Rena Newell facts for kids

Rena D. Newell is an important leader of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik. She is currently serving as the chief of her tribe. Before becoming chief, she was a special representative for the Passamaquoddy people in the Maine House of Representatives. She served two terms, from 2018 to 2022, and was the only tribal representative there during that time.

Working in the Maine House of Representatives

Rena Newell is an independent politician, meaning she doesn't belong to a specific political party. While she was a representative, she worked on the Judiciary Committee, which deals with laws and justice.

As a tribal representative, Rena Newell could not vote on all laws. However, she could introduce new laws and help create laws that were important to her tribe. She was the only tribal representative in the Maine Legislature for several years. This was because other tribes, like the Penobscot and Maliseet, had decided not to send their own representatives at that time.

Helping to End Mascots

One of Rena Newell's big achievements was helping to stop the use of Native American mascots in Maine schools. These mascots often use images or names that can be disrespectful to Native American cultures. In May 2019, Maine's Governor, Janet Mills, signed a new law that banned these mascots in public schools. Rena Newell said this law was a step towards "promoting cultural diversity and awareness." She believed it would help people in Maine treat each other with more respect.

Supporting Tribal Rights

Rena Newell also worked hard to support tribal sovereignty. This means tribes having the right to govern themselves and make their own decisions. She believed this was important for many reasons, including helping the Passamaquoddy community at Sipayik get clean drinking water. For many years, their water had unsafe levels of certain chemicals.

In 2020, she praised the creation of the Wabanaki Alliance. This group works to build political power for tribes and teach people in Maine about the importance of tribal sovereignty. She felt that these efforts were a positive step for how the state and tribes work together.

In 2021, Rena Newell also supported a proposal to have a permanent Wabanaki representative on an important council for Maine's wildlife. She also spoke in favor of a law that would make sure new laws consider how they might affect different racial groups. She explained that historically, laws in Maine had sometimes harmed tribal communities without considering the impact.

Rena Newell's time in the Maine House of Representatives ended in 2022. After her, Aaron Dana became the new tribal representative.

Leading the Passamaquoddy Government

On September 8, 2022, Rena Newell was elected as the chief of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik. She won the election with 229 votes. She officially became chief on October 1, 2022.

About Her Life

Rena Newell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business from the University of Maine at Machias. Before becoming a politician, she was the education director for the Passamaquoddy tribe. She has two children and three grandchildren.

See also

• Passamaquoddy
• Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation
• Passamaquoddy Indian Township Reservation
• Wabanaki Confederacy
• Maine House of Representatives

External links

• Legislative page
• Rena Newell on Ballotpedia