31st Mille Lacs State of the Band

That was the Mille Lac Band Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin today during the 31st annual State of the Band address. Chief Benjamin says her band had a very strong 2014 expanding the tribe’s financial and educational impacts beyond the borders of Minnesota. Among those impacts include buying a hotel in Oklahoma City, rebuilding a local hotel on Mille Lacs Lake and expanding their gaming.
Although the Mille Lacs Band says they’ve never been stronger, there are areas in their community they’re trying to improve, including pregnancy and drug problems.
Another key area Chief Benjamin would like to focus on in returning the band members to their tribal roots and furthering their cultural sovereignty.
Chief Benjamin says the Mille Lacs Band’s future is in business and the more successful they can be in business the strong their cultural sovereignty will be.