For the past six years, I have had the privilege of working with a fabulous team here at the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation. During my time here I have seen first-hand the effort Cindy Logsdon puts into all she does for Indian Country not only locally but on the regional and national levels as well. Many of you have met Cindy either through her work as a lender here at the CPCDC or behind the scenes with the various organizations she works with advocating for Indian Country. Today I would like to spotlight our CDFI heroine and brag on her just for a moment. Please feel free to show Cindy some love by leaving a “shout out” to her on our social media pages.
Cindy has worked for the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation for 15 years, promoting through the ranks from Community Development Specialist to Chief Compliance and Finance Officer. Her commitment to the CPCDC and its mission to promote entrepreneurial growth, economic opportunity and the financial well-being of the Native community is inspiring.
During her time at the CPCDC Cindy has been instrumental in helping raise over $77 million in operating and loan capital, from 28 different funding sources. These funds have allowed the CPCDC to deploy more loans to Native owned businesses across Indian Country than ever before. As of 2018 Fiscal Year End the organization reached self-sufficiency and is the only Native CDFI to receive funds from the U.S. Treasury CDFI Bond Guarantee program and participate in the Community Facilities Lending program through the USDA.
Realizing the significant power of the advocate’s voice on Capitol Hill, Cindy’s advocacy journey on a national level begin in earnest with her involvement with the Native CDFI Network. NCN was formed in 2009 to unify Native CDFIs serving Native trust land communities and America’s Indigenous people. Cindy became involved with the NCN very early on in its development and has done her part to support its advocacy initiatives throughout the years. Cindy has served as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the NCN for the past 6 years and has worked tirelessly through a recent change in leadership to help ensure a smooth transition of power.
On the Regional level, Cindy is heavily involved with, and has served as the Secretary of the Board for the Oklahoma Native Asset Coalition for the last several years. A nonprofit Native asset building coalition, ONAC works with tribes and other partners to establish asset-building initiatives and programs in Native communities across the state. ONAC strives to create greater opportunities for the economic self-sufficiency of tribal citizens and Cindy takes every opportunity not only to support those initiatives across the state but to also bring them back home to her own Native community. Through her involvement with ONAC, Logsdon spearheaded Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and Child Savings Account (CSAs) programs through the CPCDC making a difference for around 300 families in her Native community.
Speaking of her experience working with these programs Cindy said, “It was time intensive and took a lot of effort, but it fills your heart up when you see lightbulbs going off and people making changes in their lives. That’s the feel good stuff.” IDA participant Angela Franklin had this to say “When I started I was a stay-at-home mom with no credit, last year we were able to buy a home. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without this program and CPCDC’s guidance. Cindy has an open door. You can call and ask her anything. She is very helpful and very friendly, your success is her success.”
Cindy also serves her local community as the Secretary of the Local Tecumseh FFA and 4-H Booster Clubs, and she is very proud of the work those organizations have done at their local levels. More than one morning has seen her sliding into work for the morning shift having already put in time caring for the animals or various other tasks at the FFA barn as her children participated in various FFA activities throughout the years.
Cindy has been married for twenty-seven years to William “Billy” Logsdon, a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Billy’s mother, Mary Ruth Madole Deathrage, is a tribal elder of the Anderson family. Cindy has raised three children in the Native community and has seen first-hand the impact programs focused on building and advocating for Indian Country can have on a tribal community. For Cindy it is personal, she has a vested interest in seeing her community not only survive but to see it thrive, so she throws herself into everything she does for Indian Country.
Continuing her advocacy role over the next few years, Cindy hopes to be able to influence policy around Native issues. She would also like to see more partnerships happen between Native CDFIs, training together and learning from each other. A mentor at heart she hopes to help other Native CDFIs build capacity through sharing her experience and expertise in the industry. Cindy has nothing but the best at heart for all of Indian Country and we are honored to have her on our team here at the CPCDC.
To find out more about her work here in the heart of Indian Country and what we do at the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation contact us at (405) 878-4697 or visit www.cpcdc.org .