Rebecca Adamson facts for kids

Rebecca Adamson, born in 1950, is an American businesswoman and a strong supporter of important causes. She started and led two big organizations: the First Nations Development Institute and First Peoples Worldwide. These groups help Native American communities.

About Rebecca Adamson

Rebecca L. Adamson was born in Akron, Ohio. Her mother was Cherokee, and her father was of Swedish background. Rebecca grew up in Akron. She spent her summers with family in Lumberton, North Carolina. There, she learned a lot about the history and culture of Native Americans. She is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Education and Learning

Rebecca Adamson earned a master's degree in economic development. She studied at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire. Today, she teaches a special class there. This class is about how Indigenous (Native) communities manage their money and resources.

Rebecca Adamson's Career

After finishing high school in 1967, Rebecca studied philosophy at the University of Akron. She also took classes in law and economics. In 1970, she left college to start working. She went to Native American reservations in the western United States. Her goal was to stop a harmful practice. This practice involved taking Native American children from their homes. They were placed in government or missionary schools. The idea was to make them forget their native languages and cultures.

Helping Native American Schools

From 1972 to 1976, Rebecca was on the board of directors for a group in Denver, Colorado. This group was called the Coalition of Indian-Controlled School Boards. She worked to change rules and policies across the country. The Coalition wanted to take control of Native American schools. For over 100 years, the U.S. government and Christian groups had run these schools. Rebecca's work helped lead to the Indian Self-Determination Act of 1975. This law gave Native American tribes more control over their own affairs.

Starting New Organizations

In 1982, Rebecca Adamson started the First Nations Development Institute. This organization is in Falmouth, Virginia. Its goal was to help Native American communities grow their economies. It did this by helping them start businesses on their reservations.

Rebecca also worked with the United Nations (UN). In 1986, she advised the UN on how to help rural areas. From 1988 to 1989, she advised the UN's International Labor Organization. This work focused on the rights of Indigenous people around the world. She also served on the boards of other important groups.

Making a Difference

Rebecca's work led to the first "microloan" fund in the United States. A microloan is a very small loan. It helps people start or grow small businesses. This fund was connected to a Native American reservation. She also helped create a new way for tribes to invest money. Her efforts supported a national movement for land reform on reservations. She also worked on laws about the government's responsibility to Native Americans.

Rebecca's international work is also very important. She helped create the Lumba Aboriginal Community Foundation in Australia. She also helped the San Tribe in southern Africa. Her work helped them protect their traditional lands in Botswana and Namibia.

She also created a plan for big companies like Alcoa and Ford Motor Company. This plan helps make sure that these companies protect the rights of Indigenous people. This plan has been used by investment funds.

Rebecca also helped create scholarship programs for Native people. These programs are at top universities like Yale School of Management and the University of Minnesota. She also convinced the World Bank to create a fund. This fund gives small grants to Indigenous communities for building projects.

Working for Transparency

The Obama administration chose Rebecca to serve on a special committee. This committee works to make sure that companies are open about how they get natural resources. This helps everyone know what is happening with mining and drilling.

Rebecca Adamson is on the board of directors for several groups. These include the Calvert Social Investment Fund. This fund is known for "socially-responsible investing." This means they invest in companies that are good for society and the environment. She also helped start a fund there. She is a trustee for Tom's of Maine, Inc. She is also a founding member of groups like Native Americans in Philanthropy. These groups help Native American causes.

Protecting Sacred Lands

In 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe asked Rebecca for help. They wanted to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. This pipeline was planned to go near a river that the tribe used for drinking water. Rebecca helped create a plan to get investors to pressure the pipeline builders. She got statements from investors who manage over $1.7 trillion. These investors asked the banks funding the pipeline to support the tribe's request to change the pipeline's route.

Her efforts encouraged activists to push for changes. They wanted companies to share more information about environmental and social risks. This included companies like Marathon Petroleum and Wells Fargo. Her work also encouraged over 500 non-profit groups to pressure the banks. Three major banks pulled out of funding the pipeline. Ten other banks supported strengthening the Equator Principles. These are rules that banks follow to make sure projects are socially and environmentally responsible.

Awards and Recognition

Rebecca Adamson has received many awards for her important work.

• In 1996, she won the Robert W. Scrivner Award. She also received the Jay Silverheels Award.
• Ms. magazine named her one of their "Women of the Year" in 1997.
• In 1998, Who Cares magazine called her one of the top 10 Social Entrepreneurs of the Year.
• She received the John W. Gardener Leadership Award in 2001.
• In 2004, she was named Schwab's Outstanding Social Entrepreneur.

In 2012, Rebecca was featured on PBS' MAKERS: Women Who Make America program. This program highlights influential women in America. She also writes a monthly column for Indian Country Today newspaper. When asked about her achievements in 2015, she said that coming from a matrilineal society (where women are a source of power) was "in her DNA."