Is the SBA giving enough support to tribes of the Plains?

 Is the SBA giving enough support to tribes of the Plains?

By Joseph Budd,

Native Sun News Today Staff writer

 

Isabel Gusman administator of the small business administration. ( courtesy photo)

Recently an article had made some news, regarding an effort to help small businesses around the Navajo Nation could benefit from President Joe Biden’s agenda and two Acts, the American Rescue Plan Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Joes Act. All in told, these Acts could steer over 33 billion dollars in investments towards tribes and communities.

Isabel Guzman, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, spoke of “Native-owned small businesses are vital to our shared Economic future, and the SBA is committed to engaging and supporting them,” she was quoted as saying in December. To take things a step further, Guzman later in January announced the release of a tribal consultation policy, regarding work with tribes, Alaska Native corporations and Native Hawaiian organizations. To highlight the effort, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, Jackson Brossy is an assistant Administrator for the Native program, as well an office within the Agency, for Native American Affairs is now located in the DC office of the SBA.

As given the SBA is tiered to help underserved communities, and geared to helping areas, one does wonder if this administration would be useful to help spur growth in the local communities. Granted it still would require an investment by interested parties, but the benefits could surely be measured, both in increasing the labor force, reducing unemployment, and provide for a local market, be it a store, a restaurant, and a place for the youth to meet. For folks that have grown up here, then departed, it could be a way to inspire them to return, and share what they have learned, in bigger cities, start in-roads and possibly show the next generation what offerings are to strive for, either in business, local benefits and production.

In South Dakota, one doesn’t have to look far to see where towns used to be, then vanished as the people simply left and never returned. If the young can be invested in, the results can see growth going forward. Given the recent expansion in the field of education with the opening of the Lakota Tech School nearby to Pine Ridge, there could stand to be some locations along the Highway 18 corridor, where a gas station, a restaurant or even developing a market of businesses, could thrive with the right efforts. In the other direction between Pine Ridge and up the corridor towards Oglala, there exists possibility, as long as there are people who are interested in working.

Other given areas that stand consideration could include red shirt on the way towards Hermosa, Kyle, additional options by Sharpe’s Corner, or by Manderson. However, for any actions to take place, two things must take place. First off, is the standard operations for any business to take place, and that is securing the blessing of the Council. If a business does not meet their standards, very little can be done. The other hurdle, comes in the form of trust. It’s not something that can be simply done with the snap of fingers or a single meeting. Given the governments’ actions in the past, few people are trustful of the government these days, and there does exist some animosity, of people who have left the reservation and done well elsewhere. Its s familiar pattern that has been seen, with students who go out east to colleges, then no longer have the urge to return home. It might be a lack of options. It could be the lack of places, to use this new knowledge. For others, it might simply be they tried in the past to make a go of things locally, were unable to do so, so they turned that page. But there exists options out there.

Western South Dakota has scattered small settlements, that at one time or another, had life, people and helped a generation or two grow and thrive. Then, either due to technology, lack of options or the distance to travel, the settlements died off. The people, in Oglala Lakota County, have a chance to be reverse this problem.

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