Tamra Borchardt-Slayton facts for kids

Tamra Borchardt-Slayton was born on April 3, 1987. She is a leader and politician for the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah. She has served as the chairperson of the tribe.

What Does a Tribal Chairperson Do?

A tribal chairperson is like a president or mayor for their tribe. They help lead the tribe and make important decisions. This role involves working to improve life for tribal members. They also represent their tribe to other governments and organizations.

Tamra Borchardt-Slayton's Leadership

Tamra Borchardt-Slayton became the chairperson of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah in June 2017. During her time as chairperson, she worked on many projects to help her community. She focused on education and supporting Indigenous people.

Supporting Youth Education

One important project was the Paiute Educational Access Camp Experience. This is a summer camp held at Southern Utah University. The camp helps young tribal members learn about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It gives them fun ways to explore these subjects. The camp started with help from a grant.

She also supported a program with Brigham Young University Arts Partnership. This program teaches history to elementary school children through art. It helps make learning about the past exciting and creative.

Advocating for Indigenous People

Tamra Borchardt-Slayton has been a strong supporter of laws to help find missing Indigenous people. She worked on efforts related to the Missing Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIW/MMIP) movement in Utah. This movement aims to bring attention to and seek justice for Indigenous people who have gone missing or been harmed.

She was part of a special task force for this cause. Her work was even mentioned in a report by the U.S. Department of Justice. She has spoken about the importance of funding for tribal law enforcement and support organizations. She believes this funding helps bring justice to victims and their families.

Her support for this cause was inspired by her desire for justice for her own aunt and other families. She has said that many Indigenous families have similar stories. She believes it is important for people to speak up and advocate for change.

Changing Offensive Names

Borchardt-Slayton also supports changing names of places and sports teams in Utah that are offensive to Native peoples. Some names use words that are disrespectful. She supports new laws to change these names. This helps ensure that all people are treated with respect.

Supporting Indigenous Leaders

After the 2020 election, she supported Deb Haaland to become the Secretary of the Department of the Interior. Deb Haaland is the first Native American to hold this important position. This was a big step for Indigenous representation in government.