By Brandy Lemon
Greetings, fellow Osages! I humbly announce my re-election campaign to serve you in the Osage Nation Congress for a second term.
Reflection: My first term is coming to an end, and I sincerely thank you – my people and our great Nation, and my colleagues who accepted and brought me into the fold – for allowing me to serve as an advocate for ALL. I hold in high esteem those who blazed the trail before me, working to make our Nation stronger. As I listened with an open mind, respecting and heeding advice, I quickly improved on my humility, per- severance, and graciousness. A most valued lesson I learned is “…don’t allow the failure of legislation to affect you so intently you find yourself unable to overcome arrogance. Be still, be empathetic, be sincere – reflect and persevere through thoughtful kindness.”
My congressional attendance record initiative I campaigned on four years ago was successful with a rule change requiring attendance record-keeping for session and committee meetings to be easily accessible to constituents. Records can be viewed on our Legislative webpage.
If I am honored with your vote and elected to a second term, I will continue to advocate for:
• Strengthening food sovereignty through food code legislation
• Supporting economic diversification through our LLCs
• Reclaiming our ancestral lands
• Expanding services for our Elders beyond assisted living; Elders deserve programs tailored to their needs
• Protecting our Minerals Estate, Language, and Traditional practices
• Support our education initiatives
• Maintaining a diplomatic relationship with the Executive Branch
• Improving full circle holistic healthcare that encompasses all aspects of our mind, body, cultural belief, and spirits
Food Sovereignty: The way we look at the world today – for many if not all of us – has changed. Our lives, blindsided by the pandemic, led me to realize how fragile and dependent we all are on the national food and grocery supply chains and many other supply chains impacted. This dependence on outside sources is why we need to address self-sustaining food sovereignty.
Safe Water: I firmly believe we all deserve safe water. Surprisingly, we still have Osage citizens with no access to well water or rural water hook-ups. I will propose a Safe Water Act to assess the current water infrastructure and discover what we need to work toward to ensure our citizens have safe running water.
Currently, I am working on legislation concerning beekeeping, industrial hemp, and livestock. If passed, this will lay the framework for potential job opportunities and future economic profits for our Nation. I am asking for your continued support and vote so we can keep moving our people forward in a positive, collaborative, and kind effort. Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to continue this conversation with you on May 1st at 2 p.m. at my campaign dinner in Gray Horse.
For more information, please visit my campaign page on Facebook, facebook.com/BrandyLemonForCongress, or feel free to email me at bran- dylemon1797@gmail.com and let me know what’s important to you. Together, we can make a difference.
Editor’s Note: Candidate statements and announcements are not edited by the Osage News. They are a free submission offered to candidates of the 2022 Osage Nation General Election.
