Donna M. Loring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donna M. Loring
|
|
|---|---|
Donna M. Loring speaking at Maine Women in Media, Lincolnville, Maine, April 28, 2012.
|
|
| Born | October 1, 1948 Indian Island, Maine |
| Occupation | Author, broadcaster, and tribal representative of the Penobscot nation in the American state of Maine |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Maine |
| Alma mater | Maine Criminal Justice Academy |
| Notable works | In the Shadow of the Eagle, The Glooskape Chronicles: Creation and the Venetian Basket |
| Notable awards | Mary Ann Hartman Award |
| Spouse | Deborah Bouchard |
Donna M. Loring is a Penobscot author, radio host, and a former important advisor on Native American issues to Janet Mills, the governor of Maine. She is a member of the Penobscot Nation, one of the Native American tribes in Maine.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Growing Up and Education
Donna Loring grew up on the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, also known as Indian Island, Maine. Her grandmother raised her there. She went to the University of Maine and earned a degree in Political Science, which is the study of how governments work.
Firsts in Law Enforcement and Security
After college, she graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. In 1984, she became the police chief for the Penobscot Nation. This made her the first woman from that Academy to become a police chief. From 1992 to 1997, Donna Loring was also the first female director of security at Bowdoin College.
Military Service and Recognition
During her time serving in Vietnam, she worked at a communications center. Her job was to process all reports about soldiers who were injured or killed in Southeast Asia. Later, former Maine Governor Angus King gave her the honorary rank of Colonel. He also appointed her as his Aide de Camp, which meant she advised him on matters important to women veterans. In 1999, she received the Mary Ann Hartman Award. This award celebrates women in Maine who have achieved great things in areas like arts, politics, and community service.
Political Work
Representing the Penobscot Nation
Maine has a special tradition where tribal representatives can sit in the state legislature, even though they don't vote. Donna Loring followed this tradition and served several terms for the Penobscot Nation.
Important Laws and Achievements
One of her big achievements was writing and supporting a law called LD 291. This law, passed in 2001, made it a requirement to teach Maine Native American History and Culture in Maine schools. This was a huge step for education in the state.
She also started the first "State of the Tribes Address" in Maine's history. This event, held in March 2002, brought tribal chiefs together and was broadcast live on TV and radio.
Supporting Indigenous Rights
In 2008, Donna Loring helped pass a resolution that supported the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This was very important because it made Maine the only state at that time to officially support this declaration, which protects the rights of Native peoples around the world.
She also served as a member of the Penobscot tribal council.
Writing and Broadcasting
Radio Host
Donna Loring hosts a monthly radio show called "Wabanaki Windows" on WERU radio in Blue Hill, Maine. On her show, she shares information and stories about Native American culture and issues.
Author and Playwright
For many years, she wrote about politics and the history of Maine's Native Americans. More recently, she has focused on creative writing. She published a book about her time in the Maine Legislature called In the Shadow of the Eagle (2008).
She also wrote a musical play called "The Glooskape Chronicles: Creation and the Venetian Basket." This play received attention from national newspapers, showing its importance in Native American storytelling.
