LAKOTA/DAKOTA/ANISHANAABE SUSAN ALLEN BORN–1ST MINNESOTA NATIVE AMERICAN LEGISLATOR/1st OPENLY LESBIAN NATIVE AMERICAN LEGISLATOR
Born on the Uintah & Ouray Indian Reservation, Utah, Allen graduated from Augsburg College (1992), earned a J.D. from the University of New Mexico Law School (1995) and an LL.M. from William Mitchell College of Law (1999). She began practicing law in 1997 and became a partner in her law firm in 2004. In 2012, Allen, a member of the Democratic-Farm Labor Party, was elected to represent Minnesota’s (MN) House District 61B and, in-so-doing, became the 1st Native American woman to serve in the MN Legislature and 1st openly lesbian Native American elected to any state legislature. Susan was re-elected in 2012, 2014 and 2016, but did not seek re-election in 2018. Returning to her law practice, Allen, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe who identifies as “Two-Spirit,” drafts tribal laws, and focuses on child welfare, housing, economic development, and health care. She also has served as associate judge for the Lower Sioux Community in MN and for the Prairie Island Dakota Community Children’s Court.
Sources:
“Susan Allen Factsheet,” Pride Month. Retrieved 11/22/2022, Susan Allen Factsheet v2 (1).pdf
Wikipedia
Photo: Mark Dayton, 7/8/2014. Permissive Use pursuant to Creative Commons license.
Indigenous America Calendar 