Paving the way
Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan uses her platform to create a world where future Native women can have a role in positions of leadership.
Models strut down the runway of Quincy Hall in Minneapolis. April 25, 2024 — Native Nations Fashion Night, an event that showcased the talent of Indigenous fashion designers, models, hairstylists and makeup artists — Minnesota’s Lieutenant Governor, Peggy Flanagan, being one of the models in attendance that evening.
Speaks With A Loud and Clear Voice Woman — Flanagan’s spiritual name was elected in 2018 alongside Governor Tim Walz.
A woman. A citizen of White Earth Nation of Ojibwe. A Native Woman in a Lieutenant Governor position: The first in the country.
Centering equity. Investments. Communities — topics talked about in their campaign trail that piqued the interest of Minnesota voters.
In 2015, Flanagan was voted into the Minnesota House of Representatives. At the time there were only two other Natives in the Minnesota State House — Susan Allen and Steve Green.
Flanagan and Walz have been friends for years. In 2005, when Walz was getting ready to run for Congress, Flanagan trained him how to run for office at Camp Wellstone — an organization founded to carry on the work of former Senator Paul Wellstone — from there, a friendship sparked.
Eventually, Flanagan began doing work at the Children’s Defense Fund, focusing on issues like childcare and paid family or medical leave. Seeing the work she’s done, that’s when Walz pulled Flanagan into his office to discuss who would be a good candidate for a Lieutenant Governor — someone who could stand by him and help craft policy in his run for Governor.
“I want to tell you who I’m thinking of for Lieutenant Governor,” Walz said. “You.”
“Shut up,” Flanagan said. “No way. For real?”
Instead of agreeing right away, she needed to think about the opportunity that was just given to her. She was just starting to build relationships and credibility in the legislature. However, she knew that an Indigenous woman running for Lieutenant Governor was much needed — and so Flanagan ran with Walz, and won.
In July 2016, Flanagan was the second Native woman to address the Democratic National Convention. Her speech was a letter to her three and a half year old daughter at the time, Siobhan.
“When she grows up, she wants to be president,” Flanagan said. “So I wrote her this letter.” She states how politics isn’t always fun, people can be mean and say nasty things about women and Native Americans — people like them. But she also wants her daughter to be proud of who she is and grow up with her people’s values: Honoring elders, showing gratitude to her warriors and cherishing children as a gift from their Creator.
She finished off the speech by telling her daughter that someday, she’ll get her vote.
When Flanagan was first elected as Lieutenant Governor, Siobhan said in a car ride that because she worked in the same building, but had a different job title, she didn’t see Flanagan’s job as a big deal.
“My daughter keeps me humble,” Flanagan said. “But it also was this beautiful moment where she has just grown up seeing Native women in elected leadership.”
Flanagan understands the responsibility of creating a world where young Native women can have the potential to someday be in a position of leadership as well — a reality that is more hopeful than previous generations.
On May 6, Minnesota’s Indian Affairs Council hosted American Indian Day on the Hill — a nearly three hour event commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act. The day included a welcome song by the drumming group “Bear Runner”, a fry bread lunch, an honoring of elders ceremony and a speech from Lieutenant Governor Flanagan.
“It’s always a good day when there are lots and lots of Native folks walking around the Capitol and we start with a drum on the front steps.” — Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota Lieutenant Governor.
On June 2, 1924, Congress allowed U.S. citizenship on Indigenous people — just short of 100 years ago. Now, Native people across the state gathered in Minnesota’s Capitol as Flanagan walked up to the podium and hoisted herself onto a box so she could reach the microphone.
“I’m small, but mighty,” Flanagan said. She then continued to greet the crowd in Ojibwe tongue, welcoming and thanking everyone for attending.
“It’s always a good day when there are lots and lots of Native folks walking around the Capitol and we start with a drum on the front steps,” Flanagan said. “This is how it’s supposed to be.”
She planted the seed for more Native representation in the future, s0 that there’s people in office who understand Native life experiences, treaty rights and tribal sovereignty — so that Native people are “seen, heard, valued, protected and believed.”
“It feels safe to be an Indigenous woman in Minnesota.” — Jessica Taylor, American Indian Day on the Hill attendee
Jessica Taylor, an advisor for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) council, was among the many Native women in attendance. Hanging around her neck was a beaded necklace of an Indigenous woman with a red handprint over her mouth, representing the missing and murdered Indigenous women. She wears it everywhere, knowing she’s advocating for them.
Because of the change Flanagan is spearheading in office, Taylor would never move to another state, she said, such as:
- Returning land to the Yellow Medicine people of the Upper Sioux community after 161 years.
- Creating the first caucus dedicated to issues affecting Indigenous people.
- Developing protocol that would train first responders, healthcare workers and the press on missing and murdered Indigenous women.
“It feels safe to be an Indigenous woman in Minnesota,” Taylor said.
Though Taylor was adopted as a baby into a white family, she recently started becoming connected with her Native roots — Mdewakanton-Dakota. Since then, she’s discovered the person who her ancestors want her to be: “A strong, Indigenous woman”.
To Taylor, Flanagan’s embodiment of Native culture, yet defeating patriarchal roles in leadership has been nothing but inspiring.
“If she can do it, we can do it,” Taylor said.
Until the next Indigenous woman is elected into office, Flanagan can be seen in St. Paul’s Capitol building, wearing ribbon skirts and big earrings — showing Native girls what a Lieutenant Governor looks like.
