Tune into WOL 1450 AM, 95.9 FM or the WOL Livestream on November 21 at 10:30 am EST for Everything Co-op, hosted by Vernon Oakes. In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Vernon will interview Pamela Standing, Executive Director of the Minnesota Indigenous Business Alliance. They will explore strategies the alliance employs to connect Indigenous business owners with resources.
Pamela Standing’s experience demonstrates that Indigenous-run organizations and businesses can thrive, achieve financial growth and succeed within the mainstream business system without sacrificing their cultural values. She is committed to bridging the disparity gap through cooperative efforts, collaboration, and establishing partnerships and alliances that lead to resource sharing.
In 2007, Standing co-founded the Minnesota Indian Business Alliance to address the scarcity of native-owned businesses and development in the state. Standing has a bachelor’s degree in Education and an MBA in International Business and Law. She is a member of the Cherokee Nation.
Our host, Vernon Oakes, is a dedicated advocate for cooperatives and was honored with induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame in 2024. He is the Past President of the National Association of Housing Cooperatives and has contributed to numerous boards and committees to further cooperative interests. His involvement also extends to the Limited Equity Cooperative Task Force, initiated by Anita Bonds, an At-Large Member of the Council of the District of Columbia. As an MBA graduate from Stanford University, Vernon has applied his business expertise to serve the community, championing the cooperative business model’s unique benefits.