ICWA Blog
Congratulations to Judge Rebekka L. Stumme on receiving the Honorable Robert Blaeser Indian Child Welfare Excellence Award for her dedicated work in advancing Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA)/ Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in the 6th Judicial District Court of Minnesota, also known as the Carlton county ICWA Court and St. Louis county ICWA Court.
She received the award at the State-Tribe Partnership (STP) meeting hosted on the lands of Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe on February 13, 2026. She currently serves as a co-chair of the STP, a group of tribal and state professionals meeting to improve outcomes for American Indian families in Minnesota.
During an interview in fall of 2024 she shared how she centers her approach to MIFPA/ICWA work by saying “I really believe that culture is ultimately is the center of what ICWA Court should be and if you keep that in your brain when you’re struggling with issues or when you’re trying to adapt, you really can’t go wrong in terms of how to remain in fidelity with that model.” Culture is at the center wheel and everything else are spokes from that center.
The award is presented annually by the annually in Minnesota by the Children’s Justice Initiative (CJI) for making a significant contribution for full compliance with MIFPA/ICWA and/or improving the well-being of American Indian children and families who experience the child welfare system.
To hear more from that interview and about Judge Rebekka Stumme’s work as an ICWA Court Judge, listen to the podcast Reclaiming the Child Welfare Narrative by the Capacity Building Center for Tribes.