Meet the 2023 Catawba Nation Election Nominees: Jackie Bagley
"Like my mother and grandmother, I promise to help care for ALL Catawba Citizens."
Update (May 10, 2023): This and other articles has been updated to reflect the title of “nominee” rather than “candidate”. Sources from the Catawba Nation Longhouse have advised that the final list of candidates may not be available until late May 2023.
UPDATE (April 20, 2023, 7:47 PM): As of April 17, 2023, Jackie has withdrawn her candidacy for the 2023 Catawba Nation Elections.
Editor's Note: Catawba Future is publishing these statements word for word as received through our Catawba Nation Election Candidate Survey - no edits have been made. Our goal is to provide transparent insight directly to Catawba Citizens from Catawba Nation election candidates independent of the Catawba Nation tribal government. The candidate responses have been verified by phone to ensure they are straight from the source. The responses of the candidates represent their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of the Catawba Future team. This article is not intended nor should be interpreted to endorse any specific candidate.
Jackie Bagley is the first nominee for the office of Chief to respond to our survey. Check out her responses to our questions below:
What is the most important issue for your platform in this election?
I want to do a deep dive into why we haven’t built houses on the reservation in 20 years. I don’t know the answer, but I’m determined to find out why. Then I’m going to fix it! Throughout my time working on the reservation, I have seen some homes that are major health and safety hazards. That is not ok! We need accessible and affordable housing for all. One thing I will focus on in this area is senior housing. We have a responsibility to take care of our elders. They deserve a home that is safe, clean, and accessible to their needs. Ultimately, I would love to see the option for a senior living community, where they could have the community, safety, and ease that they deserve.
What do you believe qualifies you to be elected for this position?
I CARE about my people and the future of my tribe. I have always cared. Even when I was away in Charleston, I cared. I knew I needed to come home and help take care of my people.
My caring nature comes from a line of strong Catawba women. I watched my mother work within the tribal healthcare system and make home visits to people in need. My mother learned how to care for others from my grandmother. If you were hungry, you were told to go to my grandma Francis’ house. Her table always had room for knees. She fed everyone who came around– the transient, the homeless, the drug addicts, those down on their luck. Like my mother and grandmother, I promise to help care for ALL Catawba Citizens.
What do you feel you can do for the Catawba Tribe?
I can improve the lives of the Catawba people through improving their environment. The land and the river have always been an integral part of Catawba life, and I know that as we work to clean up the land we have ownership over, we will see an increase in the quality of life of our people. When the environment is clean, you feel good about yourself and your community can focus on what matters.
I am also determined to help create an EC that focuses less on drama and more on transparency. We may not always agree on everything, but I believe that the EC must be open and honest about what is happening in the Catawba Nation and create and adhere to policies that work to benefit our people. Through this transparency we can build a trust in our government that will trickle down to our citizens to create a more peaceful community.
What steps would you take to build Citizen trust in Catawba institutions?
As stated above, transparency is something that is very important to me and something that will go a long way to build citizen trust in Catawba Institutions. I also think that it is important to make sure that positions within our institutions are filled with qualified people that can do the jobs that we need them to do. With the introduction of Indian gaming, our success is dependent on having competent people within our tribal government. Our foundation must be strong as we face the changes gaming will bring to our tribe.
It is important to me that the EC supports the employees of the Nation and ensures that they have the resources and training they need to be successful. Members of the EC should be the first on the job site and the last to leave, welcoming their team to work each day. As the EC sets a standard and keeps that standard, everything else will fall into place. They need to know their people and their Nation.
What do you believe is the best way for the Executive Committee to stay in touch with Catawba Citizens?
The EC should communicate with citizens in every possible way. Social media is great for the younger generation and is a fantastic way to get them involved and informed. However, we also have to remember our seniors and those who oftentimes feel neglected and left out of the loop. Personal visits to the senior center would go a long way as well as printed flyers and mail. It’s important to remember that every citizen matters and everyone deserves to get information in a timely manner.
What's one policy or project you would work to implement during your time in office?
We’ve got to figure out our housing. One of the first things I would like to do is find out how to fix this problem and get all of our citizens in clean, safe, and affordable housing. As a carpenter, I know how to build houses, but as chief, I would begin a deep dive into how to fund this project and all the behind the scenes work that would need to be done to get our people the housing they need.
What is your favorite food?
Anything that my partner makes– especially her blueberry pancakes.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
All my life experiences have led me here. I have loved working for the Catawba Nation and would be sad to leave my position as Director of Construction and Facilities, but I know that now is a critical time in our Nation’s history and our people need someone who will work hard to lead us in the right direction.
I have always made a point to take care of my own life and everyone in it, and I know I can care for the Catawba people too. I’m sure I will make mistakes and we won’t agree on everything, but I want to help take care of you as my people.