Midwest Region

Marla is from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe. Marla is culturally motivated and shows her perseverance through her cultural involvement. Marla served as the Miss Minnesota Indian Education Association Ambassador 2022-2023, where she hosted specials for the community to be involved in. Marla is active in her community by traveling to powwows and jingle-dress dancing. One of her dancing                     accomplishments is receiving “Iron Woman Jingle Dress Champion 2021.” She was recently elected to serve as a Representative on the 2023-2024 Minnesota Association of Student Councils (MASC) Northwest Division Board where she represents diversity and brings awareness to students’ mental health. Marla was a UNITY Newscaster at UNITY 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Marla is the recipient of the 2022-2023 Minnesota Indian Education Association “High School Student of the Year,” which is an award given to a high school student in the state of Minnesota who brings inspiration to Indian country. She attends school at TrekNorth Jr. and Sr. High School in Bemidji, Minnesota, where she implements culture into her school life as Native Youth Council President, National Arts Honors Society President, National Honors Society Vice President, and Student Council Vice President. Through her work on the Native Youth Council, Marla implemented the Ojibwe  “Ojibwe word of the week” into her school’s morning announcements, and created an after-school beading club. She is an active member on her high school speech team, choosing material to bring awareness to the effects of historical & generational trauma on native youth. She was awarded the “Most Valuable Speaker” and the “Most Decorated Speaker.” Marla also runs track, and for the 2022 season was awarded “Most Valuable Girls Sprinter.”  Marla loves networking with Native youth in Indian Country. She thrives best when she is surrounded by native youth, and is actively working to advance the communities accessibility to bring awareness to numerous issues surrounding generational trauma, as well as the culture as a whole.