Under the beating sun on Mount Rainier, surrounded by waterfalls and meadows full of flowers, six-year-old Paulette Jordan used to listen to her uncles tell stories about her great-great-grandfathers and great-great-grandmothers. They were chiefs and leaders—one was the famous Chief Moses of the Sinkiuse-Columbia tribe.
At the University of Washington, Jordan worked as a student activist, ensuring that students from different backgrounds had spaces to come together and develop a sense of community. After college, she was elected to the Tribal Council and worked on the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the National Indian Gaming Association. She served in the Idaho House of Representatives for four years.
Now, Jordan, 38, is running for governor of Idaho, and if she wins, she’ll be the first Native American governor in the United States. She says she often hears, “No, it’s not your time,” and, “No, a woman could never get elected to be the first woman governor in the state,” and, “No indigenous person can be elected governor in the history of the United States.” But she carries with her the persistence of her elders. I recently spoke to Jordan about her storied ancestors, what it was like working in her aunt’s coffee shop, and how her childhood hikes on Mount Rainier influenced her. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
[For more on this story by LOLADE FADULU, go to https://www.theatlantic.com/po...lette-jordan/559592/]
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