Scoring has been hard to come by for the (2-5) Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks. Their average offensive output of 29 points per game can largely be explained by lack of chemistry due to multiple games of missing starters. It’s difficult to build a solid foundation of team cohesion when impact players aren’t getting the reps in games, let alone practices, that most any coaching staff could expect.
In addition, any hoop head of worth would also say low point totals are a direct symptom of cold hard bricks, or missed shots for the uninformed. Missed layups and missed free throws, in specific, can result in any team – high school, college, or professional – to suffer some offensive woes that can carry over from game to game.
On January 6, when the Lady Hawks travelled south to play Providence Classical Christian, they were at full strength and looking to make a statement in the new year. That’s not how things went, at least to begin with.
The 1st quarter was a brick fest by both teams. Seriously, the score was 0-0 five minutes in. After eight minutes of play, the Tulalip girls trailed 0-4 when finally, Raylee secured a well-positioned offense rebound and immediately shot and scored to give her team its first bucket. The quarter ended with a score of 2-4.
In the 2nd quarter, the Lady Hawks found their scoring ways, anchored by shooting guard Audrielle Mclean’s unconscious ability to shoot deep 3-pointers. She connected on three long range jumpers in the quarter to spark her team’s offensive fire power. After hitting nothing by nylon on her third made 3-pointer, Audrielle gave Tulalip their first and only lead of the game, 14-12.
At halftime, Lady Hawks assistant coach Tim Greene reflected on the first half. “We’ve missed a lot of layups and a lot of free throws (the girls missed 7 of their 8 free throw attempts). That part of the game is more mental than anything else. On the defensive side, I’ve liked the hustle they’ve shown. We need more of that energy across the board if we’re going to have a chance at winning. That and making our free throws.”
Skipping ahead to the middle of the 4th quarter, when Tulalip trailed 18-32 with only five minutes remaining, the Lady Hawks went full fight or flight mode…they chose fight. Getting into the bonus early meant they had to keep attacking to get easy scoring opportunities at the free throw line. The ball was hopping and the girls were rotating beautifully. Led by the always energetic and vocal Raylee, who was continuing to dive for every loose ball and battle for every rebound, she rallied her squad.
Point after point and bucket after bucket, the Lady Hawks slowly chipped away at their double-digit deficit until they got within just 5 points, 27-32, with two-and-a-half minutes remaining. Chants of “Defense!” even rang out from the Tulalips in the crowd. But like its been all season, defense wasn’t the issue, offense was. The girls just couldn’t buy the buckets necessary to complete the comeback. They ultimately took a 29-38 L.
After the spirited contest, Tulalip forward Raylee Lewis, the Lady Hawks leading scorer in the game and unofficial Miss Hustle award winner, shared, “We were all really frustrated with our play in that first half and in that 3rd quarter, but going into the 4th quarter our coaches told us we needed to shift our mindset. I think most of us heard that message loud and clear and did what we could make that shift. We upped our communication and our energy and you could see how much we feed off that kind of positivity. Even though we lost, there are things we can take away from this game, like continuing to play for one another and remaining positive.”
The (8-0) Heritage Hawks ventured into the realm of Providence Classical Christian on January 6 and came away with yet another resounding W. It’s been a remarkable start to the season for the Tulalip boys who made it their goal from the get go to reach the State tournament.
After reeling off eight straight wins, they hope to build off their early season success and keep the momentum going through the end of the regular season and well beyond.
Prior to tip, head coach Shawn Sanchey said, “Our main focus right now is to stay playing at our level at all times. Regardless if we’re home or away, or what the score is, we want to be playing Tulalip basketball. We know what are goals and dreams are as a team and in order to reach them we can’t let anything keep us from playing at our own pace and intensity level.”
The high-powered Hawks also added another scorer to their arsenal. After getting his transfer approved in mid-December, Davien Parks has been ballin’ out in a Hawks jersey. Coach Shawn also said, “He’s brought so many things to our team. Great leadership, more speed, more shooting, and just an all-around versatile skillset that elevates our style of play.”
Davien showed his scoring prowess in the opening quarter vs Providence when he singlehandedly outscored the opposition by himself. He scored 13 points in the 1st quarter to pace his Hawks to a 18-11 lead after ten minutes of play.
The Hawks lead continued to soar when Tokala Black Tomahawk got aggressive and had no difficulty scoring over Providence defenders in the 2nd quarter. Sophomore guard J.J. Gray got into the ledger in the 3rd quarter with a series of athletic moves and contested jumpers that found nothing buy nylon.
Entering the 4th quarter, Tulalip led 57-26 and showed no signs of slowing down. Over those last ten minutes of play, five Hawks contributed buckets to seal the 76-43 trouncing. Davien led all scorers with 31 points, J.J. scored 15 points, and Tokala added 14 points.
In attendance for this matchup was President of the Northwest 1B League, Lindsey Elliot. She shared her excitement pregame for being able to witness the talent of Tulalip’s basketball team she’s heard so much about.
Following the victory, Lindsey said, “It’s phenomenal watching the 1B programs who have developed such talented athletes now be receiving the adulation that they deserve. As fans are learning this year with the meteoric rise of tribal teams like Tulalip and Lummi, the overall skill and style of play of the 1B game has been elevated to a new level.
“Seeing the Providence gym be filled with home fans, away fans, and just fans of the sport who wanted to watch a fun basketball game is so huge. Because the student-athletes and the coaches who are working with them are putting in so many hours behind the scenes that don’t get recognized enough,” she continued. “So when the community comes out, fills the stands, and cheers on our wonderful athletes, it’s honoring the work the kids and coaches are putting in. There are so many dedicated to the growth of our league and I, for one, think this is only the beginning of many exciting years to come.”
By Kalvin Valdillez; photos courtesy of Ilivia Hatch
“Amazing asf.” “Sooo good!” “Fire fr.” “Definitely a must!” “Bussin’” “100/10.” “Girl Ur chamoy SMACC!” “You did your thang on these.” “Obsessed!”
Those direct quotes are just a handful of reviews that can be found in the highlight section of an Instagram page named Munchiezznsweetzz. Also here, there are dozens of live reaction videos that are wholesome and worth the watch to see everyone’s faces, from kids to elders, light up as they take their first bite into a tasty treat made by Tulalip tribal member, Ilivia Hatch.
Though her sugary concoctions have garnered her fans all throughout the region, her biggest supporters appear to be the young adults from the reservation. Which is wonderful to see. Among the glowing reviews of heart-eyes, fire flames, and 5-star emojis, one word seems to sum up Munchiezznsweetzz perfectly – bomb – which of course is one of the highest compliments among both gen z and millennials alike.
So, with that in mind, we understand if you’d like to take a moment to find her page, check out her grid, and place an order before you continue you reading. (And she created a special promo code exclusively for the readers of the SeeYahtSub and Tulalip News, just enter code: ‘Tulalip’ for an extra 10% off of your order.) Alright, now that you’re back and you checked out her snacks… IKR? Every dish looks incredible. It definitely makes you want to order one of everything on the menu.
If her food photos blew your mind, you’re in store for another big surprise. But before that’s unveiled, we invite you to take a closer look at her page. A fun logo of lollipops and candy canes serves as the profile pic for the business page. In the bio area, she has her store hours set and a link to her personal bakesy page, where you can place your order and find out any necessary details about your payment and pickup options. The last thing we’d like to point out is her interactions with her followers. Not only does she regularly hold giveaways and asks her clients for input/requests, but she often offers daily, weekly, and monthly specials as well. She also adds a personal touch to each order, including instructions on how to store the treats properly and a variety of whimsical stickers too.
In today’s society, over half the battle with creating a business is having a legit, inviting, responsive, and awesome social media team. Success often lies in online engagement, which is why many people hire marketing companies to boost their brand to help get their name out there. Looking at all the details that went into her page, from her logo to her policies, you’d think she had professional help setting it up, but Ilivia has done absolutely everything by herself. She is 100% self-made. From the ground up, she has built a great following online. Just a year and some change in the game and she has over 1,000 people checking on her page daily for the latest details and creations, which is a number she hopes to grow even more, as she has a personal goal of reaching 10,000 followers.
After taking all of that information in and considering all the work it takes to start a business, what makes this all the more impressive is the moment you find out that Ilivia is only 21 years of age. Munchiezznsweetzz is turning two this April, which means that at just 19 years young, Ilivia created a successful business model which has been thriving since that first review came in.
Take a moment to read over this short Q&A to get to know the mastermind behind Munchiezznsweetzz.
Why don’t we start out with a little bit about who you are?
I’m Ilivia Hatch. My mom is Priscilla Sconawah, she’s from Yakima tribe. My father is Ezra Hatch III from Tulalip. My grandparents are Donald J. Charles and Carmen Sohappy, and then Rosemary Alexander. Growing up, I lived with my grandparents at Tulalip my whole life.
When did you start your business?
I started my business around two years ago, in April 2023. I did move out of my grandparent’s house for a while – like three ago. I was living in an apartment when my business started, so it originated from west Everett.
How did you come up with the idea for Munchiezznsweetzz?
When I first started doing it, I never thought I would get this far. It was just me and my sisters in a room, and we would always joke about starting our own little businesses. And eventually, I came up with the idea for Munchiezznsweetzz because I used to smoke a lot, and that’s where the idea came from. I’m completely sober now, like five months sober, but that’s how it started.
How did you get into making these treats? Have you always had an interest in cooking or creating desserts?
Yeah, it really started with my mom. She used to make these special cakes and I kind of just took over for her and started baking them myself. And then I came across these viral grapes. That’s what my business is mainly about, candied grapes. They went viral on TikTok and I thought, maybe I could make these. And then I did. But at first, they were so bad, it was a rough start. It took me like a whole year to actually get my recipe down and everything looking good. I would always say that I was going to quit and give up on everything, but my mom pushed me to do better. And then in April 2023, I moved back to my grandma’s house, and I’ve been doing it here ever since. I’m very grateful they let me do it out of their home.
What are candied grapes?
Candied grapes are grapes dipped into candy. I make my own candy out of Carroll’s sugar, water, food coloring, and flavoring. It’s called tanghulu and originated from Asia. But I put my own spin on it and make it with different flavors. It’s basically a hard shell of candy, kind of like a Jolly Rancher, around the grape. And when eating it, you have a nice crunch to it and with the grapes, it’s like all the flavors come together for the perfect combination.
So, candied grapes are your staple, and you do those in different varieties?
Yeah, I do candied grapes, candied pineapples, candied strawberries. I would say the fan favorite is the crack grapes. That’s Jolly Rancher coated, or Jolly Ranchers blended up and coated over the grapes. I dip the grapes into liquid candy that’s hot and then dip it into the Jolly Rancher mix. And I call it crack grapes because it’s so addicting, to the point that everyone wants that in their orders.
You mentioned that you picked this up from your mom. How does your family feel seeing you have a successful business and find that passion in the kitchen?
My grandparents and my mother, I think, are my number one supporters. Because, like I said, there were times where I would feel like giving up, but they kept me motivated. I would get really discouraged when I had to deal with hate comments or when I would mess up. I’m so grateful for them looking back at it now. Yesterday, my mom called me and was crying because she was so excited for me and was saying that I came a long way. From how messy I was at first, and how good I’m doing now and how successful I’ve been.
My grandparents are so proud of me. They always ask me every day about the order I’m working on. They’re there to push me on those days when I don’t want to get up. They’re always like ‘just get up and do your order, you’ll feel better about yourself’.
That’s so cool. And from your end, how does it feel to get that love and support from your family?
It feels amazing, honestly, I can’t thank them enough. I know that it’s all me and I’m the one doing it, but I feel like if I didn’t have that backup motivation there, I would have given up a long time ago, because it is stressful. It’s not an easy job. Especially when I have big orders over $100, because I am doing it all by myself. But it makes it easier when I have their positive words. Or when I’m having a stressful day, they’re like, ‘just take a step out of the kitchen. Take a breath.’ I was always taught that you’re not supposed to be in the kitchen when you’re mad because it can get really bad. What I’ve learned to do is calm myself down and use their motivational words, so my work is not getting messed up. I feel like it’s always just been something that I love – to have them there on my side.
And I get a lot of support from our community. I’ve had a lot of people from Tulalip order from me. That makes me feel really happy that I can be the one to make these special and unique treats, that no one else really can make for them.
Do you have any words for those people who haven’t been fortunate enough to try your treats yet and are interested in putting an order in?
They’re always welcome to come and try something new. Feel free to check out my reviews and see if there’s something on there you want to try. All my reviews are on my highlights. I’ve always had amazing reviews, and only a couple down reviews which I worked to fix on my end. But personally, I love the watermelon crack grapes, they’re really good. And everyone loves the blue razz too!
I know people can place orders through your website, do you ever do orders for special occasions or themed birthdays?
I do take pre-orders, and I do require a 100% deposit. Just because, when I first started, I would let people place an order and I would make it for them, and sometimes they wouldn’t show up. I don’t deal with that anymore. I do have that website, it’s linked in my bio, and a lot of people place their orders through it. They can find pictures of everything I’ve already made there. And there’s a specific form for custom orders – like for custom candied grapes. But I don’t just make candied grapes, I also make cakes, cookies, Mexican treats, I make drinks as well. Another fan favorite is the dulces enchilados, it’s chamoy covered gushers with tajin. It’s one of my best sellers along with the crack grapes.
When I started out in Everett, my chamoy products were my number one. But when I came back home to Tulalip, no one knew what it was. I mean, everyone knew what chamoy was, but they weren’t familiar with it. When people try my chamoy, it’s the best, because personally, I feel like I make the best chamoy in town because I make it homemade. So when they try my chamoy, they become obsessed with it and end up ordering it a lot because of how much they enjoy it.
Can you remind our readers of your age and what it means to you to find success and your passion so early in life?
I’m 21 years old. And honestly, I wish I found my passion earlier because it is a good feeling. I’ve never had help from no one. Maybe from my mom here and there, but everything for my business came out of my own pockets. I started out so small, just seeing my business grow and grow and grow, and being able to buy trays, supplies, and all my gushers (6 boxes) all at once, it makes me feel happy. I’m at the point where I get so much income now, that I’m able to support myself and my business. It makes me feel good that I have over 100 customers who I consider as my regulars. Like, most of them come back all the time. It feels good to make those connections with my people as well. I try not to call them customers, supporters, or clients, because they’re basically like family. I call them my besties because they’ve been with me since day one, through my trial-and-error stages. It’s just so great to have loyal people and to share my success with them as well.
And there was one month where I was dedicated just to my business and was consistent, and I brought in $4,000 that month just from my business. And because I work alone, that felt like a big accomplishment for me.
Why is it important for other young tribal entrepreneurs to see your grind and the business do so well?
I feel like if another tribal member sees this, and sees someone so young doing it, they might feel inspired to start their own business. And my advice would be to start early, like right now. Because who knows what will happen. When I first started, I only had like 200 followers for a whole year, and then my business just boosted up out of nowhere. I feel it’s important to never give up on yourself and to believe in yourself over anyone. Don’t pay attention to what other people say, because at the end of the day, people will be there to support and assist you. So, I feel like if you are wanting to start a business, you should just go for it.
What’s the next step for you and Munchiezznsweetzz?
I’m really trying to reach 10,000 followers. I know that’s a lot but that’s my biggest goal. If I could reach 1,000, then I can definitely reach 10,000. I don’t feel like I need to be higher than that, but if I do get more that’s cool. That’s the biggest step for me. I don’t know if I actually want to own a store or do a truck yet. I feel like I’m getting a new house soon though and if I just work from my own house that would be better for right now. And I am looking into hiring people, not at the moment, not until I get my own things settled down first.
Munchiezznsweetzz operates between the hours of 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily. Currently, she has a Valentines Day giveaway going with the grand prizes of strawberry crunch cookies and strawberry crunch tres leches cake. Be sure to visit the Munchiezznsweetzz Instagram page to see more of her specials and to place your order.
It’s not an implausible statement to say the name Malory Simpson is synonymous with the Tulalip community. Because in more ways than one, Malory is the community. Take a moment and reflect on all the Tribal events held throughout each year and pick your favorite. Chances are high that she was behind the scenes as showrunner, whether the event was cultural, celebratory, or solemn. Actually, scratch that because if we’re being honest, she was more than likely participating during that event as well. Engaging with her community while simultaneously making sure everything went without a hitch.
There are exceptions to this, however, such as school events or gatherings organized by Tribal families. But say you chose a community-driven event like the Easter Bunny Run or the annual Trunk or Treat event, guess what? Malory did that too.
As the Tribe’s events manager for the past several years, and founder of the local non-profit organization Together We’re Better, Malory has dedicated her life to the community. And along the way, she rediscovered her love for the Tulalip culture, became a prominent voice in the community, and made invaluable connections throughout the reservation. And as if she wasn’t busy enough, she also etched out some time to earn her bachelor’s degree in Human Services from the Northwest Indian College – no biggie.
All the long hours put in, experience gained, and knowledge acquired served as preparation for Malory’s new journey, which officially began the moment she accepted the position as Director of both the Legacy of Healing and the Children’s Advocacy Center. Where of course, she will continue to make a positive impact for our community in a very meaningful way.
Just two weeks in with her title still fresh, Malory agreed to an interview with Tulalip News. In this Q&A, you will learn about who Malory Simpson is, what fuels her passion for community work, her reasons on why she accepted this new role, and her desire to help and support her fellow tribal members.
Why don’t we start with a little bit about your background?
My Indian name is γʷιψαταλ. That comes from my maternal grandpa’s side. It was my great-great-great-great grandma’s Indian name and then my mom took that name on. And when she passed away, and we had her memorial, it was placed on me. It is an ancestral name, which is really cool.
My English name is Malory Simpson. On my mother’s side of the family, I come from the Gobin, Taylor side. And on my father’s side of the family is the Jones, Simpson side. My parents are Rodney and Kimberly Simpson junior, my grandparents are Betty and George Taylor, and Dawn and Glenn Simpson.
I am a mother of four. I’ve lived on the reservation my whole life; my kids have been raised out here their whole lives. That’s been kind of fun for us, living by the bay. And being able to drive by the bay every day is just healing in itself.
Let’s speak about your new role. What is your official position?
I am the Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center and the Legacy of Healing. I’m looking forward to learning all aspects of the position. I’m very much a team player, so I would love to be cross trained in all areas so I can help where it’s needed.
What drew your interest to this position?
I noticed it had been open for a while. I thought they might be having a hard time finding somebody to fit the position. And so, I reached out and asked what the duties are and what’s the schedule look like. In my previous position, I was pulled away from my family on so many evenings and holidays, and you could tell that it was putting a strain on my kids, who were wanting their mom to be home with them.
And also, just with my personal experience with domestic violence, because I am a DV survivor. And I understand with the Children’s Advocacy side, the dynamics are different. But really it was just my own personal experience with helping people in the community, the way that I have in the past, just by sharing my story. It was a big motivator for me to do it in a more professional setting. I did go to school to get a Human Services degree, and it felt like a good opportunity to actually work in the field I went to school for.
Can we dig a little deeper into the work you’ve done in the community with Together We’re Better and as the Tribe’s Events Manager?
Prior to becoming the Events Manager, I helped to coordinate community potlucks that we would host every month. And that kind of slowed down because it got really expensive for my cousin and I, who were heading it. Especially after COVID, it really slowed to just the Easter Bunny Run and our Trunk or Treat event. Those are the two huge things we do now, but eventually I think we both want to see the potlucks come back. The purpose behind that was to get our community members together. To bring all the cousins together, who didn’t really know they’re related, and provide a space for them to connect, was really neat to see.
And then I become the Events Manager. After hosting Together We’re Better events, I was able to do something similar for a profession – put on events by the Tribe that also brought our community together and provided a safe place. And in my eyes, that’s a form of prevention and healing, because some people might be struggling. By providing a meal and planning activities, people can start building relationships in the community.
As the Events Manager, you had a big hand in the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month Coastal Jam. Can you talk about that ? And did that serve as inspiration to take on the role of director at the Legacy of Healing?
I got to be on the planning team. Being able to do the footwork in the community and having established those relationships, and the network that I built in the process of it all, I was able to provide those connections to the Legacy of Healing. As the events team, we were also able to pitch in on some budgetary needs. So, we were able to purchase the t-shirts for the event, and everybody loves to get a t-shirt.
I actually got to speak at the event that year, and sometimes it can be really hard to share your story – like how do I want to say this and stay on topic and on subject? But it really is inspiring for other people. There were people who approached me and said they never knew that about me. And my story inspired our Chairwoman to get up and speak too. I will continue to share because of the inspiration it gives other people.
You are the first Tribal member to hold this position since Jade Carela took over as the Executive Director of Family Services. Why is it important to have that Tulalip representation?
It is important for Tribal members to take on roles in leadership positions. And it means a lot to our people – to have people in positions who they know and who they can trust. I feel like when they’re more comfortable, they’re more willing to open up, and they’ll want to come forward and share.
Not only have you been active in the community with TWB and the Events department, but you also have strong cultural ties. Can you talk some more about your background and love for the culture?
I would say it was probably around the time when my mom passed away in 2013 when I became more culturally involved, because I know that’s what she wanted. And before that, we really only practiced smokehouse because my mom was a smokehouse dancer. So, I was looking for other ways to expose my kids to the culture. In 2013, we started attending culture nights. And we all just kind of grew a love for that environment, as far as singing, and my kids liked learning how to dance.
It wasn’t until 2019 that we got back into practicing our culture, when my daughter Shylah decided to go on Canoe Journey. We kind of weren’t getting along at the time, so I was like okay, well you got to figure it out. And she did. She ended up going with her friend and the friend’s sister, who I trust. And when they all went, we got to go and show our support for them.
Shortly after, I took the position as Events Manager and part of that is coordinating Salmon Ceremony practice. I got to learn all this history about the songs, why we sing those songs, the order in which we sing them, and learn all the dances as well. Through learning all those things, I grew such a strong love for the culture. I remember asking, where has this been my whole life?
I feel like our culture really centers us. Our culture will always be our home and who we are. And just this last year, I joined the smokehouse myself and have been on that journey.
We really did find a love, joy, and a connection with each other through the culture, being able to sing and dance together.
It sounds like your mom was the driving force and a big inspiration behind all the good work you’ve done for the community. Do you feel like she would be proud to see how much you’ve grown and that you’re in this position now?
I do. It’s so crazy, but I will probably always crave that. Just to hear her tell me she’s proud of me. I’m going to get emotional, but she has told me from the other side that she’s proud of me, and so I know that she is. And I know my grandparents are too. They were also a big motivator for me. There were so many things my mom wanted to do when she was here, but she didn’t have the confidence to do so. When she left, I knew I had to that for her.
A lot of the things that I do, that are community based, I do for the love of my mom. Because it was something that she was told she needed to do, but she didn’t know how to do it. That was the motivator for Together We’re Better. And she’s just a motivator for me and my kids, and I know my sisters and their kids – for all of us to continue to be good people, because she was so amazing, so loving, so open and non-judgmental. And I’m not just saying these things because she’s my mom, but because that’s totally who she was.
And she knew that you were a survivor of DV, so coming into this position, that’s a big step for you. That’s got to be something she’s happy to see.
Yes, definitely. She was also a victim of domestic violence and unfortunately it was by my dad. But they always found their way back to each other. And so, whenever I was trying to leave my relationship, she didn’t understand. But with that generation, they always tried to work it out. And I think with every generation that we have coming up after us, and all the education that is available, it changes the way we look at domestic violence and sexual assault.
Not only are we growing stronger as a people, but we are giving our children a more solid foundation so they’re even stronger than us. I always say that our kids are going to be the changemakers, and with our generation behind them, it allows them to have that voice, knowing we’ll stand by them.
Kind of like how the generation before us and the boarding school era, how scared they were to say anything and how hush hush everything had to be. It seems like with each new generation that comes, we’re going to keep getting stronger and stronger.
Now that you’re Director of the CAC and the LOH, what are you most looking forward to?
Moving forward with our team to continue to provide our community with the knowledge that they need. Also, to help maintain safety in our community by providing them with the tools through community outreach and educational outreach. One goal of mine is to bring in more culturally relevant activities and events, maybe some crafts.
And also, more education. Really getting out there and bringing that knowledge to our community. Because if you’ve been exposed to something your whole life, you don’t really know that there’s a problem. But once they get that education on it, it might raise some red flags and help open their eyes to their situation and to the realization that it may not be the healthiest relationship.
Are there any specific areas that you are particularly excited to learn more about and get into?
I’m looking forward to learning more about motivational interviewing; to learning more about all of it, especially on the advocacy side. I like to think of myself as having a strong-willed personality, so I think I’d be good at that, advocating for our clients on both sides. As a DV survivor, I understand that side. But the crimes against children, that will be tough and is new to me. So just learning skills on how to manage those situations and being there for our kids and the DV survivors.
Why is it important to have these two programs on the reservation?
Because we need programs to protect and support our kids. I feel it’s important to have a space where kids feel safe. Our advocates really take the time to walk our clients through the process and get them the services they need. And that goes for both programs. There are so many supports our Legacy of Healing provides, so many services to help DV survivors get out of those domestic violence relationships and get them on their feet after fleeing a dangerous relationship.
It can be difficult for people to come forward. Do you have any words of reassurance or advice for those individuals?
The only advice that I would say would be to really listen to that gut feeling. It’s really hard because you will have people that will ask you, why don’t you just leave? And there will come a time when you feel like that is what you need to do. Once you have that feeling, then you should act on it. And whenever you’re ready, we’re always here to help.
I think that it’s important for the community to have a strong Tribal member with auntie vibes in this position. Is that the environment you strive to create, in order for the people to feel comfortable coming to you during their hour of need?
I definitely do. In every position that I’ve held within the Tribe, I’ve tried to build and maintain relationships. My word is all I have and so if I’m telling you that I’m going to do something, I am going to follow through. Because who are we without our word? I always want people to feel comfortable talking to me about anything. I think that’s a really good quality to have.
And it’s actually funny, I just got my photo and information put up at the center this week. We had somebody here for services, and one of their little guys saw my picture and was like, ‘I think that’s my auntie’. I don’t know who he was, but I thought that was so cute. Because in my photo, I have on my beaded baseball cap and my beaded earrings, so he thought, that must be my auntie. That was so awesome.
For more information on both the Children’s Advocacy Center and the Legacy of healing, Malory submitted a short informational article in this week’s issue of the syəcəb. If you would like to get in contact with the CAC, their number is (360) 716-5437. And to reach the LOH, please contact (360) 716-4100.
————————————————
More on the CACand the LOH
Submitted by Malory Simpson
Children’s Advocacy Center
The first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) opened in Huntsville, Alabama in 1985 when a local prosecutor, Bud Cramer, decided that there had to be a better way to respond to children who had made a disclosure of sexual abuse. The system was fragmented, children and families were not receiving the support they needed, and children were potentially retraumatized by a process that was supposed to be helping them. He brought together key individuals from law enforcement, child protective services, criminal justice, medical, and mental health to develop a better approach. The CAC model uses a multidisciplinary team response, pulling the different disciplines involved with investigation, prosecution, advocacy and treatment together to provide seamless, comprehensive services to child victims. As word spread about the success of the model, the Huntsville team started training other communities and the model spread.
The Children’s Advocacy
Center provides: Mental health services, advocacy, professional forensic interviewing, multi-disciplinary team services, outreach, and education.
Why a Children’s Advocacy Center? Children are among the most vulnerable members of our community. When a child is abused, we are here to provide safety, justice, and healing.
Whom do we serve? The Tulalip Children’s Advocacy Center serves children (and their non-offending family) who are victims of, or witnesses to a crime such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, or severe neglect.
What do we do? Our goal is to streamline the investigative and prosecution process of child abuse cases in a victim-centered, trauma-informed way. We do this by collaborating with those who may be involved in the case such as policing agencies, forensic medical examiners, child welfare, and those involved in the legal system.
Legacy of Healing
The Legacy of Healing provides emotional support, advocacy, and legal assistance to adult victims and survivors of all crimes, including but not limited to:
Domestic Violence
Sexual Assault
Stalking
Trafficking
Survivors of Homicide Victims
Arson
Burglary
Hate Crimes
Identity Theft
Elder Abuse
We also help provide Emergency Financial Assistance: Emergency financial assistance is grant-dependent and may be available to clients on a case-by-case basis. All services, including financial assistance, are based on eligibility and current funding availability.
Embracing the spirit of the holiday season, Youth Services shuttled several dozen excited kids to Seattle for the unveiling of WildLanterns – a brand new experience at Woodland Park Zoo that is illuminated by large-scale animal and nature scape lanterns.
“We were particularly excited for this event because we know the holidays can be a financial strain for families, and by providing dinner, transportation, and zoo tickets we were doing what we could to create a memorable holiday experience,” explained Sarah Murphy, Youth Enrichment Manager. “In the days leading up to this trip, you could hear kids in the Youth Services building talking about it and asking their friends and cousins if they were going to go. Now that we’re here, you can definitely see the excitement on their faces. And for me, that’s the best part is witnessing their excitement and knowing they can have fun on and off the reservation.”
The youth, along with their chaperones, traversed through the zoo’s Mystical Forest where stunning creatures gleamed brightly. They then embarked on a journey through the bright Desert Highway to see desert flora and fauna. Imagination took flight in the Birds of Paradise Zone, where magnificent peacocks flaunted their flamboyant plumes and birds of a feather perched above on enchanted branches.
Izzy Wolftail enjoyed everything WildLanterns had to offer while being both an event chaperone and proud father to his children in attendance. “The kids are just loving all the lights and attractions, especially the interactive jump pads,” shared Izzy what walking along the Mystical Forest with the kids. “I have a 7 and 9-year-old here, too, and they keep saying they want to see everything, and we better not be missing any cool displays.
“As a tribal member and a father, I’m so grateful the Tribe gives my kids and, really, all our kids opportunities like this,” he continued. “Shoot, I’m enjoying being here and soaking in all the excitement, too. This experience is making good memories for my family to look back on one day.”
During Izzy’s interview, his 7-year-old daughter Marilyn gleefully exclaimed, “It’s so much fun! Have you seen the monkeys? If not, you better check them out!”
If you have yet to experience Woodland Park’s WildLanterns, there is still plenty of time. The illuminated zoo attraction is running from 4:00pm to 9:00pm now through January 19, 2025. Tickets can be purchased online at www.zoo.org/wildlanterns
At the behest of young Marilyn Wolftail, be sure to check out them monkeys.
Dr. Wiremu Doherty, Tulalip Tribal Chairwoman Teri Gobin and Tania Doherty.
Submitted by Dr. Stephanie A Fryberg
You may have seen a couple of resolutions about the Tulalip Academy of Excellence in the last board meeting. First, we’re excited to announce that we hired a consultant who specializes in fundraising. Building and operating a school is expensive. Our consultant has experience fundraising for both big building projects and for the ongoing operations of our schools. She will also help us set up a data tracking and grant management system to ensure we can continue to bring in funding in the future.
There was also an update to the Higher Education Policy adding the University of Te Whare Ranga Wananga o Awanularangi for a bachelor’s degree and teaching certification in education. If we strive for a school that amplifies student success and enhances child wellbeing, we have to completely re-write the playbook for education and that’s why we’re partnering with an internationally certified Māori Indigenous teacher certification program.
Western Education has not served our people (or any other group of people) well and revising the existing system has not worked. We need our teachers to be innovative and to have teaching and behavior management strategies that work for our children; we need to do things completely different.
Tulalip has partnered with a renowned Indigenous teacher training program in New Zealand to grow our own teachers. The program provides extensive knowledge about how children learn, what aspects make a great teacher, child developmental stages, planning, assessing and preparing for fun, engaging and challenging lessons. Future teachers are also steeped in knowledge about styles of learning and how being culturally responsive helps to enhance student engagement.
Kamiakin Craig one of the program’s first students said, “This program means that I can further provide more in my current job position and I can also serve my community in a broader way. Auntie Linda’s (Dr. Linda Tuhiwai Smith, distinguished professor at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi) teachings stick with me in my day-to-day job and I recognize things that need to change for our people. This class has changed the way I interact with adults and children at school, I am forever changed as I am aware of not perpetuating colonial structures. Through this class I have been encouraged to continue to be who I am outside of school, to be a good relative to my students.”
By the end of the program, our tribal members will understand the art and science of teaching. This holistic—traditional learning approach to teaching—will help us be successful in the future and will ensure that our children have every educational opportunity available to them in the future.
Dr. Vaughan Bidois, Instructor, Tony Hatch and Dr. Wiremu Doherty, University President
Tribal member, Julliana Jones, another one of our students, said, “I have learned more from this short time in class than I have in my entire educational experience. We’ve learned so many things in this class that I would never have learned going to any other school. One of the things I’ve learned that has shifted my thinking while taking this class has been simply the ways we can work on decolonizing our minds and communities. I see this class as more of a movement or step in the right direction for Tulalip to regain our language and ways of life starting with the younger generations and working our way up.”
In the end, we want teachers who bring out the best in our children because they’ve connected with our children’s hearts and minds. Our teachers will be ready to teach in a way that engages students and uses indigenous-centered ways of being; teaching through the lens of our culture and identity. Our Tulalip Tribal member, Dr. Chelsea Craig, has shown tremendous leadership in championing this program. She has recruited a full cohort of teachers in training and, thanks to the efforts of our program recruiter and mentor, Tina Brown, we have seven tribal members on our wait list to start the next round. Our teachers-in-training are from Tulalip, Yakama, Makah, Alaska Native, and one is from South America.
“This program will change the way our students learn in a better way,” explained another Tulalip student Neah Napeahi. “One thing I like about the program is that I am learning more about different teaching methods that directly combat colonization. We are learning lots of important tools that will help us shift the narrative for our people. We are used of seeing one way of schooling and our kids are going to have different experiences in schools than we did, they will have a space where they fully belong and where they can be their whole self.”
We are recruiting teachers and sending them to learn together in cohorts because we want our teachers to be able to support each other and reinforce these ways of teaching. Once a year, the cohorts will travel to New Zealand for supervision and a cultural institute. Our teachers will have the tools to teach our children reading, writing, and math using traditional knowledge as their foundation.
For Tribal student Shelbi Hatch, this is a stepping stone towards more than just a livelihood, it’s her calling. “To me this program is one of the final steps. I have realized this is a career I am passionate about. I find joy in what I am learning about, and I find my mindset being shifted which is something I have never experienced in college. One thing I have learned that has shifted how I think about being a teacher is understanding thoroughly the tactics colonialism and Imperialism has had in education at a detriment of our people.”
Taking back how we raise and teach our children is sovereignty in action. If you are interested in learning more you can reach out to Chelsea Cheslea_Craig@msvl.k12.wa.us, or Justina “Tina” Brown at Jubrown@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov. Tina’s role is to support our tribal members going through the teacher certification program. She can walk you through financial aid, how to navigate the system, and where to get materials. No matter where you are in your own education and life journey, you can have a place in our school. Please reach out to learn more.
This year, Santa Claus swapped his sleigh for a firetruck, dashing through the streets of Tulalip as part of the Tulalip Bay Fire Department’s annual Santa Run.
Held December 13-15, the festive event brought joy to children across the Rez while collecting nonperishable food and monetary donations for the Tulalip Church of God Food Bank.
Children beamed as they greeted ole Saint Nicholas himself, receiving candy canes and taking photos to capture the holiday magic. The event proved to be a success, raising over $1,600 in donations and filling a full van with food contributions for families in need.
This timely tradition brings the community together to help those who need extra assistance this time of year. The Tulalip Bay Fire Department shared on its Facebook page, “Our community came through in a big way.”
The Santa Run has become a cherished highlight for the community. Smiling children, the sight of Santa a brightly lit firetruck, and the spirit of giving brought excitement to the holiday season. At its heart, the event is about more than festive fun; it’s about supporting neighbors and ensuring that no one goes without during a time meant for warmth and generosity.
If you’d like to contribute or need assistance, the Tulalip Church of God Food Bank is open on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It’s located at 1330 Marine Drive NE, Tulalip, WA, and can be reached at 360-653-7876.
