Chicago, IL – The Obama campaign announced today the addition of senior Native American staff hires in the battleground states of Montana, New Mexico and North Dakota. The additions include Gyasi Ross, Montana Constituency Director; Amber Carrillo, New Mexico Native American Vote Director; and Jodi Gillette, North Dakota Native American Vote Coordinator. The new hires join Chicago based Wizipan Garriott (Sicangu Lakota), First Americans Vote Director, and Nicole Willis (Cayuse/Nez Perce/Yakama/Oglala Lakota), First Americans Vote Deputy Director.
Wizipan Garriott, Obama campaign First Americans Vote Director said, “Each one of these members of our team brings a great set of skills and expertise to the campaign. Senator Obama has the most progressive and detailed American Indian platform in recent history, and he is committed to bringing real change to Indian country. As a community organizer, Senator Obama brought people together and empowered them to strengthen their communities, and he brings that philosophy to his plan for our tribal communities across the country. The addition of these staffers in battleground states underscores Senator Obama’s commitment to working hard for every vote, bringing everyone into our movement for change and working for each and every member of the Native American community.”
Gyasi Ross will serve as the Montana Constituency Director. He is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe and grew up on both the Blackfeet and Suquamish reservations. Gyasi joined the Obama campaign because he believes that this particular campaign “I am joining this campaign because of the unique opportunity it represents” said Ross. “This campaign represents the ignored masses, including Natives, who have been left out of the political process for far too long. This process as a culmination of many of our ancestors’ sacrifices—a strong and unified Native voice for all of those before us that did not have the opportunity.”
Amber Carrillo will serve as the New Mexico Native American Vote Director. Amber has been a community organizer for over a decade. She believes that participation in the electoral process by Native Americans is a means to build power and advance social and economic justice issues that are in the best interests of Native communities. Carrillo, a Graduate of University of New Mexico, is from the Pueblo of Laguna and lives and works in Albuquerque with her two daughters, Chloe and Cosetta.
Jodi Gillette will serve as the North Dakota Native American Vote Coordinator. Jodi is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, is taking a leave absence as the Director of the Native American Training Institute, a tribally operated non-profit. She is committed to her Tribe and people, especially maintaining and healing through the cultural life ways and beliefs of her ancestors. She is married to Rusty Gillette and has three children, Vance, Coral and George.
See more about Obama’s Tribal Communities plan here.
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