歪歪漫画

BEMIDJI 鈥� Tuleah Palmer, a 2000 Bemidji State graduate, will deliver BSU and Northwest Technical College鈥檚 2023 Commencement address as the recipient of the 39th Distinguished Minnesotan award.

First presented in 1981, the Distinguished Minnesotan Award acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States.

A first-generation university graduate from Deer River, Palmer earned her bachelor's degree in applied psychology. Palmer has since spent more than 20 years serving non-profit and human services organizations in northern Minnesota.

"She has dedicated her career to providing social services, advancing racial equity and developing community across northern Minnesota," a release said.

Palmer has served Minnesota as a provider of direct services and advocacy at the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Duluth, victim services coordinator for the Beltrami County Attorney鈥檚 Office, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Leech Lake Area, tribal planner and community development grant writer for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and executive director of the Northwest Indian Community Development Center in Bemidji.

Since 2020, Palmer has overseen grantmaking, community leadership training, public policy initiatives and resource stewardship as president and CEO of the Blandin Foundation in Grand Rapids.

"Palmer鈥檚 skill in establishing and maintaining relationships with municipal, county, state and tribal governments, nonprofits and Minnesota state systems has helped her secure more than $100 million in state and federal grants for community-building projects over her career," the release adds. "Under her leadership, the organizations she has represented have received funding from the Minnesota state legislature more than a dozen times."

BSU and NTC President John Hoffman said in the release that Palmer is "an outstanding BSU alumna who has positively contributed to the region and is an esteemed member of the BSU community."

鈥淧almer's passion for the people of Minnesota is truly remarkable,鈥� Hoffman said. 鈥淪he is a highly-respected leader who has committed her professional career to serving others. At her core is an authentic commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in all of its forms, especially in rural spaces, and this has benefited Minnesotans in meaningful ways.鈥�

Palmer was named the state-wide recipient of the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation鈥檚 Facing Race Statewide Award in 2019. While at the helm of the Northwest Indian Community Development Center, she and the organization received the Bush Prize and a $500,000 grant to address homelessness in Bemidji, including housing for women returning from incarceration. Palmer was named to the Young Women鈥檚 Initiative Executive Council in 2021.

Palmer serves in a variety of advisory roles including the鈥疞egal Services Corporation鈥檚 Rural Justice Task Force, the Governor鈥檚 Council on Economic Expansion,鈥痶he Governor鈥檚 Workforce Development Council and鈥疕ubert Humphrey Institute of Public Policy鈥檚 Future Services Institute.鈥� She also serves on Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank鈥檚 Community Advisory Board.

Palmer鈥檚 address will be delivered in person to BSU and NTC鈥檚 graduating students on Friday, May 5, at the Sanford Center. BSU鈥檚 three graduation ceremonies 鈥� one for each of the university鈥檚 three colleges 鈥� and NTC鈥檚 ceremony will also be streamed online.