Harriet Brouillette

Harriet is from the community of Deishú (Haines). She is a mother of two and a grandmother of five. With a degree in Tribal and Public Administration, she has served as the Tribal Administrator for the Chilkoot Indian Association for twelve years. Harriet has been a Native without land since 1972, and her work for the five landless communities began in the 1990s.

Harriet’s mother once said that she had given up hope for a settlement — and that it was up to Harriet now. She took her mother’s words seriously and has worked toward resolution of the landless issue throughout her adult life.

“This work has moved through periods of quiet and moments when we pushed hard on the federal government to right a historic wrong. We have had to confront misconceptions held by conservation groups and address fears among neighboring Tribes about losing their own homelands. With the unwavering support of our regional corporation and a dedicated group of volunteers from all five communities, change has come — slowly, but steadily.”

Today, Harriet feels hope for the future of her Tribal family. She believes returning land to its original owners is social justice.