Spotlight - - Two related (partnered) companies, which claim to be Native American Owned and Operated, but are not:

Re: Nelson Worldwide, (https://www.nelsonworldwide.com/)
CEO:            Mr. John “Ozzie” Nelson Jr.
Key Issue:    Nelson Worldwide is NOT a Native American operated company, or a minority operated company, since it has a white male in charge.

Re: Windward Engineers and Consultants, (https://windwardec.com/)
President:    Mr. Michael Clements
Key Issue:   Windward E. & C. is NOT a Native American operated company, or a minority operated company, since it has a white male in charge.

Mr. John “Ozzie” Nelson Jr. and Mr. Michael Clements are falsely profiting from the use of the "Native American Owned" label by leading supposedly "Native American" firms.

The Details - - Two Principal Issues That Must be Challenged:

(1.)  Money was taken away from the poorest of Native Americans.  Windward and Nelson have taken Investment monies from a Native American Tribal Council, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux of Minnesota.  Traditionally, money that came from the Sioux's Mystic Lake Gambling Casino, was shared with all Native American indigenous peoples who were of the Lakota-Sioux tribes.  Now, the Sioux Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota (for example) is even poorer than before.  Windward and Nelson should give the money back to the tribal council.

(2.)  Windward and Nelson are intentionally characterizing their companies as "minority-owned", in order to be first in line for government set-aside minority contracts.  The employees of Windward and Nelson are actually "pretend Indians"; there's not a real Native American in any of their offices.  However, since both companies accepted investment monies from the Lakota-Sioux, they try to claim they are minority-owned.  This has the effect of pushing real minorities (like African Americans) further down the list.  Windward and Nelson should be forced to give up their claim to "minority-owned" status.

References:

https://www.hcn.org/articles/tribal-affairs-how-pretendians-undermine-the-rights-of-indigenous-people

https://www.nelsonworldwide.com/our-organization/

https://windwardec.com/michael-clements-joins-as-director-of-operations/

https://www.windward-ec.com

https://tribalbusinessnews.com/sections/economic-development/13341-shakopee-mdewakanton-sioux-invests-in-windward-engineers

https://www.swnewsmedia.com/prior_lake_american/news/smsc-invests-in-windward-engineers-consultants-forms-ownership-group/article_1fb068d7-0a4b-5dbe-ad25-2ced21555570.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/09/us/more-casinos-and-internet-gambling-threaten-shakopee-tribe.html

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-12-31/native-american-tribes-alabama-minority-contracts

https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-na-cherokee-minority-contracts-20190626-story.html

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/government-to-scrutinize-contractors-who-claimed-native-american-ancestry-without-basis/

https://fundbox.com/blog/get-certified-minority-business-enterprise/

What you can do - - Write to your Congressman:

(1.) House of Representatives:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

(2.) U.S. Senate:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Sample Email Content:

Dear (Senator)/(Congressman):

I am one of your constituents from (town/city), (State)

I am writing today to express my concern over Federal Contracts given to
"Pretend Indians".   We must protect the rights of authentic Indigenous people,
and not allow profiteers to falsely claim minority status.

It's wrong when an all-white company claims to be "Indian Owned" and
"Indian Operated".

I want to particularly call your attention to the companies highlighted here:
https://www.native-american-business.org

Please do something about this outrage.

Sincerely,

(your name)