The Bush Fellowship is a prestigious program offered by the Bush Foundation, a private philanthropic organization based in the United States. The fellowship is designed to support individuals in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the 23 Native nations that share the same geographic area, who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and a commitment to making a positive impact on their communities and beyond.
Congrats to Tasha Peltier for her recent Bush Fellowship Award. On behalf of our team, we congratulate Tasha and extend our deep appreciation and admiration for her efforts to improve the wellness and health of those within Indigenous communities.
The Bush Fellowship provides financial support and a variety of resources to help recipients pursue their educational, personal, and professional development goals. These fellowships are awarded to people from diverse backgrounds and various fields, including arts, business, education, health, community development, and more.
As a Bush Fellow, Peltier has goals of reclaiming and building wellness and health within Indigenous communities. “To learn I was awarded a Bush Fellowship was super exciting. It is a lengthy process and as I made it to the next level of selection, I was more anxious; it was pretty nerve-wracking. When I got the notice of the award, It was a big relief. It was a long time coming and I was super excited.”
Peltier’s plan centers on the healing and well-being around Dakota and Lakota values and their ways of thinking. She plans to utilize the valuable knowledge that exists within communities to improve overall health.
“My background is in public health; this work aligns with several facets of my current work in quality improvement where we focus on fixing things from the ‘inside out’ and improving systems in quality of care. I also work with a local non-profit focused on uplifting our own ways of thinking and strengthening our spirituality and the ceremonial piece of health and wellness. These opportunities give me a unique perspective as I can see the importance of all these aspects of health. I want to envision how we can change these systems and how we operate. To help identify opportunities for change, how to begin making the change and ensuring these changes are applicable and relevant,” Peltier added.
When asked about some of the challenges and potential barriers, Peltier commented, “One challenge is there was intentional federal policy to eradicate our ways and to try to change who we were. There are residual effects of that. We are combatting the negative views of those beliefs in our communities and some of our people often struggle with not feeling worthy of these ways. Battling against historical things that have been done to our communities and giving our communities the confidence to practice these ways and recognizing that they are important pieces to our health and wellness. There are so many aspects to improving health and achieving optimal health outcomes; Instilling confidence in our communities and advocating for the things we need and want is a piece of that.”
Fellows are committed to deepening their ability to drive equitable, large-scale change that makes our region more just. They are ready to dig deep, transforming their own leadership practice to get to the best version of themselves in service of their communities.
When asked about the need to take care of herself throughout this process, which is reinforced to all Bush Fellows, Peltier commented, “Throughout this process, we are continually pushed to think of ourselves and identify ways to care for ourselves. This is hard for me because we are often taught to do things for the greater good. However, looking at the big picture and connecting the dots, I understand we need to care for ourselves before we can care for others. If I look at it from a different lens; taking care of myself to sustain myself and get the work done is important. Being able to flip that narrative is challenging, but a message I have heard loud and clear. I look forward to getting started.”
Peltier is a Quality Improvement Advisor with the Great Plains Quality Innovation Network and an employee of Quality Health Associates of North Dakota. She shared details about her plan with In the Moment on South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) Radio. Access that interview. Peltier’s bio can also be found on the Bush Fellowship site.
Up to 24 Bush Fellows are selected each year. The criteria for selecting Fellows is based on the combination of an extraordinary track record of success, a Fellowship plan that reflects the ability to dream big about what is possible and the skills and potential to bring the plan to life. Learn more about the Bush Fellowship and 2023 awardees here.