Winona Laduke

Winona LaDuke is a Native American activist, economist, and author dedicated to advocating for Indigenous control of homelands, natural resources, and cultural practices. After graduating from Harvard University in 1982 with a degree in rural economic development, Winona LaDuke quickly established herself as a formidable advocate for Indigenous rights, testifying before the United Nations regarding the exploitation of Indian lands and working on a campaign against uranium mining on Navajo land. Following her graduation, she became the principal of the reservation high school at the White Earth Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota. During this period, LaDuke initiated a significant four-year lawsuit to reclaim lands promised to the Anishinaabeg people by an 1867 federal treaty.

She continues her influential work as a Native American activist, economist, and author, dedicated to advocating for Indigenous control of homelands, natural resources, and cultural practices through various ongoing initiatives.