Category: News

Tribal members hard at work remodeling the TRC Conference Center

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News 

Early last year, the Tulalip Resort Casino (TRC) underwent an extensive renovation to its hotel tower, guest rooms and suites. Keeping in line with its AAA Four Diamond status means staying ahead of the curve and constantly looking for new ways to keep guests coming back. Currently, that same attention to detail and refreshing look that went into the hotel renovation is being given to the TRC’s Conference Center, which is the southern part of the property where the Orca Ballroom and Chinook rooms are located.

“With almost ten years of extremely high utilization the Conference Center space needed a refresh. Everything from technology to tile were starting to show their age, and as well maintained as they were, there is only so much life you can get of a facility before it needs to be updated,” explained TRC General Manager, Sam Askew. “The need gave us the opportunity to really make the space much more representative of the Tulalip Tribes in look and feel, while also addressing the needs of the guest. When completed next month, guests will have the same type of Tulalip experience both in rooms and in the Conference Center.”

Rising Sun Development, a general construction business owned by tribal member Harold Joseph III, was awarded the remodel contract. Harold takes great pride in hiring his fellow tribal members, especially recent high school graduates who are looking for career pathways. On this specific job there are plenty of familiar faces who have only called Tulalip Reservation home.

“I started my company so we could start hiring tribal members and give the younger generation an opportunity to work alongside professional tradesmen and to learn those on-the-job construction skills,” said Harold. “We’ve had about twelve to fifteen younger tribal members on the last couple jobs, seven of them are recent high school graduates. They are learning and doing drywall, tile and carpet installation, and steel-stud framing. They are coming to work every day putting in eight to ten hours, learning from guys who have made a successful career out of construction.”

Learning the importance of an honest day’s work is huge for any young person transitioning into adulthood. Especially so for the millennial generation who are most often associated with the term ‘entitlement’. But for these tribal members, recently minted as grownups, the opportunity given by Rising Sun Development and TRC Conference Center remodel allows them to fully comprehend what it means to get dirty, work hard, and earn their keep.

“Working for a tribal contractor, I feel we are offered more to learn and there are less barriers preventing us from succeeding,” added 19-year-old tribal member, Darion Joseph. “There’s a sense of pride, too, in knowing we are building something and leaving our mark on a business that means a lot to our people.”

Artist renderings of the rennovated Conference Center.

Once the remodel is completed, the Conference Center will have a stronger influence of Tulalip culture than the previous design. It seems only fitting that Tulalip tribal members (as contractors and their hard at work employees) are those doing leaving their mark behind the scenes while completing the Conference Center’s transformation.

“Sharing the culture of the Tulalip Tribes has always been an important part of the resort experience since its opening,” continued TRC General Manager, Sam Askew. “Door handles go from being a plain stainless steel bar to being a bronzed paddle. Now when I open the door to a Chinook Meeting room, I’m literally touching the culture. The flooring is likely to be most striking to visitors as we wanted to tell the story of life on, and within the waters of Tulalip Bay and The Salish Sea.

“Ultimately, having tribal members performing the work being done to bring about this great transformation only adds to the value of a design we created to best represent the Tulalip Tribes. Seeing young tribal members not only working but learning new skills and trades as well means that there is a bright future for Tulalip. In 7 or 8 years, when they walk through the TRC with their own families, they’ll be able to share not only what the elements of the spaces mean with their children, but that they are tied to it in very profound way because they helped make it a reality.”

31st Ave Campus now home to Justice Department, Police, TGO Hiring and Training Resource Center

Tulalip Police Department.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

The Tulalip Justice Department is getting settled in and acquainted to their new home at the 31st Ave campus, located almost directly across the street from their previous location. Back in November, the Justice crew got a head start to the holiday craziness by doing what many people often dread, moving. And although many Justice employees were exhausted from having to go from packing, moving and unpacking to shopping, wrapping and unwrapping, the team is now refreshed in a new building at the start of the new year and excited to utilize all of the space the 31st Ave building has to offer.

“The impetus for the move was that the old courthouse had been at its prior location for over fifteen years and had a lot of wear and tear,” explains Tulalip Tribal Court Director, Wendy Church. “The other reason is that the Tribes will be building the new [Quil Ceda Creek Casino Hotel] at the previous courthouse site.”

Tulalip Justice Department.

Located at the south end of the 31st Ave building, the Justice Department consists of many divisions including Tribal Court, Prosecutor’s Office, Probation Office, Public Defender’s Office, Tulalip Office of Civil Legal Aid, Wellness Court and the Tulalip Police Department. The building features two courtrooms and individual offices, which allow more privacy for the tribal justice clients. The recently re-located Police Department is in a separate corridor of the building.

“The space is a lot more than we previously had, which provides us room for additional growth,” states Tulalip Police Commander, Kenn Johnson. “We’ve received a lot of compliments from visitors about how much nicer it is, but we’re still adjusting to the space. Having a conference room and training room in our own facility is really nice because we didn’t have that in our old building. Overall the staff likes it. The patrol officers like the new patrol room, which has four separate workspaces, where they can take care of their stuff instead of fighting over the one space that we had before. And they’re really happy about the kitchenette, as long as they make sure to keep it cleaned up.”

As many divisions that create the Justice team, the department still isn’t large enough to fill the 70,602 square foot building. The Justice Department, in fact, shares the spacious campus with the Tulalip Gaming Organization (TGO) Hiring and Training Resource Center, which is located at the north end of the building. The Resource Center moved to the campus in August of 2017 and is furnished with furniture and carpeting previously featured at the Tulalip Resort Casino and Quil Ceda Creek Casino, giving the Center a luxurious vibe. The Resource Center hosts trainings for the entire TGO team and, as of recently, for Quil Ceda Village as well. The TGO hiring team is located at the Center to conduct interviews and tests for positions at the Tulalip Resort Casino, Tulalip Bingo and Quil Ceda Creek Casino.

Tulalip Gaming Organization Hiring and Training Resource Center.

“This location benefits both the community and employees,” states Lisa Olver, Training Manager for the Tulalip Resort Casino. “It created a one-stop shop for the employees and new hires, so when they come in they have the ability to get hired, trained and licensed through [the Tribal Gaming Agency].”

Non-gaming Tulalip employees and Tulalip tribal members should note that both the Central Drug and Alcohol Compliance Department as well as Central Benefits are now located at the TGO Hiring and Training Resource Center. The Resource Center also hosts a week-long training, on a monthly basis, for tribal members called the Job Ready Program. The training teaches guest service and cash handling skills that, upon successful completion, would count as experience for tribal members trying to obtain a TGO position with those minimum requirements.

As the Tulalip Tribes continues to expand, the Justice Department and TGO Hiring and Training departments find themselves in a new location with a fresh perspective and a readiness to continue offering their services to the Tulalip community.

“Our new building is much more dignified and has much more space,” says Wendy. “We appreciate the Tribes relocating us to the new courthouse. The move itself was not without some hiccups, but we transitioned nicely into the new building with little interruption to the community. Overall we are pleased to be at the new building. Quil Ceda Village, the Tribes, the Tulalip Resort Casino and TDS were all instrumental in assisting us with the many details of such a large relocation.”

For additional information about the Justice Department please contact (360) 716-4773. And to find out more about the TGO Hiring and Training Resource Center please call (360) 716-1562.

Tulalip Boys and Girls Club teaches life fundamentals through basketball

By Kalvin Valdillez. Tulalip News 

“I always tell the kids, the number one thing you should do while you’re on the court is have fun,” expresses Tulalip Boys and Girls Club Athletic Director, JP Miranda. Currently in mid-season, the Boys and Girls Club athletic program is teaching the Tulalip youth the fundamentals of basketball. The Tulalip club participates in an eight-week long basketball season in which they compete in weekly games against nearby Boys and Girls Clubs such as Arlington, Granite Falls, Everett and Mukilteo.

The Tulalip league consists of eleven teams starting with a co-ed kindergarten team. With the exception of the kindergarten squad, every team is based on which grade the child is in. The teams begin with students who are in the first and second grade, a boys’ team and a girls’ team respectfully, and range all the way up to seventh and eighth grade teams. Due to popularity, there were enough participants this year for an additional team of boys first and second grade students as well as boys third and fourth graders.

“Kids are going through a lot, not just home and family, but at school. Bullying is a big issue right now,” says JP. “All children crave the most is support from their parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Right now there is a decline in sports for boys and girls, that cut off in participation is around fourth and sixth grade due to either a poor coaching experience or lack of support. But on the other side of that, some kids who play select sports are getting burned out and stop participating because they feel they didn’t have the time to just be kids. Also technology, phones, laptops, game consoles are really taking a lot away from their participation. When kids come into the gym and are looking at their phones I tell them to grab a basketball and start dribbling.”

Throughout the season the little ballers learn the basics of basketball. While the younger kids learn essential knowledge and skills such as shooting, passing, dribbling and rebounding, the older kids work on plays, footwork, screens and cuts. All the kids however, learn the importance of defense, communication and accountability by learning how to play as a team.

“It’s the fundamentals they have to know, even in the NBA they still practice the fundamentals,” states JP. “The biggest fundamental I stress is dribbling. If you’re not able to dribble, you’re not able to get the ball down the court the right way; you’re not going to be able to get set up, pass or shoot.

“The more you practice, the better you get,” he continues. “I like watching them grow and watching them excel on a team and realizing that being part of a team is fun. You have to be able to work as a team to get anywhere.

JP states that although attendance during home games is great, the kids would greatly appreciate more support at away games.

“Any volunteers are always helpful,” he expresses. “It’s amazing to see a child when one of their relatives comes in to volunteer. You hear the excitement when they introduce them, it seriously brightens up that child’s day. And it’s amazing to see a kid who’s out on the court and sees their aunt or uncle on the sideline, they start to play harder cause they know they’re there to watch them. I tell them all the time, when you’re out there on the court remember who you are, where you come from and what your family name means to you because that’s who you represent. You represent yourself, your culture, your tribe, your Native American background and you represent your family. Be proud of who you are and don’t act a fool on the court.”

For more information and to find out how to become a volunteer, please contact the Tulalip Boys and Girls Club at (360) 651-3400.

Women’s March 2018

Deborah Parker, Tulalip tribal member and committed cultural advocate, gives an opening speech at the Women’s March in Olympia.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News; photos courtesy Theresa Sheldon and Matt Remle

On January 21, 2018, tens of thousands filled the streets of Seattle and Olympia to participate in the Women’s March. Many heard a rallying cry to action that Saturday morning, which coincided with the first anniversary of Donald Trump’s presidency.

The Women’s March is a women-led movement bringing together people of all genders, races, cultures, political affiliations, and backgrounds to affirm our shared humanity and pronounce a bold message of resistance and self-determination. Occurring in its second consecutive year, the highly anticipated Women’s March 2.0 created a powerful campaign to ignite thousands of activists and new leaders.

Theresa Sheldon, Tulalip Tribes Board of Director, (second from left) at the Women’s March.

Indigenous women led the marches in Seattle and Olympia, highlighting the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW). The Indigenous presence, featuring hundreds of proud Natives wearing their traditional tribal regalia supporting families of MMIW victims in attendance, sought to bring awareness to the widespread cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and colonial gender-based violence in the United States and Canada.

“To my dear relatives, welcome to the Coash Salish territory. Thank you all for being here,” stated Deborah Parker, Tulalip tribal member and committed cultural advocate, in her opening speech. “We stand together united. We stand together with one heart, one mind. We will be singing the Women’s Warrior Song that comes from our First Nations sister’s in British Columbia. During the last verse we raise our fist in solidarity. We raise our fist and we honor the missing and murdered indigenous women from all over these lands. We remember our lost sisters, daughters, aunties, mothers, grandmothers and cousins.”

Indigenous women leading the march in Seattle.

Women’s March 2.0 marked one full year of the U.S. under Trump’s administration, which coincidentally was also the day the federal government shut down because of a budget impasse. The last 365-days has been a year filled with battles over women’s rights, immigration, and health care issues, but also gave rise to the #MeToo social media movement that aimed to demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment.

“Absolutely amazing organizing Native women did across Turtle Island in bringing forth the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and bringing forward the families and loved ones of MMIW for support, healing, encouragement,” described Lakota tribal member and local Native American activist, Matt Remle. “I personally witnessed many tears shed, hugs shared, songs of encouragement sung and good medicine put forward. It was pretty emotional when the families who have had loved ones murdered or go missing were brought on stage to be acknowledged and lifted up. That’s how it should be, supporting, uplifting, encouraging and helping however best one can. That’s powerful and I have absolute love for our [women] across Turtle Island for doing this.”

Across the nation, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in city streets to peacefully demonstrate the power of women and showcase a desire for change. The issues, from reproductive rights to better representation of women of color to awareness for missing and murdered Indegeous women, were as varied as the sign-waving, pink-hat-wearing attendees. However, the​ ​implication was clear: women are poised to take power and they intend to.

Klayton Sheldon urged his mother, Theresa, to join the march.

“Tulalip Tribes was well represented in today’s Women’s March that was dedicated to our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Thankful to see leadership so active,” said Theresa Sheldon, Tulalip Tribes Board of Director, who was urged by her young son, Klayton, to attend the march. “This is the weekend we are remembering and commemorating our 1855 Point Elliott Treaty which was signed on January 22. It’s only appropriate that we take the time to acknowledge our ancestors and those who are still negatively impacted by all the forced federal policies that did not work, but caused great harm. We are resilient and we are healing and growing!”

Marysville School District February Levies

Tom Albright, President, Marysville School District Board of Directors

By Tom Albright, President, Marysville School District Board of Directors

On Feb. 13, the Marysville and Tulalip community will have an opportunity to vote on two replacement levies that will maintain support for the educational programs and services students currently receive as well as provide for the improvement and maintenance of the facilities where they learn and grow. The four-year Educational Programs and Operations Levy and the Technology and Capital Projects Levy were approved by voters in 2014 and will expire at the end of 2018. February’s ballot will include a request to renew these levies and ensure local students continue to receive basic educational resources.

The Educational Programs and Operations Levy will provide funding to ensure students have enough classroom teachers and instructional aides to reduce and maintain smaller class sizes. It also provides resources to employ nurses, counselors, librarians and support staff to reinforce the health and safety of students and positive school culture. The Educational Programs and Operations Levy will also provide programs for students with special needs, and will support the arts, music, athletics, and extra-curricular programs across the district. The total request per $1,000 of assessed home value for Marysville residents is $2.97, which is 70 cents less than current levels. However, tribal members residing on reservation land are exempt from levy taxation.

The Technology and Capital Projects Levy will ensure students receive the same level of service in improved learning environments. Access to technology is a basic right in the Marysville School District. Approval of the levy will continue to provide students in grades 6 through 12 with Chromebooks for use inside and outside of the classroom, and all students from kindergarten through grade 5 will continue to have ample access to technology in the classroom. This levy also provides funding to ensure school staff receives training on best practices for incorporating technology into curriculum so all students are getting the most out of 21st Century resources.

Additionally, the levy will continue to provide students, families and the community with 24/7 Wi-Fi access across all buildings, as well as routers, power sources, and wiring to maintain capacity and improve access and speeds.

The Marysville School District also understands the importance of maintaining school buildings and facilities, and will continue to follow through on the Long-Term Master Facilities Plan, which prioritizes the most critical facility retrofits and replacements needed over the next five years. This includes roof and gutter replacements, fire system upgrades, door and hardware replacements, boiler replacements and heating improvements, floor replacements, electrical retrofits such as lighting, outlets, and intercoms, and siding replacements. A complete list of projects across the district can be found on the Long-term Master Facilities Plan at http://bit.ly/MasterFacilitiesPlan.

The four-year renewal Technology and Capital Projects Levy is projected to cost 67 cents per $1,000 of assessed home value for Marysville residents and will be reduced each year.

In total, the two levies amount to $3.64 per thousand of assessed home values – 42 cents less than current levels. As a reminder, tribal members residing on reservation land are exempt from this taxation.

The Marysville School District Board of Directors is thankful for the support provided by the community over the past four years and looks forward to continuing these efforts on behalf of students and families through a renewal of the Educational Programs and Operations Levy and the Technology and Capital Projects Levy.

Weekly Wednesday Weaving Workshops at Hibulb

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

The Hibulb Cultural Center and Museum hosts a lineup of classes that teach the Tulalip and Marysville communities about the traditional lifeways of the northwest Indigenous Peoples. Such classes include drum making, carving, beading, traditional flute demonstrations as well as storytelling and poetry nights. A series of classes that regularly attracts newcomers are the Weaving Gathering Workshops where participants learn how to weave an assortment of items including cedar baskets, loom blankets and regalia such as headbands, hats, neckties and purses.

The workshops are taught in an open-forum style class setting that encourages attendees to work on personal projects and visit while mastering the art of weaving. In preparation for the annual Treaty Days Commemoration, a group of dedicated weavers have been working persistently, meeting each week since December, to create headbands to gift to the speakers as well as the floor and table managers during the ceremony.

All ages are welcome to attend the weekly weaving sessions. The museum also invites weavers of any skill levels to participate during the gatherings. Cedar kits are available for purchase to help beginners get started.

“They’ll show anyone interested in learning, especially little kids. They’ll make little roses and small baskets with them,” says Hibulb Cultural Center Education Curator and Tulalip Weaver, Lena Jones. “It’s a place where people have the room and space to create whatever they want.”

The workshops are held every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Hibulb Cultural Center Classrooms. For additional information please contact the museum at (360) 716-2600.

Early Learning Academy Hosts Executive Function seminar at Parent Café 

Parent Lynzi Raya and son at the BJTELA Parent Café. The two-day workshop taught the importance of executive function skills in early childhood development.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

Recent studies show that executive function skills begin to develop in children between the ages of birth to five. Although executive function skills aren’t fully developed until the age of twenty-five, the foundation for these skills are strongest when trained at a young age.

You might be wondering, what are executive function skills? By definition they are a set of cognitive processes that are necessary for cognitive control of behavior, selecting and successfully monitoring behaviors that facilitate the attainment of chosen goals. In other words, they are skills we use day-to-day to manage our lives and accomplish our goals. Executive function skills include impulse control, working memory, organization, task initiation, metacognition, stress tolerance, time management, planning/prioritization, emotional control, response inhibition and sustained attention.

The Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy hosted a two-day workshop informing parents about executive function skills on January 10 and 11. During the Parent Café, attendees were treated to snacks and beverages while viewing videos showing studies of executive function skills in early childhood as well as a presentation by ECEAP Manager Stephanie Pitman.

“I wanted to give a presentation on executive function skills because so often parents are concerned about their kiddos not knowing the ABC’s, their colors or shapes. But really for true life success, they need to have impulse control, working memory and mental flexibility. That is the basis for all other learning in the future,” says Stephanie.

During the training the parents openly talked with one another about these skills and how they pertained to their children, asking and offering parent-to-parent advice. At the end of the seminar the parents took a quiz in which they learned a little bit about their personal executive function skills strengths and weaknesses and discussed how to improve them.

“This class taught me that it’s the little things that are taught over time. I think it’s important because anything you can do to help better your children is great,” expressed Early Learning Academy Parent, Mary Cameron Perillo.

“It’s more engrained when you can get them [during ages] birth to five,” states Stephanie. “Executive function is what they’re going to have to learn in life. I may not need to know my colors or algebra in my daily life but I am going to have to know how to get along with others. I am going to have to know how to exercise impulse control and how to deal with stress. Adults use this every day, that’s the skills we need for lifelong success.”

For more information, please contact the Betty J. Early Learning Academy at (360) 716-4250.

Tulalip students engage in hands-on, experimental learning

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

Excitement was hard to contain at the Greg Williams Court on the night of December 20, 2017. Though it was merely five days until Christmas, the holiday spirit appeared to take a backseat as the youth of the Tulalip community participated in a fun, educational evening at the first Family STEAM and Literacy Night, hosted by Tulalip Youth Services.

STEAM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering Arts and Mathematics is similar to the popular learning curriculum, STEM, implementing the arts as an additional area of study.  Variations of the STEAM program are currently being used in schools across the nation; however, local schools such as Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary and Tulalip Heritage High School continue to follow the STEM program for the time being. By bringing the STEAM experience to Tulalip, families participated in creative, experimental activities and the kids had a blast while doing so.

“STEM was created to engage more students in learning and gaining hands-on skills,” explains, Jessica Bustad, Tulalip Youth Services Education Coordinator. “I feel that adding arts into what was originally STEM is important. Most of what we do in school and also in the workforce requires creativity. Art can be found in each of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields. In my opinion, to add it, to give it more power and recognition helps us all keep the creativity we have inside. Each child and adult learns differently and the larger variety of opportunities we offer, the better.”

The event kept the future leaders busy with several interactive activity stations such as an assembly line, where the kids took apart and reassembled ballpoint pens. Another popular activity was the cup tower station. A small group formed amongst the youth who worked together to make an extreme tower, so tall the kids were barely visible behind their structure.  Laughter and surprised expressions such as ‘woah’ and the occasional ‘wait, how’d you do that?’ were heard from the youngsters as they experimented together, eagerly bouncing from station to station. And drawing the largest crowd was a hands-on art project presented by the Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett.

“Today we are creating a nature-scape,” explains Jennifer of the Creative Arts Department at the Imagine Children’s Museum. “We use recycled materials and other items found in nature to create a scene, like a diorama, found in nature and today we’re focusing on the winter season.”

The children used cotton balls and various items to construct snowy sceneries, which they viewed under a black light to give their diorama a more dramatic, chilling winter look.

The first fifty kids who arrived at the event received free beanbag chairs. The Scholastic book fair was part of the event and Youth Services gave everybody in attendance a free book.

“We want to encourage reading and learning together as a family at home,” says Jessica. “We also want to show that learning can be fun, that there’s different ways to learn and also that studying doesn’t always have to be so stressful. We have to empower our children to be explorers of their own interests. It is our duty to encourage them to find and research all of the possibilities for their future.”

The STEAM and Literacy Night was a success. Tulalip parents and kids are already inquiring about the follow-up to the action-packed, hands-on learning event, to which Youth Services promises there will many more during the new year.

For more information, please contact Youth Services at (360) 716-4909.

She Got Game: Women Tribal Members Featured in College Hoops Matchup

Tulalip tribal members Adiya Jones (left) and Kanoa Enick (right) are matched up for the first time as collegiate adversaries.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News 

They’ve grown up together on the Tulalip Reservation playing more games of rez ball than can be remembered. Years and years of dribbling, rebounding, and hearing the net swish has created countless memories on the hardwood, but an all-new memory was created for Tulalip tribal members Adiya Jones and Kanoa Enick when they matched up for the first time as collegiate adversaries.

In her second year playing for Skagit Valley Community College, Adiya has stepped up and taken the reigns as the team’s unquestioned leader. She is the primary playmaker on offense while also anchoring the team’s defense.

“Adiya is our best player and there’s a reason why. She has a high basketball I.Q., she’s so smooth with the ball, has a great shooting touch, and she’s a willing passer; making her a tremendous asset to our team,” beams Steve Epperson, Skagit’s Athletic Director and Women’s Basketball Coach. “Over the last few games she’s rebounded the heck out of the basketball as well.

“I’m really proud of her as a student, too, because she’s doing really well in school and making great progress towards her degree.”

Meanwhile, Kanoa recently decided to test her medal at Northwest Indian College (NWIC) by enrolling in Winter quarter. Her appetite for getting buckets still strong, she walked onto the women’s basketball team and is quickly showing promise.

“She adds another dimension to our team. Kanoa is a good hustle player, she’s very long and is able to contest shots on the perimeter,” states Matthew Santa Cruz, NWIC’s Women’s Basketball Coach. “She’s also able to take it to the hole, get fouled, and make her free-throws. That’s a real asset in this game.”

And so the stage was set for the two home-grown college athletes to face-off for the first-time ever.

The historical moment took place at the Lummi High School gym, the home court for NWIC, on Friday, December 5. Adiya shined while leading her team with 24-points, but it was Kanoa’s NWIC team taking the W in a 64-61 nail biter.

The following day, the two team’s played once again, this time in Mt. Vernon, giving Adiya’s Skagit squad the opportunity for payback. There were several Tulalip fans in the crowd who journeyed to watch the matchup. Skagit came away with a convincing 66-35 W the second time around, giving both Tulalip women a victory over the other.

Following their second matchup in as many days, Adiya and Kanoa reflected on this new experience.

“I was nervous and excited when I realized we were about to play against each other,” said Kanoa. “It doesn’t come off like we know each other on the court because we’re both so focused on the game. It was really cool to see Tulalips in the stands rooting for us.”

“It was definitely fun. It hit me when I was warming up for our first game; I was thinking ‘this is so weird I’m about to play Kanoa’,” smiled Adiya. “For the younger generation at home in Tulalip, I hope they see this and realize they can attend college and play ball, too. Get outside your comfort zone because, honestly, once you try it you’ll realize how exciting new opportunities are.”