In Tribal Nations across the United States, economic development is a vehicle for sovereignty, self-reliance, and future prosperity. However, when business operations become entangled with political dynamics, what begins as a strategy for growth can quickly...
We’re proud to announce that Blue Stone Strategy Partners will be attending the 2025 NNAHRA Annual Conference, the leading forum for Tribal Human Resources professionals committed to building stronger, more resilient Tribal Nations. Across Indian Country, many Tribes...
"Uncertainty creates uneasiness. Employees don’t know what’s going to happen, families don’t know their financial security. We need to ensure we are prepared and exercising sovereignty in a way that makes us independent of federal uncertainty." - Susan Masten For...
In Native cultures across North America, the canoe has long symbolized more than transportation. It represents journey, unity, and collective purpose. Today, as economic tides shift unpredictably in 2025, Tribal Nations are once again paddling together, uniting...
A Law That Changed Everything Fifty years ago, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) marked a monumental turning point in federal Indian policy. Prior to its passage in 1975, U.S. policy was dominated by assimilation, relocation, and...
As concerns continue to rise about the future of rural America—its economy, healthcare access, housing availability, and job opportunities, a critical truth remains too often overlooked: Native American communities are not just a part of rural America. In many places,...
From the Desk of Dustin Haverkamp: In an increasingly competitive and complex labor market, Tribal governments and enterprises must ensure their compensation practices are fair, competitive, and aligned with long-term strategic goals. However, determining where your...
For decades, Tribal Nations have climbed the summit of economic sovereignty, trailblazing through challenges with resilience and vision. One of the greatest peaks conquered was the rise of Tribal Gaming. With the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in...
Across Indian Country, economic development has long been a pillar of Tribal sovereignty and prosperity. From gaming operations to renewable energy ventures, Tribal Nations have harnessed new enterprises not simply as revenue generators but as catalysts for stronger,...
“The federal-dependency model is terminally ill, and no amount of political optimism willresurrect it. Tribes can either design their economic future or have it designed for them.”— Joe Nayquonabe, Chief Strategy Officer, Blue Stone Strategy Partners Carpe Diem “Seize...
Securing Our Future: A Call for Exercising Tribal Sovereignty By Chief Melanie Benjamin, Chief Executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (2000 - 2024) For over two decades, I had the honor of serving as the Chief Executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (2000 -...
Indian Country Priorities in the changing Federal landscape: Economic Development as a Path to Self-Sufficiency
By Joe Nayquonabe