Learn more about tribal sovereignty\, trea ties\, and ceded lands from an Indigenous perspective. We&rsquo\;ll explor e the past\, present\, and future with enrolled tribal members from the Wa rm Springs\, Burns-Paiute\, and Klamath Nations.
\nAbout the Presenters:
\nJaylyn Suppah: Alishwal&aac ute\;x (ah-lish-wa-luxsh) is Jaylyn&rsquo\;s Indian name given to her by h er grandmother\, Margaret Suppah. Jaylyn Suppah is her English name. She i s a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs\, located within wh at is now known as the state of Oregon and a descendant of the Yakama Nati on on her paternal side. On her maternal side\, she is a descendant of Sho shone-Bannock and Cree from Canada. Jaylyn is a mother of two\, a communit y organizer and educator\, an advocate for social justice\, equitable educ ation\, and equitable representation. She was raised on the northern part of the Warm Springs Reservation in a community called Simnasho. She is the founder and executive director of Papalaxsimisha\, a reservation based no n-profit\, which provides healing spaces and services to her community. Sh e is the co-founder and co-director of Tribal Democracy Project that works to protect\, uplift\, and empower Indigenous communities through Tribal c ivic engagement\, equitable representation\, and Tribal sovereignty. She o btained her Bachelors of Arts degree with an emphasis in Tribal Governance from The Evergreen State College through the Native Pathways Program. She is always looking for ways to advocate for her Tribe\, her people\, her c ommunity\, and building the capacity to work collectively towards our libe ration. She ensures she cultivates spaces that allow for others to learn\, have a voice\, and to join the efforts.
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Tracy D. Kennedy: \;Tracy Kennedy is an enrolled member of the Burns Paiute Tribe\, also known as th e Wadatika Band of Northern Paiute\, whose homelands are in the northern G reat Basin. Born and raised on the Burns Paiute Reservation near Burns\, O regon\, Tracy&rsquo\;s life and work are grounded in her community\, her c ulture\, and a deep responsibility to future generations.
\nThe firs t in her family to attend college\, Tracy earned her associate degree from Haskell Indian Nations University and a bachelor&rsquo\;s degree in econo mics from the University of Oregon. After completing her education\, she r eturned home with her two children and dedicated herself to strengthening her community. As the Tribe&rsquo\;s Director of Community and Economic De velopment for six years\, she led initiatives to improve infrastructure\, expand economic opportunities\, and support long-term self-sufficiency.
\nTracy has served on Tribal Council since 2016 and currently serves a s Tribal Chairwoman. In this role\, she works to uphold Tribal sovereignty &mdash\; the inherent right of Tribal nations to govern themselves &mdash \; while advancing sustainable growth and opportunity for her people. She believes that decisions made today should positively impact people for gen erations to come.
\nIn addition to her Tribal leadership\, Tracy ser ves as a field coordinator for The Ford Family Foundation\, where she buil ds partnerships among Tribal nations\, rural communities\, and philanthrop ic organizations. She is widely recognized for her ability to bring people together\, foster trust\, and advocate for solutions that create lasting\ , meaningful change.
\nAbove all\, Tracy remains grounded in her ide ntity as a Burns Paiute woman\, mother\, grandmother\, and leader &mdash\; working today to ensure a stronger\, healthier future for our children an d their children.
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Willa Powless: Willa Powless is an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes (Klamath\, Modoc\, and Yahooskin Paiute)\, an Indig enous grandmother\, Tribal Council member\, and founder and co-director of Honor the Treaty of 1864. She advocates for Indigenous history\, treaty r ights\, shared stewardship\, and Land Back efforts grounded in responsibil ity to land and community. \; \;
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About the Book: \;
\;
Through interwoven lives&mdash\;an opioid-addicted 19th-cen
tury conman\, a disgraced Navy seaman building a jet that will fly faster
than sound\, a stay-at-home dad turned weed entrepreneur\, and a family ha
unted by the ghosts of progress&mdash\;Supersonic \;reveals h
ow each era tries to remake the same ground beneath its feet. At once inti
mate and panoramic\, the story channels the restless energy that propels t
he West. \;
\;
About the Author: \;
Thomas Kohnstamm was born and raised in Seattle. He still lives in
the same house he grew up in&mdash\;now with his wife and two children.&nb
sp\;A freelance writer for over twenty years\, \;he&rsquo\;s \;bee
n a Spanish &\; Portuguese translator\, travel writer\, video &\; an
imation producer and has covered subjects ranging from rainforest conserva
tion to quantum computing to backcountry skiing. \;Supersonic
\;is his third book. \;
\;
\nLearn more about& nbsp\;A Nov el Idea \;
\nQuestions? Contact \;lizg@deschuteslibrary.org \; \;
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