Washoe woman to receive award

The Washoe Tribe's Lori Pasqua won the American Indian Youth Services Role Model of the Year from the Nevada Indian Commission.

Pasqua is being recognized today at the Governor's Mansion for the accomplishments she has made in preparing American Indian youth in Nevada for higher education and her assistance in improving Indian education at the state level.

It will be the first of two awards she will receive this month. She is also being honored Nov. 13 at the Carson Valley Community Awards in Genoa as top employee.

Pasqua is one of four Nevadans to be honored on Saturday by the Nevada Indian Commission.

The 2010 American Indian Achievement Awards Banquet and Silent Auction is the first statewide effort to recognize those individuals in the state that have influenced the lives of American Indians.

"The Awards banquet is our way of bringing attention to outstanding American Indians within our state that are making great strides for our people," said Executive Director Sherry Rupert.

"We are very proud of these individuals and their achievements and this is our way of showing them that their work has not gone unnoticed; these awards are our way of thanking them."

The five-member Indian Commission Executive Board selected the award recipients.

"On behalf of the Nevada Indian Commission, I congratulate each Nevadan for their outstanding contribution towards the betterment of Native Americans and their lands," said Commission Chairman Ted Quasula. "It gives me great satisfaction to take a moment to recognize those that have unselfishly taken that extra step."

In addition to the Achievement Awards, the Nevada Indian Commission's 45 years of service to the state will be recognized. The Indian Commission was established in 1965 to be the conduit between the governor and the 27 federally-recognized Nevada tribes.

Also receiving awards are:

n American Indian Community Leader of the Year - Mervin Wright, Jr., chairman of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, for his leadership and expertise in the area of water rights, preservation of cultural and traditional interests for tribes and budget formulation for tribal interests on the federal level.

n American Indian Youth Ambassador of the Year - Ayden Finau, Duck Valley Paiute-Shoshone Tribe and Wooster High student, for showing outstanding athletic and academic achievement and being a positive role model for other American Indian youth.

n Contributor/Supporter of the Year - JoAnne Peden of Reno, oral historian and noted producer of several documentaries focused on Nevada's American Indians.

Her documentation of oral histories of tribal elders has served to educate the public about American Indians, the first peoples of Nevada.

Testimonies from Stewart Indian School alumni, Roger Sam, Aletha Tom and Connie Jagles will round out the evening with all proceeds from the evening benefiting the Stewart Indian Cultural Center.

For more information on the Nevada Indian Commission and the Achievement Awards visit www.nic.nv.gov. For more information on the Stewart Indian Cultural Center, visit www.StewartIndianSchool.com.