The Gila River Indian Community welcomes state treasurer Kimberly Yee

Christopher Lomahquahu

Gila River Indian News

Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee visited the Gila River Indian Community on July 25. Yee met with tribal leadership, elders, and toured the new Gila River Crossing Community school in District 6. Yee’s visit to the Community covered to governmental relations between GRIC and the state on economic development. 

Yee met with Gov.Stephen Roe Lewis, Lt. Gov. Robert Stone, Robert Keller, Community Treasurer, Arzie Hogg, District 1 Council Representative at the GRIC Governance Center, before going on a tour of the Community. 

“We have a long-standing partnership with the Community and we provide them with an update from our office of our what we are doing with your investment dollars,” said Yee. 

Yee vested the District 2 elders, to talk about the state’s responsibility to manage the investments of the state’s local governments. Her office also, allocates funds for programs that will assist governments, like tribal communities on a myriad of issues and initiatives. 

Although her visit was brief, she wanted to hear from the elders who talked about the importance of health and culture, which they said is being promoted through the Community’s education system and own healthcare system, like the Gila River Health Care. 

Yee said, “We have a great connection to our Native American community, because I am Chinese-American. I know similarly that in our communities, that we keep a rich tradition among our young people.”

She said in a modern society, it’s challenging to preserve culture, because there’s so many distractions and influences, that happen from all directions. Yee pointed about the Community’s investment to promote art and culture, and how that is incorporated into everyday living and education. 

Her initiative to develop an inclusive office involves going out to places like the Community to get a hands-on experience on what is happening among tribes. “We should look at every corner of our state and it’s important to have tribal communities at the table, there are so many distinct issues community to community, especially among tribal communities,” said Yee. 

She said there’s an interest to see what is going on and to make every effort to understand how the state treasurer’s office can help them. 

To close out her visit, Yee toured the new Gila Crossing Community School, to view the new classrooms, gardening area, and artwork created to represent the two cultures of the Community, the Akimel O’otham and Pee Posh.