Class Graduate Claims Program a Success Saving Her From Poverty

By Pat Smutz, Communications Director, NW LECET

BROWNING, MONTANA− Heather Speak Thunder knows what poverty is like at the Blackfeet Nation in Browning, Montana. In fact she’s lived at or below the poverty level for most of her life, said the single

mother of three turned home remodeling worker.

Beaming with pride in herself for working her way through 300 hours of classroom and work experience in the NCCI training program, Heather remarked “I want to read a letter I wrote to express my feelings today.” Then with tears streaming down her cheeks, she asked Dan McFadyean, the Blackfeet Manpower Department’s deputy director, to read it for her. Accepting the honor in a rare moment during the proceeding that one could have heard the proverbial pin drop, McFadyean read her heartfelt message with a compassion that stilled the crowd even further. In her letter to the class Heather stated: “An incident happened earlier this year that got me thinking about our way of life here. I have to admit poverty is an embarrassing thing. What Dan (Kowalski, NCCI’s instructor) has taught us through these 300 long hours is the life skills needed to work our way out of the poverty we’re stuck in.”

After seeing a copy of Heather’s letter, CTER’s CEO, Conrad D. Edwards, commented that he was even more impressed with the outcome of the program he had put together with the Laborers’ Union, LECET and DOI. (NCCI has partnered with all Building & Trades Union's since then.)

“This is what we are all about, empowering our tribal members to become self-determined and take charge of their lives. Partnering with the Laborers’ Union was the right choice for us and it wouldn’t have happened without them. Ninety-two percent of the participants went to work immediately after the program completed.”