Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations

Mattie Harper DeCarlo on Making Change in Indian Country Through Philanthropy

Native Lights

In this episode, we talk with grantmaking officer and former educator and historian Mattie Harper DeCarlo, PhD.

Mattie, a Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe citizen who grew up on Leech Lake Reservation, works in philanthropy at the Bush Foundation, focusing on Indigenous communities. She speaks with us about the nuance of supporting 23 Native nations through philanthropy, how to provide context to non-Native donors on what investment can look like, and her affection for Ojibwe language revitalization.

Mattie also shares how journey of learning about herself and the history her people, and how it helped her fostered a sense of awe for the beauty of Ojibwe community. Tune in for an engaging conversation about investing in Indigenous self-sustainability through philanthropy!

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