Stacey Thunder, well-known Native American producer, actress, television host and attorney, will serve as emcee and host for the nearly sold-out MIGA 25th Anniversary Gala Banquet on Thursday, September 15 at the Intercontinental Hotel St. Paul Riverfront.
The former host of “Native Report,” Thunder now hosts and produces her own video series, “Indigenous with Stacey Thunder.” She was recognized as one of the inaugural “50 Faces of Indian Country” by Indian Country Today Media Network, and as one of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s “40 Under 40” award winners. She is of Red Lake and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe descent.
MIGA Executive Director John McCarthy said nearly 400 guests are expected to attend the gala, including Minnesota tribal officials, state and federal dignitaries, national Indian gaming leaders, tribal vendors and suppliers, and community members.
The festivities begin at 6 pm with a social hour followed by dinner at 7 pm. The program highlights include songs by Dakota and Ojibwe drum groups and a short video telling the story of Minnesota’s tribal-state compacts, the first in the nation to be signed under IGRA.
Scheduled speakers include MIGA Chairman Charles Vig, who also chairs the Shakopee Mdewekanton Sioux Community; National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr.; U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum and John Kline, both members of the House Native American Caucus; U.S. Senator Al Franken, a member of the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee, who will address the group via video message; and John McCarthy. A special keynote speaker will be announced later this week.
A limited number of individual seats are still available for purchase on the MIGA website.