Indigenous Leader Peggy Flanagan Poised to Make History
If Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are elected this fall, not only will a woman of color lead the country for the first time, but an Indigenous woman will rule a state for the first time in American history.
Advocacy for Native Americans
Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor and a citizen of the White Ojibwe Nation, is poised to serve as the state’s next governor after Walz steps down and accepts the role of vice president of the United States. Her rise to power has been closely watched by Native Americans in Minnesota and across the country, who view her as an advocate for policies that positively impact Native Americans.
In recent years, Minnesota has integrated tribal consultation into many aspects of state government, established one of the country’s first state offices for missing and murdered Native relatives, and strengthened laws protecting Native children in the adoption system. Many Native leaders point to Flanagan as a driving force behind the changes and a significant increase in respect for tribal sovereignty and autonomy over national policies.
Empowering Indigenous Voices
Since being elected lieutenant governor in 2018, Flanagan has been the highest-ranking Native American statewide official in the country. Identity governs. Their administration has strengthened government-to-government relations with Minnesota’s tribal nations, and many Native Americans view Flanagan as a key figure in a new political era in which Native women are at the forefront.
A record 36 Native American state women were elected across the United States in 2023, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. When Flanagan was first elected to the state assembly in 2015, there were far fewer Indigenous women in power. She has worked tirelessly to ensure representation matters and that underrepresented populations have a seat at the table.
Legacy of Advocacy and Leadership
Flanagan’s father, the late White Earth activist Marvin Mannypenny, spent years fighting for Aboriginal land rights and self-government. He instilled in Flanagan the importance of telling the truth, even if it makes people uncomfortable. Her dedication to advocating for Indigenous rights and strong leadership has paved the way for a new generation of Indigenous leaders in government.
Flanagan’s work on tribal consultation within state departments, alongside Governor Walz, underscores her political clout and tenacity. Through her efforts, First Nations visibility and respect for tribal sovereignty have increased, setting a precedent for Indigenous leadership in the political landscape.
As Peggy Flanagan continues to make history and empower Indigenous voices, her legacy as a trailblazer and advocate for Native American communities will leave a lasting impact on Minnesota and the nation as a whole.
