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| Phyllis Bigpond spent decades working in advocacy for Native American families in Oklahoma, Arizona and Colorado. (Courtesy: Denver Public Library) |
OKMULGEE, Okla. – During her lifetime Phyllis Bigpond (Yuchi) spent over 40 years working in Native American advocacy and community service. Serving Native communities in Arizona, Oklahoma and Colorado, Bigpond made a big impact in the areas she lived in. On April 17 it was announced that the former Ross-Barnum Denver Public Library Branch was renamed the Ross-Phyllis Bigpond Branch Library in honor of her contributions to the community.
Bigpond passed away on September 26, 2009 after battling lymphoma of the brain. She was the recipient of many awards throughout her lifetime including Outstanding Native American Leader by the Association of the American Indian Social Work. She was honored by then Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who proclaimed July 30, 2009 to be Phyllis Bigpond Day.
Bigpond was one of the founding members of the Denver Indian Family Resource Center (DIFRC), along with Lucille Ecohawk (Pawnee), and Dr. Nancy Lucero (Mississippi Choctaw). The center was built in 2000, back when Denver did not offer Indian Child Welfare Act services for urban Native American families. DIFRC offers culturally-connected services with the goal of keeping families together, and connected to their culture.
READ: https://www.mvskokemedia.com/denver-library-renamed-after-mvskoke-activist/
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