[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 8977-8978]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO DANIELLE TA'SHEENA FINN

 Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I want to congratulate Danielle 
Ta'Sheena Finn, a resident of the great State of North Dakota, on being 
crowned the 2016-2017 Miss Indian World.
  The Miss Indian World competition is the largest and most prestigious 
cultural pageant for young Native women and was recently held during 
the Gathering of Nations Powwow at the University of New Mexico in 
Albuquerque. Twenty-four contestants from across the United States and 
Canada were judged on public speaking, personal interview, talent 
presentation, traditional dance, and essay. Throughout the competition, 
contestants demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of their culture and 
tribal history. Danielle won ``Best Public Speaking'' and ``Best 
Personal Interview.'' Her traditional talent was an explanation, song, 
and dance of the Lakota Penny Dress.

[[Page 8978]]

  Danielle is the first tribal member from the Standing Rock Sioux 
Tribe to be crowned Miss Indian World. At 25 years old, she is a 3rd-
year law student at Arizona State University and will graduate a 
semester early in December. Danielle also has a degree in criminal 
justice and a minor in international business from Minot State 
University. In 2014, the Center for Native American Youth recognized 
Danielle as a prestigious ``Champion for Change,'' which she achieved 
through a national nomination process for aspiring young Native 
leaders. Danielle also served as an intern in my Bismarck office where 
she displayed a sense of leadership. Through her internship, I had the 
opportunity to see firsthand the compassion she has for others and her 
eagerness to make a positive difference.
  Danielle plans to use the platform of Miss Indian World to advocate 
for suicide prevention and higher education. As a speaker of her 
traditional Lakota language, Danielle also plans to advocate for Native 
language preservation. The National Congress of American Indians has 
declared Native languages to be in a state of emergency. According to 
the United Nations Organization for Education, Science, and Culture, 74 
Native languages stand to disappear within the next decade. Equally 
alarming, scholars project that without immediate and persistent 
action, only 20 Native languages will still be spoken by 2050.
  As Congress works to support Native youth and address their holistic 
needs that include behavioral and mental health issues, it is 
heartening to see Danielle be a strong voice in areas so critical to 
helping her tribe and community members succeed. I wish Danielle the 
best as she travels and advocates in her role as Miss Indian World, an 
ambassador for all tribal nations. It is truly a great honor to have 
such a talented young woman represent North Dakota and Indian Country 
on the world stage.

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