• Without our languages we could lose our sovereignty.
• This is the home of the Ojibwe and Dakota languages. If our languages are lost from here, where would we go to find them?
• The best way to save a language from extinction is to start with children.
• The culture, spirituality, and values of a people are embedded in their language. These values and concepts are revitalized when the language is revitalized.
• The Dakota and Ojibwe languages were violently taken away from the people. Reclaiming our languages is a step in bringing back our positive self-identity and healing.
• "Connecting to our inner identity is a cornerstone of where we must go, language is part of that cornerstone." --John Poupart
• Research shows that students in an immersion program have a greater success rate in school and consistent measurable improvement on local and national measures of achievement.
• As Minnesota's first languages, Dakota and Ojibwe are important assets to Minnesota and to the world's linguistic resources.

Photo: Children learn about animals and their activities in Ojibwe, Cherish the Children site