Deborah Parker

Activist and Indigenous leader

• Born: 1970
• Birthplace: Tulalip, Washington

Also known as: Tsi-Cy-Altsa, cicayalća

Significance: Deborah Parker is an activist and Indigenous leader in the United States. She served twice as vice-chairperson of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington. She is the co-founder of Indigenous Women Rise, which was formed to join the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. Parker has won numerous awards for her activism and advocacy. As part of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, Parker advocated for tribal court jurisdiction over violent crimes against women involving non-Native Americans on tribal land.

Background

Deborah Parker, also known by her Tulalip name of Tsi-Cy-Altsa or cicayalća, was born in 1970 on the Tulalip Tribes reservation in Washington state. Her mother was Yaqui-Apache and her father was Tulalip. Tulalip means “a bay shaped like a purse,” and refers to the tribes that joined together on the Tulalip Reservation in 1855.

She grew up on the reservation and was taught by her grandmother, who hid her so she would not be taken by government officials to attend a boarding school. Her early-childhood experiences, as well as stories she was told about the education of Native American children, had a direct impact on her future. Parker sought to end the abuses suffered by Native American children through the boarding school education system and break the cycle of poverty and abuse within her community.

In 1999, Parker graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies and sociology. Shortly after graduating, she worked with the Tulalip Tribes to develop social-education programs. For example, the Young Mothers Program offers resources for teen mothers and sexual assault survivors. The Tribal Tobacco Program works with tribe members to encourage responsible tobacco use, while also recognizing the importance of tobacco in tribal culture.

Life’s Work

In 2005, Parker was elected treasurer for Choice & Consequence, a non-profit organization that educates youth about the consequences of their health behaviors. A goal of the group is to help young people make good health choices that will transfer to future generations. Parker has also served as president of the organization. Also in 2005, Parker became a legislative policy analyst for the US Office of Governmental Affairs. Her work with the Young Mothers and Tribal Tobacco programs was said to play key roles in this appointment. As an analyst, Parker focused primarily in the areas of education, finance, health care, and taxation. She held the position until 2012. Parker was outspoken in her hope for Native Americans to become more involved in Washington politics. In 2006, she helped coordinate Native Vote Washington, a group that encourages Native American participation in politics.

In 2012, Parker was a key figure during the passage of the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Specifically, she became involved when she learned that a provision in the act would establish federal protections affirming sovereign authority of tribal governments to exercise criminal jurisdiction over non-Natives who commit violence against Native women on tribal lands. Parker joined Senator Patty Murray’s Violence Against Women Act lobbying effort and spoke candidly of her own experience with sexual assault, as well as how sexual assault has impacted numerous women on tribal land. On March 7, 2013, President Barack Obama signed the reauthorization into law. The act also led to Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction divisions in many tribal governments throughout the nation.

Impact

In 2016, Parker was named to the Democratic National Convention’s Platform Committee. Her goal was to ensure that Native policy initiatives became a part of the Democratic Party’s larger platform. Parker proposed wording to strengthen platform language written regarding tribal nations. Her impassioned argument persuaded committee members and the proposal passed unanimously. In August of 2016, Parker joined the board of directors of Our Revolution. Former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders organized Our Revolution as a grassroots way to help citizens stand up to large corporations. Parker also joined other Tulalip tribal members in protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline, which runs from North Dakota through Illinois. In January of 2017, Parker marched as part of the Women’s March on Washington with members of Indigenous Women Rise. One year later, she participated in the Seattle Women’s March.

In 2019, Parker joined the National Native American Boarding School Healing Corporation as director of policy and advocacy. In her position, she helped coordinate an annual conference honoring survivors of native boarding schools that forced tribal youth to assimilate into Christian society. By 2023, Parker had become the organization’s executive director.

Personal Life

Deborah Parker is married to Myron Dewey, a documentary filmmaker. Dewey is of Paiute and Shoshone descent. Parker is a mother to three children and stepmother to two. They reside in Tulalip, Washington.

Bibliography

Breda, Isabella. “Tulalip Woman Helped Uncover Dark History of Indian Boarding Schools.” Everett Herald, 11 May 2022, www.heraldnet.com/news/tulalip-woman-helped-uncover-dark-history-of-indian-boarding-schools/. Accessed 3 July 2023.

“Deborah Parker.” The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, boardingschoolhealing.org/deborah-parker/. Accessed 3 July 2023.

“Deborah Parker and Dr. Samuel Torres on This Week’s Native Bidaské.” Native News, 1 Feb. 2023, nativenewsonline.net/currents/deborah-parker-and-dr-samuel-torres-on-this-week-s-native-bidaske. Accessed 3 July 2023.

Henne, Corey. “Deborah Parker.” University of Washington, uw.pressbooks.pub/badasswomxninthepnw/chapter/deborah-parker/. Accessed 3 July 2023.

“Report Details Brutal Treatment of Indigenous Children Attending U.S. Boarding Schools.” Public Broadcasting Service, 11 May 2022, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/report-details-brutal-treatment-of-indigenous-children-attending-u-s-boarding-schools. Accessed 3 July 2023.

Rios, Michael. “Tulalips Take Their Stories, Courage and Advocacy to Capital Hill.” Tulalip News, 28 Mar. 2018, www.tulalipnews.com/wp/tag/deborah-parker/. Accessed 3 July 2023.