> Project AWARE grant to expand resources. pic.twitter.com\/bfv48LavhO<\/a><\/p>— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) March 1, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>