Elaine Fleming facts for kids

Elaine Fleming is a former mayor of Cass Lake, Minnesota. She was first elected to this important role in 2003. Cass Lake is a small city located within the reservation boundaries of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Elaine Fleming was also a professor at Leech Lake Tribal College. She was the first Native American mayor of Cass Lake. She is connected with the Green Party of Minnesota. She also helped organize "Rock the Vote - Rez Style."

Elaine Fleming: A Community Leader

Mayor of Cass Lake

Elaine Fleming became mayor of Cass Lake in 2003. She won her first election by just seven votes. She was elected for a second term later through a "write-in" campaign. This means people wrote her name on the ballot. She served two terms as mayor. Her last term as mayor ended in 2006.

Protecting the Environment

Cass Lake is known as a Superfund site. This means the area needs special cleanup because of pollution. A company called St. Regis Paper Company had dumped chemicals there. Elaine Fleming spoke out strongly against this pollution. She described these actions as "environmental racism." This means that pollution unfairly affects certain communities. She also called it "terrorism in our communities." She meant that the pollution caused great harm to the people living there. She worked to protect her community from these harmful chemicals.

Helping Animals

Beyond her work in politics, Elaine Fleming has a passion for helping animals. She has been involved in animal rescue efforts since 2011. This shows her dedication to caring for living things.