SPEAKER/pRESENTER

Take a fascinating walk through 500 years of Federal-state-Indian history and learn the “why” behind tribal sovereignty, treaty rights today, and the complex jurisdictional framework of local, tribal, state and federal government responsibilities and rights. Or hear the true story of Indian gaming, including a first-hand account of a former U.S. President and casino-owner’s efforts to stop the tribes from competing with him. Learn about the impact of racism and modern-day efforts by anti-tribal interests to do away with tribal homelands and reservations, or the first-hand story of how one medical examiner’s ignorance of Native culture and religion impacted religious freedom for all Minnesotans. A sampling of keynote and presentation topics that Tadd can deliver follow. or contact us to request a specific topic:

A  Sovereign Journey: Navigating the Twists and Turns of Federal-State-Indian Policy and What All Leaders Today Need to Know

Warrior Spirit: The Story of a Native American Grandmother’s Defeat of an NFL Football Coach’s Battle Against Treaty Rights

Legacy of Hope: The Unyielding Spirit of Native Nations’ Efforts to Shape a Brighter Tomorrow for Our Children and Why We Have Never Given Up

Sacred Rights and Unlikely Allies: A First-Hand Story of How Native Nations led an Interfaith Coalition in a Race to the Finish Line to Pass a New Autopsy Law in Minnesota

The Deep North: Unravelling a County’s Fixation with Battling the Existence of an Indian Reservation in Minnesota Today

The Big Land Grab Law That Financed 35 U.S. Universities From Lands Taken From Indian Tribes in Minnesota: Higher Education’s Responsiblity to Rexamine its Legacy

Modern-Day Warriors: The First-Hand Story of American Indian Tribes' Victory Over a Former President/Casino-Owner’s Assault on Tribal Gaming

When Native Nations do Better, Everyone Does Better: The Ripple Effect of Tribal Economic Prosperity

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HOST/EMCEE

Creator and co-host of PBS’s Native Report for 10 seasons, a news magazine show that covers current events Indian country and celebrates Native history and culture, Tadd is a veteran in front of and behind the camera and has hosted and emceed many public events. Check out his favorite Native Report episodes and other interviews in our Video section. Native Report is carried via satellite to PBS stations nationwide.

Successful partnerships require mutual understanding and respect, but it’s a 2-way street. Ignorance is the enemy. Tribal leaders and Native people already know all about non-Native culture and systems of government, because that’s a big part of how we have survived 500 years, but most Americans were short-changed by our public education system about undersatnding tribal governments and our shared history. Whether discussing the impact of American Indian boarding schools (such as the school his grandparents attended in the photo above) or teaching about the importance of the Indian Child Welfare Act, Tadd’s mission as a professor has been to get decision-makers and others the information they need in order to create the conditions required to build thriving, respectful partnerships with tribes that benefit all citizens. Along with his colleagues and Minnesota’s elected tribal leaders, Professor Johnson has twice trained the Minnesota State Legislature. The Tribal State Relations Training Program (TRST) is a partnership between the University of Minnesota’s Tribal Sovereignty Institute (which Tadd started as a professora at UMD), the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC) and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Through his role with TRST, Tadd has trained over 6000 employees of the State of Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz and his Cabinet, the Minnesota Counties Association. Tadd has also trained scores of other organizations and businesses. Book a workshop to learn more about the foundation of working respectfully with tribal govenrments, or a more intensive professional development traning that focuses on understanding the history of tribal sovereignty and how historical events have impacted tribal communities and the way our governments operate.