IMPACT AWARD
Grace Gillette
Ms. Gillette has been a Denver resident for 52 years. She has been actively involved in the Denver Indian Community by serving on boards of directors, and as speaker, panelist, emcee, and head dancer. She maintains close ties to her familial home in North Dakota by participating in traditional ceremonies and other events. She participates in the Atonement Lutheran Church, the Fort Berthold Native American Church Chapter, and Dead Grass Society. Grace has been the Executive Director for the Denver March Powwow (DMPW) for 33 years. Under her leadership, the DMPW has received many accolades and awards. She is most proud of the DMPW permanent exhibits in the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. She has been blessed by being named in "Who's Who in Denver Business" and was selected as one of “Denver’s 150." Grace was honored to bestow a traditional blessing upon Mayor Hancock at his first inauguration. The American Indian College Fund named her "Elder of the Year." She was inducted into the Denver & Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame. Ms. Gillette gave the keynote address for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Luncheon which provided an opportunity to share her culture. In the 32 years of the event, she was the second woman and first Native American to be keynote speaker. The National Indian Council on Aging prepared a 11-minute video of her life, “SwaHuux, Following Grandma’s Path,” which is on YouTube. Dance/USA virtually presented her with their Trustee Award in March 2021 for her work in the field of dance.
