About Us

Our Mission

Nashke Native Games mission is to increase awareness of Ojibwe language and culture through gameplay. By supporting Nashke games you help support the culture/language acquisition and education of Native Individuals.

Nashke Games donates a portion of our profits to Native youth in the form of scholarships and other investments into the Native American community.

Our Vision

Nashke Native Games aims to be an integral part of language and culture acquisition for Native American communities so that Native Languages and Culture are known to all.

Our Values

  • Authenticity and Transparency

    doing things the right way. In the gathering of the knowledge and teachings that are shared through our games

  • Play and Wonder

    as the basis for building connection to the knowledge we aspire to communicate through our games

  • Education and Wisdom

    protect our language and customs from becoming extinct

  • Support and Community

    to support our communities' cultural empowerment.

Our Team

Chinoodin (Tony Drews)

FOUNDER & CEO

Tony is a first generation descendent from Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag (Leech Lake band of Ojibwe). His Indian name is Chi-Noodin (Big Wind) He is sturgeon clan and a lifelong student of our culture and Language. Tony has worked in the Native American community his whole professional career.

Tony worked at Ain Dah Yung as the Residential Director and oversaw operations of their Native American youth homeless emergency shelter and transitional living shelter. Tony was also Vice President of Operations for Circle of Life Anishinaabe Home Care.

Tony spent 5 years working with Anoka-Hennepin Schools as the Indian Education Advisor. He now works as a Program Coordinator, and he leads the American Indian Family Empowerment Fund at the Tiwahe Foundation, in addition to being the Founder and President of Nashke Native Games.

Tony attended the University of Minnesota and studied Sociology, American Indian Studies, and the Ojibwe Language.  Tony is Happily married to his wife Kathy and has three children. Tony is a recent Finnovation Fellow and sits on the Board of Directors for the Anoka Hennepin Educational Foundation and is on the Anoka-Hennepin American Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee.

Waapishki Kiisis Ikwe (Mindy Meyers)

CO-FOUNDER & COO

Mindy is a beginning level Ojibwe Language Teacher. She co-developed and co-teaches two levels of Ojibwe Immersion with an Elder from Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, and has worked on the Anishinaabemowin Facilitator Program (supporting first language speakers in developing their teaching methodologies) through the Seven Generations Education Institute in Ontario.

Through her work, she has provided curriculum and course development support for the Ojibwe Language Program through the Minneapolis American Indian Center - Culture Language Arts Network, where she also taught beginner level language classes, led language tables, and substitute taught intermediate classes. Mindy has been a consultant, providing curriculum and program support for the Wicoie Nandagikendan Immersion Preschool and working with Ojibwemotaadidaa Omaa Gidakiiminaang on various curriculum projects and most recently as the Parent Advocate, Media Specialist, and Program Support for Gookonaanig Endaawaad, their tri-generational Ojibwe Family Language Immersion Nest.

Mindy graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, and a Minor in American Indian Studies. Mindy holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. After 10 years as an Indian Education Advisor, Mindy has taken on the role of Indian Education Program Coordinator for Anoka-Hennepin Schools.

Sophie Glass

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Sophie is Ethiopian, Ojibwe, and Dakota heritage, and is an enrolled member of the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe, with her Dakota family residing in Fort Peck.

With a strong background in administrative assistance spanning four years, Sophie brings invaluable experience to our team. She has previously collaborated with notable figures such as Rachel Pedersen, a renowned social media and marketing coach, and is currently contracted with Bizaanide’ewin.

As our administrative assistant, Sophie is instrumental in streamlining our processes and managing crucial behind-the-scenes tasks.

Let’s connect.

Nashke Games aims to transform Ojibwe culture and language into reimagined-traditional, and contemporary gameplay to support Ojibwe language and culture preservation, acquisition, and revitalization.

The story behind our logo

The Nashke Native Games brand is as deeply rooted in culture as its mission. The logo was inspired by Anishinaabe petroglyphs which embody the gestural nature of play.

The figure is both celebratory and inviting, welcoming everyone to the table to play, practice language, and build new connections through cultural teachings.