Do Your Homework

Matty Rams, Highway Safety Specialist, Miccosukee Police Department

When jurisdictions come to the table wanting to work with tribal governments, I always say the same thing: Come prepared and open-minded. Too many times, people walk in thinking it’s business as usual—and it’s not. Tribal communities, especially the more traditional ones like the Miccosukee, have very specific ways of doing things that are rooted in history, sovereignty and culture. If you don’t do your homework ahead of time, you’re already off on the wrong foot.

I’m not tribal myself—I’m Cuban—but I’ve worked closely with the Miccosukee for years as a highway safety specialist. And I’ll tell you, one of my first big mistakes was walking into a meeting wearing all black. I had no idea that, in their tradition, that’s a big no-no. It was a lesson in humility and a wake-up call about just how much I didn’t know. The thing is, there aren’t books you can grab off a shelf to teach you these things. You’ve got to talk to people. Reach out. Ask questions. Learn about the tribe’s history, what they’ve been through and what matters most to them.

Every tribe is different. Miccosukee is more traditional; Seminole is more modernized. So the way you approach each tribe needs to be tailored. Sovereignty isn’t just a word—it means something. It’s protection. It’s identity. When jurisdictions don’t understand that, or try to bypass it, they lose trust fast.

“One thing I know for sure: If jurisdictions want to work with tribal authorities, they have to go to them. We can’t sit back and expect tribes to show up at our conferences or to join our webinars. We have to meet them where they are—literally and figuratively.”

Tara Casanova Powell, CEO, Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals

Relationships take time. We’ve built mutual aid agreements with Collier and Broward counties, but it wasn’t overnight. It’s been years of back-and-forth, of building trust, of going back to the drawing board. But when both sides come with respect and good intentions, anything is possible. These collaborations aren’t just helpful—they’re necessary. Our department used to rely on a dispatch system from the 1970s. Everything was manual. We couldn’t even pull accurate traffic stats. Without data, you can’t get funding. Without funding, you can’t grow. It’s a cycle.

One relationship that really works is with our law enforcement liaison in Florida. They’ve made an effort. They invite us to meetings, they share information, they include us in state-level campaigns. They’ve shown up on the reservation. That kind of openness matters.

At the end of the day, it’s about respect—respect for the past, the tribe’s traditions and the process. If you’re not willing to do that, you’re not ready to work with us.

Go to Them

Tara Casanova Powell, CEO, Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals (ATSIP)

I don’t pretend to have all the answers—I’m still learning every day. But one thing I know for sure: If jurisdictions want to work with tribal authorities, they have to go to them. We can’t sit back and expect tribes to show up at our conferences or to join our webinars. We have to meet them where they are—literally and figuratively.

What’s worked for me is building trust through presence. Face-to-face matters. Tribes want to know who you are, what you can offer and whether you’re going to stick around. That’s why I keep showing up. I attend their conferences, regional meetings and committee gatherings. I go to their Transportation Research Board (TRB) committee meetings. They see me, again and again. That consistency says: I’m serious, and I care.

ATSIP, in conjunction with other partners, is in the planning stages to provide peer-to-peer workshops where tribes can learn from each other in person in their own regions. We’re getting outside funding to make these sessions accessible and community-based.

I also try to make it personal. At the Lifesavers Conference, we had a tribal task force meeting. I didn’t say, “Email me if you want more information.” I said, “If your name is on this sign-in sheet, I’m going to reach out to you—unless you put a star next to your name.” No one added that star. That tells me they value follow-up and appreciate when someone takes the initiative.

I’m honest with them. I tell them I don’t know what you need. I haven’t walked your roads or driven your vehicles, but I’m here to listen and find ways to help—whether that’s through my organization (ATSIP) or by tapping into our partners and stakeholders. We waited to ensure that we had the infrastructure and stakeholders at the table that could help support tribal communities before we made promises. Now, we have the capacity to deliver, and we’re ready.

At the end of the day, this work is about humility, commitment and collaboration. Tribal communities know what they need. Our job is to show up, listen and follow through.

Start Small, Build Trust

Todd Mulvey, Roads Program Manager, Forest County Potawatomi 

Nine years ago, when the Forest County Potawatomi Community hired me, at their direction, I started going to local town and county meetings and really listened. That’s where trust begins. You don’t get much done without relationships, and those take time.

Early on, the tribe realized that their tribal roads program could support local projects through the federal Tribal Transportation Program. What a lot of people don’t realize is that these funds can be applied to a wide range of routes—not just tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) roads, but also town roads, state highways and even U.S. highways, if they’re included in the tribe’s route inventory. So the tribe expanded theirs, adding town, county and even forest service roads. That increased their inventory to about 350 miles, making more projects eligible for federal funding.

One of the first wins was a dangerous intersection on Highway 8. Early on in my time with the tribe, they directed me to focus on safety improvements at a specific intersection where we noticed the sightline was terrible—only about 300 feet looking left. We worked with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) to apply for a safety improvement grant, and it got funded. That kicked off everything.

Over the years, the tribe has built a strong partnership with the WisDOT and the Inter-Tribal Task Force. That group includes all 11 tribes in Wisconsin and meets regularly. We share knowledge, host conferences and have liaisons in each WisDOT region. Shortly after I started working for the tribe, they designated me as their representative on the task force.

The tribe has also signed agreements with two local towns—Lincoln and Wabeno—so they can coordinate services like snow plowing. Those agreements came out of COVID-era concerns but have grown into quarterly leadership meetings. That face-to-face communication clears up misconceptions and helps us proactively work together.

None of this would’ve happened without that early groundwork—listening, building trust and finding ways to help each other. If jurisdictions want to partner with tribes, our advice is simple: Start small, show up and keep showing up.