[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 192 (Tuesday, November 2, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H6078]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National 
Native American Heritage Month and to honor the 35th anniversary of the 
Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, a private nonprofit 
organization in Nebraska.
  The Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition provides community 
healthcare and services targeting the urban American Indian and Alaska 
Native population in the greater Omaha metropolitan area, Lincoln area, 
and Sioux City, Iowa, since 1986. Their rehabilitative healthcare 
services and their diabetes self-management program are nationally 
recognized. Currently, they are led by their CEO, Dr. Donna Polk.
  Donna Lee Mays was raised by her father after her mother was hit and 
killed by a drunk driver on Christmas Day in 1949 at the age of 23. Dr. 
Polk was only 7 years old. Dr. Polk credits her grandmother, Annie Lee 
Mays, as one of her inspirations because of her spirituality and 
wisdom.
  Dr. Polk firmly believes in having vision and that you have to be 
able to see how things can be. If you don't, Mr. Speaker, you don't 
work to effect change.
  Between 1972 to 1985, Dr. Polk served as an affirmative action and 
equal opportunity officer at the State of Nebraska. She volunteered in 
the Nebraska corrections system for 26 years and starred in her own TV 
show called ``Frankly Female,'' a show for and about women.
  Dr. Polk earned her bachelor's degree in university studies, her 
master's in counseling psychology, and a doctorate in administration, 
instruction, and curriculum, all from the University of Nebraska at 
Omaha. In addition, she is a published author. She wrote her book, 
``Black Men and Women of Nebraska,'' in 1981 to shine the light on 
prominent African-American individuals in our State.
  She joined the Urban Indian Health Coalition in 1991, running the 
counseling program for women. She leads a team of over 40 employees 
that offer services such as inpatient and outpatient substance abuse, 
transitional living, alcohol and drug recovery, healthcare services, 
and transportation to their facilities. Dr. Polk takes great pride in 
the community programs--Project Upstream, the Tired Moccasins Elders 
Program, and the Elder's Program--which help Native youth and families 
overcome socioeconomic disparities and provide meals, educational 
opportunities, and even extracurricular activities for all ages. Dr. 
Polk is thrilled about the inauguration of their new headquarters 
scheduled to open in the spring of 2022.
  In recognizing the Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, we shine a 
spotlight on 35 years of helping elevate the health status and 
disparities of urban Indians and other underserved populations in 
Nebraska and Iowa through education, collaboration, advocacy, and 
health service delivery.
  Congratulations to Dr. Polk and her team for 35 years of excellence 
and serving our great community.

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