Red Lake Nation Calls for Unity, Plans of Action at 2025 State of the Band Address

Red Lake Nation held their annual State of the Band Address on Friday in Redby. The event is a time for band members to come together and see how the band has grown in the previous year, as well as look at the needs and struggles of their community.

The Red Lake Reservation, one of two closed reservations in the US, consists of four communities of over 17,000 members within approximately 1,000,000 acres of land. Red Lake Tribal Chairman Darrel Seki Sr. feels newly elected President Trump and his administration won’t have the band’s best interest in mind during his second term in office.

“We’re all aware the election … resulted in the re-election of Donald Trump and Elon Musk,” said Seki in his address. “Our treaties are the supreme law of the land. As such, the federal government has a trust responsibility and obligation to uphold our treaties to adequately fund our programs. The dismantling of the federal government is happening so fast that we are being sucked up into this chaos.”

Red Lake Tribal Council Treasurer Vernelle Lussier highlighted how much federal funding is needed to help tribal nations throughout the US, versus the amount the band actually receives. She pointed to a chart saying $4,663,877 is what the band shares but that the amount they want to share should be over $23 million.

“This is the realistic need of our people,” said Lussier. “[From] all across United States, this is what we get.”

Treasurer Lussier is expecting a decrease in federal funding for tribal nations next year as well. However, in terms of funding, there is good news for those in the Red Lake gaming industry.

“We’re implementing an entry-level wage scale adjustment. All entry-level positions will increase from $11 an hour to $15 an hour,” explained Angela Dauphinais, CEO of Seven Clans Casino. “Our supervisors are going to move from $15 an hour to $18 an hour. Individuals with education and with experience can start at higher wages than that.”

One topic that each speaker highlighted was the importance of shaping the youth of tribal nations. Tribal Secretary Samuel Strong took a moment to recognize Red Lake Elementary School for their work on reviving the Ojibwe Language.

“My own daughters go to that school, and every day they come home speaking the language, saying the prayers, speaking for the animals, the trees, praying for our people and leading with hope,” said Strong. “They provide us that hope and they provide us that strength.”

To end his statement to the band, Chairman Seki called for unity during what he feels are difficult times for the band, while also calling for plans of action.

“There’s a lot of bad things happening in DC, but we must continue to hold the administration, Congress accountable, to uphold the federal trust responsibility, and to make sure that federal government obligations to the tribes are upheld,” he added. “We are unique as tribes. We were here first, way before them. We built the United States.”

During the address, Treasurer Vernelle Lussier also pointed out that 40% of band members live below the poverty level and that Red Lake Nation has a 60% unemployment rate.