Shirley Sneve
Indian Country Today
Judi gaiashkibos is the first Native American to receive the Nebraskan of the Year award. She has been the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs since 1995.
She was honored at a lunch on April 19 by Lincoln’s Rotary 14 Club that has been honoring Nebraskans for 33 years. During her tenure, she has served as a highly effective cultural mediator and bridge builder between government and the private sector.
She chairs the Nebraska Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. gaiashkibos is an enrolled citizen of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and has been integral in advancing knowledge of the history of Native peoples in the state.
Nebraska state Sen. Tom Brewer worked alongside gaiashkibos to pass many bills to advance Native people.
“Judi gaiashkibos has dedicated her life to improving the quality of life for all Nebraska Native Americans. Her leadership in every area from legislation to youth leadership programs have truly made a difference,” Brewer said.
Legislation includes an in-depth study of missing and murdered Native women and children, and changing Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. This fall, LB 848 authorized the permanent installation of flags from Nebraska’s found headquartered tribes in the state capitol building.
What may be most visible in raising awareness of Nebraska Native Americans is the commissioning of two sculptures of the Ponca leader Standing Bear and the first Native American medical doctor Susan La Flesche Picotte.
La Flesche Picotte, of the Omaha Tribe, opened a hospital in Walthill, Nebraska, in 1912. Its unique design promotes spiritual, physical and mental health. gaiashkibos helped launch a restoration effort for the hospital in 2017.
During her tenure, she has created many scholarships and learning opportunities for youth.
She co-chairs the Genoa Indian Boarding School Digitizing Project and, in serving, honors her mother who was sent to the federal institution which aimed to “kill the Indian, save the human.”
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