Manataba Messenger

Page 9 Special Election September 18, 2021 Vice-Chairman Candidates e|v{tÜw XätÇá 9 gxwwç ZÉÉwÅtÇ My name is Richard Wayne Evans. I was born and raised in Parker on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation. I attended school at Headstart, Blake, Wallace, and PHS. My grandparents were Luther and Helen Swick, my father is Rayburn Evans, and my mother was Marlene Swick. Growing up in the valley was awesome; I played baseball, basketball, swam, and fished in the river year-round. I love this place, and there is nowhere on earth I would want to raise my children and grandkids. My work history started when I was seventeen years old when I joined the U.S. Army and spent the next four years in Germany. When I returned to Parker, I start- ed working with my father farming in the valley for the next ten years. I spent two years at the Arizona Institute of Business and Technology, where I graduated with a 4.0-grade point average; after that, I spent a year and a half at Scottsdale Community College, but when my daughter was born, I quit and went to work intending to return, it’s been over twenty years I never went back. I left Phoenix and returned to Parker, where I worked for CRIT Recreation for 11 years. One of the greatest times in my life I loved working with the kids on the reservation and serving the community during Easter,4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so many more events and holidays, including summer vacation for the kids. I was very proud to serve all our tribal members and loved my job for the past 14 yrs. I have worked for the federal government as an Irrigation System Operator or “ditch rider” I make the valley green one field at a time. The issues that I feel most strongly about are the education of our children, the health care of our elders, or lack thereof. The need for housing on our reservation is of great concern for me; I have a decent job, yet I live in an apartment and pay monthly rent; if I lost my job or got hurt, I would lose my home. I see a definite need to improve the communication and accountability between our council and tribal members; once they lock the doors and conduct meetings behind those closed doors, any chance of us having a say in decisions that will affect our future and the future of our children is lost. Last but most certainly not the least of these is the WATER. Water is life, and with- out it, our reservation will die. Climate change is here, and there will never be more water in that river. It will continue to shrink, and our council needs to absolutely communicate and consider the will of the tribal members and not make decisions without the input of the people who voted them into office. Once again, my name is Richard Evans, and I am asking for your consideration and your vote for the office of Vice-Chairman. I have no ax to grind and bear no grudges, am not trying to get rich; I just want all of our lives to get better, and I promise every decision I make, every vote I cast will be for the good of all tribal members This I swear so help me God. Personal History Information Please state your personal history, your views,concerns, and what you wish to accomplish as a tribal council member. I was raised my entire life in the valley, left a few times, but no city can offer what I grew up with here in the valley, yes my heart is here, but my roots are deep, and I have had others from different reservations say so, "wow, your roots are deep here." Born the 8th of 8 siblings, other than being picked on, I had access to my older sibs, mom, and dad as references or all that wisdom and knowledge before me, which brings me to our elders and youth. I sorely missed after my mother passed away as she was my go-to encyclopedia. It is getting to where we are not getting all the wisdom and knowledge, not just your bands' traditions, etc., but the history, my mother would tell me of just not local his- tory but how people from the east were coming out here back in 1807. Accomplish? Getting, creating jobs for our youth, job skills as to where they choose to leave the reservation with new job skills and know-how.