I don't think anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future.

One of the things my parents taught me, and I'll always be grateful as a gift, is to not ever let anybody else define me; that for me to define myself. and I think that helped me a lot in assuming a leadership position.

If you argue with a fool, someone passing by will not be able to tell who is the fool and who is not.

A significant number of people believe tribal people still live and dress as they did 300 years ago. During my tenure as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, national news agencies requesting interviews sometimes asked if they could film a tribal dance or if I would wear traditional tribal clothing for the interview. I doubt they asked the president of the United States to dress like a pilgrim for an interview.

I want to be remembered as the person who helped us restore faith in ourselves.

A lot of young girls have looked to their career paths and have said they'd like to be chief. There's been a change in the limits people see.

I learned a long time ago that I can't control the challenges the creator sends my way, but I can control the way I think about them and deal with them