Marjorie Bear Don't Walk facts for kids

Marjorie Bear Don't Walk, born in 1946, is an important leader. She is from the Ojibwa and Salish tribes. Marjorie is known for two main things. First, she is a health care expert. She has worked hard to improve health services for Native Americans. She especially helped those living in cities. Second, she is a talented fashion designer. Her designs mix traditional Native American styles with modern clothes for working women.

About Marjorie's Life

Growing Up

Marjorie Bear Don't Walk was born Marjorie Rose Mitchell in 1946. Her birthplace was Aberdeen, Washington. Her parents were Jane and Jack Mitchell. She is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe. She also has Chippewa (Michif Ojibwe) family roots.

Marjorie grew up with three brothers. Their names were Gary, George, and Robert. They lived in different towns in Montana. These included Dixon, Hot Springs, Perma, and Ronan, Montana. When they were young, their mother became sick. The children went to a special school. It was an American Indian boarding school run by the Ursuline Academy. This school was in St. Ignatius.

Adult Years

After high school, Marjorie went to Montana State College. Not many Native American students went to college back then. She studied home economics and nutrition. She earned her college degree in 1968.

In 1966, Marjorie Mitchell married Urban Bear Don't Walk. He was a member of the Crow Nation. Urban later started the Crow Tribal Court. They had three children together. Their names are Urban Jr., Scott, and Eldena. All their children are also members of the Crow tribe.

Marjorie's Career

Helping with Health Care

Marjorie Bear Don't Walk started her career as a nutritionist. She also advised on education programs. She worked on many projects for tribes, states, and the country. From the start, she believed Native Americans should get services close to home.

She knew that jobs might take people away from their reservations. But she felt they still needed support. She pushed for health services that understood Native American cultures. These services should be available wherever people lived.

In 1976, Marjorie was a key activist. She helped convince the Indian Health Service (IHS) to offer health care in cities. Before this, Native Americans living off-reservation lost their health benefits. This changed because of people like Marjorie.

She was also a strong supporter of women's rights. She attended the 1977 National Women's Conference. This event was part of the United Nations International Women's Year. She supported the Equal Rights Amendment. She also wanted more Native American women to be involved in tribal politics.

Fashion Design Work

While working in health care, Marjorie also started a fashion company. It was called Bear Don't Walk Originals. She designed clothes for professional women. Her designs often used fancy materials. She added beads, bone, fur, leather, metal, or ribbon. These decorations mixed her heritage with modern styles.

She showed her clothes at conferences. Many of her customers ordered by mail-order. They could even send their own fabrics for custom designs. Her fashion line included accessories, dresses, and blouses. She also made coats and jackets. Her designs followed popular trends. But they were special because they featured Native American themes.

Leading Health Organizations

By 1980, Marjorie was well-known across the country. She was a leader in women's rights and health care. She was very important in creating urban health centers for the IHS. She began working as a health administrator. This job was in Denver, Colorado, for the American Indian Health Care Association.

After two years, she moved back to Montana. In 1985, she became the executive director of the Indian Health Board. This board was in Billings, Montana. In 1992, Marjorie was invited to President Bill Clinton's inauguration.

After eleven years in Billings, she returned to the Flathead Reservation. She briefly directed the Tribal Health and Human Services agency there.

Marjorie later returned to the Indian Health Board in Billings. She continued to fight for better health care. In 2006, she spoke out against new government rules for the IHS. These rules said Native people had to go to IHS clinics for care. Marjorie felt this was unfair to people in cities. They might not be able to travel to reservation services.

She also pointed out differences in funding. The government funded 65% of services on reservations. But only 35% of the budget went to urban clinics. In 2012, she got grants through the Affordable Care Act. This helped her add more services for urban Native Americans. These included programs for HIV and pregnancy prevention. She also started a program for new mothers.

Marjorie still works at the Indian Health Board. In 2017, her granddaughter, Mitchell Rose Bear Don't Walk, followed in her footsteps. She was appointed to a youth health advisory board. This shows how Marjorie's family continues her important work.