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Reynelda James
elder in Paiute tribe
"I receive a lot of telephone calls from women all over the state. When they?re troubled, I pray with them over the phone, with prayers from my heart. And many come to the house. A grandmother?s house is where everyone gathers,. I always have a pot cooking for whoever comes."
Reynelda James, an elder in the Paiute Tribe of Nevada, is a cheerful grandmother rooted in a wise and still spirit. She is also a pioneer for women's advancement within her tribe. Eight years ago she instituted an annual women's support group conference for women and girls of all ages belonging to her tribe and to nearby reservations. An informal family and marriage counselor, she always has a pot of soup on the stove to receive the regular flow of visitors at her door. She has spearheaded a group of women elders to encourage young women on the reservation to continue their education first, and then return to contribute back to the tribe.
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