Community Development

United Houma Nation

Community Development Conference

This summer fifty three citizens of the United Houma Nation (UHN)  representing eight parishes convened in Marksville, Louisiana, for a Community Development Conference, the first of its kind in Houma history.  The purpose of this gathering was to engage tribal citizens in discussion about the challenges and opportunities now facing the UHN and to lay the groundwork for the work that the UHN citizens and government will undertake for the next several years.  The Conference was also intended as an opportunity for citizens of different tribal communities to share their experiences and get to know each other better, to strengthen and unify the UHN.

Goals of the Conference

(1)      Develop greater understanding among tribal communities;

(2)      Come to common understanding of critical issues that face the Houma Nation;

(3)      Identify strengths and weaknesses in addressing these issues;

(4)      Develop outcomes and goals for engaging broader tribal communities in addressing these issues.

Feedback

Feedback about the Conference by participants was overwhelmingly positive.  Participants came away feeling energized and excited about UHN community development efforts and the ideas and experiences that were shared among tribal members and across tribal communities. 

Support

The Conference was organized by the United Houma Nation with support from the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation and NeighborWorks America.  Movement Matters was contracted to help design and facilitate the gathering.  The Biloxi-Tunica Tribe provided the meeting space at the Paragon Casino Resort.

Next Steps

The UHN is planning another series of gatherings in the fall of 2009 to review and create work plans for each of the recommended approaches.  The gatherings will bring together Conference participants based on the issue area they most want to work on, representatives from UHN Tribal Council, members of issue-based committees and working groups, as well as tribal citizens of the UHN who want to get more involved.

Contact

For more information about the conference or to get involved, please contact Brenda Dardar Robichaux, Principal Chief at (985) 537-8867 or at relief@unitedhoumanation.org

 Photos of the Community Development Conference may be seen in the Community Development photo album.