About Our Work with Tribal Nations

Honoring, Upholding and Celebrating Tribal Sovereignty

The Minnesota Department of Health's Tribal SHIP and Tribal Tobacco Grants Program has worked hard to build a program that effectively honors, upholds and celebrates tribal sovereignty and the special relationships that tribal communities hold with states. The Tribal Grants Program has taken time, with the help of tribal communities, the American Indian Cancer Foundation, North Dakota State University's American Indian Public Health Resource Center and others, to understand the complexities of working with tribal nations.

About the Illustration

In 2019, MDH engaged with its Tribal SHIP and Tribal Tobacco partners to collect rich stories about the tribes' active living, healthy eating, tobacco, and culture, wellness and healing work.

Using insights and stories from tribes, Drawn Well created an illustration to honor the accomplishments in tribal communities across the state. The illustration was unveiled at an event that celebrated five years of the Office of Statewide Health Improvement Initiatives Tribal Grants Program.