Manataba Messenger

Page 21 CANDIDATE FOR TRIBAL COUNCIL DARIS LAFFOON Hello, my name is Erica James. I am full blooded Hopi and a proud member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. I grew up on the CRIT reservation attending Wallace Elementary, Le Pera Elementary and graduated with honors from Parker High School. My involvement with the Tribes began at the age of 14 while working with the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Summer Youth Program. I then worked at the original BlueWater Casino in the Moovalya Plaza and helped transition to the current casino location on the river where I served as the Assistant Personnel Director in the Human Resources Department until 2005. From 2003 to 2015, I had the honor of serving as a proud military wife. My family and I moved around the southern United States and enjoyed our travels immensely. During this time, I met many people interested in my Native American culture. I shared with them stories of our beautiful reservation, our essential land and water, our strong people and culture, our proud native values and our productive government. My family and I returned to the reservation, our home, in 2015. I immediately returned to work for the Tribes in the Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) then transferred to the CRIT Office of the Attorney General where I am the Lease Compliance Specialist. I continue to volunteer for community events such as the Toys for Tot, and the Lower 40 4-H Club with my children. I also served as a Field Census Supervisor for the 2020 United States Census to ensure as many CRIT Tribal members were counted as possible. During this pandemic, I served our community through CRIT Media to disseminate information on COVID-19 awareness and prevention, as well as various public serv- ice announcements. I am also the Public Information Officer for the CRIT Incident Command Response Team. I continue to volunteer at various COVID-19 testing clinics and mask giveaways in our community. The bottom line is, I care about my community, that's why I do what I do. I want to help. If elected, I'll ensure our tribal members come first. I want our people to have what they need to take care of themselves and their families during these unprecedented times. We need access to proper health care for all tribal members. I want to work with council and the appropriate departments for better housing availability for tribal members. I want to explore new business ventures and provide better employment opportunities for our Tribal community. I want to ensure our current policies and enterprises continue to benefit our tribal population and our land. I am a hardworking, business-oriented individual who will continue to work hard for our community. If elected to CRIT Tribal Council, I promise to allow your voice to be heard. I will make myself available to the community to hear your comments and concerns about our current health and economic climate and direction going for- ward. I will always place the needs of this community before my own. I work well with others and will work together with other Tribal Council members to help ensure positive growth and direction for years to come. Your support and vote is greatly appreciated. Thank you. CANDIDATE FOR TRIBAL COUNCIL ERICA JAMES I am the daughter of Herman D. Laffoon Jr. and Vicki D. Laffoon{Homer), born in Lake Havasu City and raised on our C.R.I.T. Reservation. I have a son and daugh- ter, their father and I have been together for 19 years and raising our two-year-old niece. I am of Shasta and Mohave decent and a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. I have worked in customer service as a manager at Pete's Smoke Shop, C.R.I.T. Residental Center as a lead and moving up to Supervisor for one year. I moved to Yuma, working for C.P.E.S.- Community Provider Enrichment Services as a Residential Supervisor overlooking two houses. Working with staff to provide the best service for our patients suffering from mental, physical development and growth helps themcreate a positive independent living. I came home to help with family and found a position at the C.R.I.T. Public Library Archives as the C.R.I.T. Library First Things First Early Literacy coordinator. After one year and six months becoming the Library Technician. I coordinated with the Library staff Arts and Crafts, Traditional workshops, Language classes, Beading, Pottery, Gourds, utilizing the C.R.IT . Artisans Group, Elders Committee, reaching out to community to help and teach our youth and community members all that want to learn the traditions and more. I am the Miss Indian Arizona Association president, a member of the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums-First Things First Regional Council Board member. I received an AZ 2020 Senate Congressional Recognition as the 2020 First Things First LaPaz Regional Early Childhood Champion. Greetings, Colorado River Indian Tribal members. I am Daris Q. Laffoon, and I am running for the two-year term seat in the December 2020 Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal council election. I am writing to ask for your support in my campaign. For us to move forward, "us" as a tribe, a community, all need to work together for the greater good for future generations, for our council to stand united and work together with our tribal members in support of our Tribal government. We need our tribal members to come together and to stand by your council in full UNITY. Our tribe has faced many challenges in the past. At the same time, blessed with the potential and opportunity to solve our problems and continue to increase our resources and services to our tribal members and community. With strong leadership and a focused vision on the Future for our tribe, we can become the tribe we once were. If elected, I would like to take an in-depth review of our policies, procedures, constitutional requirements, and departmental administration and initiate changes that would improve communications, responsibilities. I believe in the development of our Reservation for our C.R.I.T. Tribal members and community's future security and working together is vital to our progress as a working unit. I will commit to the C.R.I.T. Tribal membership to work in unity with the Tribal Council, abide by the constitution, and keep an open mind and positive attitude on all issues to ensure all actions are in the best interest of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. I will strive to improve our working administration to make a stronger credible Tribal government representing all four tribes and Reservation that will expand its resources and development to secure our people's Future. On December 5th, 2020 Vote for Daris Q. Laffoon Two-Year Term C.R.I.T. Tribal Council Candidate FOCUSED on the FUTURE