Della Warrior facts for kids

Della Warrior was born in 1946. She is a very important leader for Native American communities. She was the first and only woman to be the chairperson and chief executive officer for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe. Later, she became the president of the Institute of American Indian Arts. She helped the school find a permanent home and raised over one hundred million dollars for it. In 2007, Della Warrior was honored in the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame.

Since 2021, she has been the President and CEO of the Multi-Indigenous Collaborative for Action (MICA) Group. This is a non-profit organization led by Native people.

Early Life and Growing Up

Della Cheryl Hopper was born in 1946 in Pawnee, Oklahoma. She grew up in Red Rock, Oklahoma, with her mother and stepfather. Della is a citizen of the Otoe–Missouria Tribe of Indians. She also has Muscogee heritage.

Her family moved often. This meant Della lived in many different cities. Some of these were Shawnee, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Los Angeles. She started school at Pawnee Indian School. She went to about two different schools each year until sixth grade. In high school, she attended six different schools.

Della's Education Journey

After finishing high school, Della went to Northeastern State University. This university is in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She first planned to study medicine.

The summer before her third year, Della attended a workshop. This workshop was at the University of Colorado. This experience made her feel even more proud of her Native heritage. It also made her interested in working with Native communities. So, in her third year, she changed her major to sociology. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1966.

Later, in 1971, Della Warrior earned her master's degree in education. She received this degree from Harvard University.

Making a Difference: Della's Career

Right after college, Della Warrior started working. She became the director of social services for the Head Start Program in six counties in Kansas.

In 1971, she became the Director of Indian Education for schools in Albuquerque. She worked in this role until 1987. The school district had 117 schools. About 3,300 Native American students from over 100 tribes attended these schools.

From 1989 to 1992, Della became the first and only woman to be the Chairman of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe. In this important job, she worked on many issues. These included roads, environmental concerns, health, and public safety for her tribe.

From 1993 to 1998, Warrior worked for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). She started as the Acting Director of Development. Then she became the Director of Development.

In 1998, Della Warrior became the President of the Institute of American Indian Arts. She held this position until 2006. She helped the school get its own permanent campus. Before this, the school had been in temporary places for 38 years. She also greatly increased the school's funding. She helped raise over one hundred million dollars in 12 years.

In June 2013, Della Warrior was chosen as the Director of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC). This museum is in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was the first woman and the first Native American to lead the museum. She retired in 2021. During her time, she made the museum's education programs much bigger. She also oversaw more than 30 exhibitions. This included updating the museum's main exhibit, Here, Now and Always.

After retiring from MIAC, Warrior became President and CEO of the Multi-Indigenous Collaborative for Action (MICA Group). She helped start this organization with Wilma Mankiller in 2006. Recently, MICA Group managed a $10 million fund. This fund helps with cultural heritage projects for tribes.

Della's Family Life

Della Hopper married Clyde Warrior in 1965. Clyde was from the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. They had three daughters: Mary Martha, Andrea Immogene, and Gabriella Kathleen.

Achievements and Service

Della Warrior has held many other important roles. She has been a consultant for different organizations. She also served on several boards. These include the American Indian College Fund and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. She was also a volunteer for the National Organization of Native American Women.

Awards and Recognition

Della Warrior has received many awards for her hard work and leadership:

• Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International (2005)
• Alice Paul Award, New Mexico Women's Foundation (2008)
• Woman of the Year, Albuquerque YWCA (2002)
• Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame (2007)
• Star of the Southwest Award, Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce (2004)
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (2018)