T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
Traditional dance by women of the Tohono O’odham Reservation
public school full time off the reservation. It was so important to her parents that they bought a small house for her father and the three children to stay in during the school week and they would return to the reservation Friday after school through Sunday evening. When Susan was in junior high, her grandfather bought a generator. “It was so exciting when we would turn on the
“That morning, before going to the college campus, my grandfather dressed in all of his traditional Native American regalia. He stood tall and proud in the enrollment line that day in his colorful array of clothing, jewelry and feathers. I am so thankful for my Tohono O’odham upbringing. I value knowing my heritage and my culture. Growing up in the Sonoran Desert taught me to be strong and to work hard. Being
generator and we would have light coming from one light bulb at night. We would smile and laugh and be so excited about that one light bulb. Even today I become excited just thinking about it and laugh.” They rarely used the generator for light though because the fuel used to operate it was saved for Sunday mornings when her grandfather would use the
Native American taught me to value humility, respect and honor.” Susan attended Oral Roberts University for two years. In 1986 , Susan
DID YOU KNOW? You should not ask a Native American, “How much Native American are you?” This is a western mindset directed toward Native Americans.
moved to Texarkana. She is married and has raised three chi ldren in Texarkana-Jordan Kennedy Evans, Joseph Kennedy and David Warmack. She finished her education, receiving he r unde r g r adua t e and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University–Texarkana. In 2011, at the encouragement of Susan’s very young and wise son David, she started a foundation which gives back to her fellow Native Americans in the Tohono O’odham Nation (TON). Members of the GuVo District established NAAF. A 501c (3) nonprofit corporation, NAAF promotes research-based, community- driven, sustainable development. NAAF is the only nonprofit organization serving the western region of TON, a reservation
generator to watch Oral Roberts on a small black-and-white television. Susan laughingly shared, “It was the only time he would use that generator. It puzzled me because my grandfather didn’t speak English and I didn’t think he could understand what Oral was even saying. He would look at me and say, ‘that’s where you are going to go to school!’ and sure enough, I did!” When the t ime came, Susan’s grandfather drove her to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “I will never forget enrollment day,” she shared.
C OMM U N I T Y & C U L T U R E
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