Ada Deer Day is August 7th!
- John-Michael Scurio
- Aug 12, 2023
- 2 min read
On Monday, August 7, 2023, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared it to be Ada Deer Day in honor of her 88th birthday, which was last Friday, August 4, 2023 and for her countless efforts to shatter glass ceilings for native women and native social workers.
Much thanks to Governor Evers for recognizing this amazing human and all that she has done for tribal nations and her contributions to the social work profession.
Deer was born in Keshena in 1935. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, becoming the first member of the Menominee tribe to earn a degree from the university. Deer then became the first Native American person to earn a master's degree in social work from Columbia University.
Deer was instrumental in gaining federal recognition of the tribe in 1973. The next year, she became the first woman to be elected tribal chair, a position she held for two years.
“I speak up. I speak out. It’s not like I plotted and planned. I just had this general goal. I want to do and I want to be and I want to help. And I’ve been able to do it.” -Ada Deer
In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Deer Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior. She was the first woman to hold that position.
On her birthday, Friday, August 4, 2023, the Chairmans Officer of The Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin sent out the following release wishing Ada Deer a Happy 88th Birthday and marking many of her incredible accomplishments.
It is wonderful to see that our society is increasingly recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Representation matters more now than ever. Thank you Ada Deer for all that you have accomplished with your voice, your action and your visibility.🌈
