Welcome and Meal
At the Nebraska public engagement sessions, full meals and $50 gift cards were provided to all public participants.
Judges from the Nebraska Consortium of Tribal, State, and Federal Courts, including Nebraska State Supreme Court judges, welcomed engagement participants and provided a brief project overview. The facilitators focused on making participants feel welcome, setting expectations, and explaining the engagement process.
Known and well-respected Native American leaders from each of the community settings offered a traditional prayer to set the tone for the meetings. The prayer was followed by a full meal for all participants, because it is a tradition that food be part of any Native American event. The prayer and meal reflected the desire of the Nebraska team and its stakeholder partners to be respectful of community traditions. Food for meals was obtained by catering or bringing in from area food establishments. Drinks and coffee were sometimes made on site when the site accommodations allowed.