Sister community program connects Cherokees across the country

Relationships make the world go round. And that’s exactly why Cherokee Nation’s Community and Cultural Outreach Department helped foster connections between at-large Cherokee communities and local nonprofit groups within the tribe’s boundaries. This “sister community” effort was started to provide community organizations, both local and at-large, an opportunity to exchange ideas, knowledge and resources.

At our annual CCO conference, we hosted a networking session that offered local and national organization leaders the chance to get to know each other and share their missions and objectives. At the end of this session, they paired up to form sister communities, and those connections are still alive and thriving. CCO facilitated the partnerships, but the communities themselves have done all the hard work of outreach and maintaining contact. Additionally through CCO, we are able to offer grants for the local community groups to send out one or two representatives from their organization to visit their sister community and do a presentation for them.

Having a sister community keeps Cherokee organizations connected, as they send each other their newsletters and flyers and simply keep in touch with their mutual needs. If one of the groups is doing a fundraiser, then the other might help out in some way with a donation. If an organization is doing a coat drive or an Angel project, we’ve seen the sister community also do a coat drive and send the collected coats to the sister community or adopt several Angels. It’s Cherokees helping Cherokees.

The Mt. Hood Cherokees in Portland, Oregon, and the Stilwell Friends of the Library here in Adair County have established a strong bond of friendship and communication. These sister communities have come to understand the importance of connecting through Cherokee partnerships, as they continue to visit in person and exchange cultural, historical and social information.

When we had extreme flooding here in 2016, the Neighborhood Association of Chewey opened their community building to shelter flood victims. Their sister community in Houston sent gift cards to NAC for them to distribute to Cherokees in need. It wasn’t long before NAC was able to return the favor. When Houston sustained damage from Hurricane Harvey in 2017, NAC and others here in northeast Oklahoma quickly collected supplies. Our CCO team hauled two large cargo trailers of donated supplies to Houston, and the Cherokee Nation at-large group in Houston organized the distribution on site.

Today, we have 25 organized at-large Cherokee communities through CCO. Not every group has found a sister just yet, but our goal this year at the upcoming CCO conference is to make sure that all of our at-large groups have a sister community.

The current CCO sister communities include:

• Central OK Cherokee Alliance (Oklahoma City, OK) and Webbers Falls Museum
• Central Texas Cherokee Township (Austin, TX) and Adair Co Historical Society
• Cherokee Citizens League of Southeast Texas (Houston, TX) and Cherokee Elders
• Cherokee Community of Central California (Bakersfield, CA) and Muldrow Cherokee Community
• Cherokee Community of North Texas (Dallas, TX) and ORCO
• Cherokee Community of Puget Sound (Seattle, WA) and Jeremiah 29
• Cherokee Society of the Greater Bay Area (San Francisco, CA) and Cherokees for Black Indian History Preservation
• Cherokee Township of San Antonio (San Antonio, TX) and Tailholt
• Colorado Cherokee Circle and Brushy Cherokee Community
• Cherokee of the Greater Central Valley (Fresno) and Mid County Community Org
• Greater Wichita Area Cherokee Community (Wichita, KS) and Tahlequah Men’s Shelter
• Kansas City Cherokees (Kansas City, MO) and Vian Peace Center
• Mt. Hood Cherokees (Portland, OR) and Stilwell Public Library Friends Society
• Tsa-La-Gi LA (Los Angeles, CA) and Cherokees for Black Indian History Preservation
• Valley of the Sun Cherokees (Phoenix, AZ) and Indian Women’s Pocahontas Club
• Capital City Cherokees (Washington, DC) and Stilwell Public Library Friends Society

For more information about Cherokee Nation’s CCO department, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CNCCO/.

 

Read More

180th anniversary is time to reflect and look forward

On March 24 we commemorate the 180th anniversary of the end of the infamous Trail of Tears with a National Day of Remembrance. On this day in 1839, the last detachment of our ancestors’ forced removal from their homelands in the southeast region of the United States occurred as they marched to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. We remember and honor the sacrifices and untold hardships of our ancestors. Those who completed the trek and those who perished on that brutal journey will always remain in our hearts and in our minds.

Their indomitable spirit to live despite the odds stacked against them enabled them to survive the treacherous journey. It is that same spirit that allowed them to rise above and to create a new home for themselves and their children. It is that the same spirit that enabled them to rebuild our nation. It is that same spirit that lives on in each of us. It is that same spirit that allows us to ensure the great Cherokee Nation we have today is an even better tomorrow for our children and for generations to come.

During the Trail of Tears, an estimated 4,000 Cherokees perished along the way, which represented about one quarter of our tribe. The grit and determination of our ancestors allowed them to not only survive adversity, despair and grief, but it empowered them to thrive. That sense of where we come from and who we are is deeply rooted in who we are as Cherokee people.

It is especially poignant to be commemorating the anniversary because this year during the annual Cherokee Days gathering at the Smithsonian National Museum of American Indian in Washington, D.C., the Treaty of New Echota, the legal document that paved the way for the forced removal of our ancestors, will be on public display. For the first time in recent history, selected pages from the actual signed treaty will be available for viewing.

It is the sacrifices of our ancestors that have made Cherokee Nation the strong nation it is today. As a country, we do a poor job of educating our youth on the bright moments of our past and the dark periods of injustice against Native people as the birth of America evolved. I know we can improve on that in Oklahoma – telling our story, teaching our children the history and traditions of tribes.

After removal, the Cherokee people re-established our government in modern-day Oklahoma. We recreated our school systems and re-established our courts. Our newspaper began to print again and informed citizens of events and the day’s news. We rebuilt one of history’s most sophisticated societies in a new and unfamiliar land. But we will always remember who we are. We will never forget. We, as a nation, will always honor our ancestors and the sacrifices they made. As Cherokee people, we are stronger today than ever before.

Read More

Sovereign rights at stake in ICWA case

Native children are removed from their homes at a higher rate than most of their peers. Nonetheless, in the recent Texas v. Bernhardt case, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that the Indian Child Welfare Act is unconstitutional because it is race based. The ruling stated that ICWA was unenforceable.
 
Sadly, this is a blatant attempt to once again strike tribes in our most vulnerable but most vital area by misleading the public about the purpose of this important Federal Act. In reality, ICWA has nothing to do with race but rather was enacted to preserve Native families, protect the unique citizenship rights of Native children and defend the sovereignty of tribal governments. I pray we prevail in the appeal of this legal obstacle course because there is so much at stake.


Aside from the statistics in relation to the removal of Native children, there is a fundamental disconnect when it comes to the rights of Native children to maintain their connection to their family, their tribe and all that their tribe has to offer.
  
The violation of ICWA for any reason not only harms the children’s connection with their tribal government but is also detrimental to future generations of Cherokee children. Time and time again, the deep-pocketed entities opposing ICWA cry out discrimination, but in all cases involving the removal of Native children, the bottom line is about human rights. Native children have the inherent right to remain with their family, and all that his or her tribe has to offer.
 
As we have seen through centuries of broken treaties, our sovereignty as a tribal nation is all too often ignored, the rights of our citizens trampled, compromising our very existence as a tribe. The breach of ICWA in the Texas v. Bernhardt decision is no different. It targets the very lifeline of tribes: our children.
 
Somehow, it’s very ironic that those afforded “white privilege” are the first ones to cry discrimination in this case and others involving ICWA. It’s become an all-too-familiar ploy when a dominant force attempts to control a population.


Even if you cannot take on the responsibility of raising a child, there are always other ways to help. One of the most impactful roles you can take is to be a vocal advocate. Cherokee voices must be heard loud and clear: our children are our hope, our strength and our future. They are not for the taking.
 
We need all tribal people to stand strong and stand up for our Native children and do it now before the entire ICWA is dismantled. We must be the children’s voices where they have none. Those Cherokees who have gone on before us are counting on you and me to deliver our sacred promise to the next seven generations. Do not let this generation or the next slip through the cracks.

I vow, as the Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation, that we will continue to devote the necessary resources to defending this most important law, and we will continue to be a leader in Indian Country, fighting for our children to remain with their families and their tribe.

Read More

Celebrating strong Cherokee women

During March we celebrate Women’s History Month, honoring the enormous contributions Cherokee women have made throughout our history. From Isabel Cobb, the first female physician in Indian Territory, to Mary Golda Ross, a NASA aerospace engineer who helped America win the space race, Cherokee women have been at the forefront of defining our success. In 1851, we opened the first institute of higher education for women west of the Mississippi River. The Cherokee National Female Seminary's curriculum was academically challenging, reflecting our tribe’s vision of strong, educated women.

Cherokee Nation is a matrilineal tribe, and reverence for women is deeply rooted in our culture.

That is why during my tenure as Principal Chief, I’ve made every effort to place talented women in leadership roles within Cherokee Nation’s government and business entities. Women lead many of our tribal programs and departments as executive directors. In fact, with women comprising about 70 percent of our nearly 4,000 employees, it’s safe to say women dominate our government workforce.


In recognition of our changing work demographic, we created a more female-friendly work environment at Cherokee Nation. We established a fully paid, eight-week maternity leave policy for expectant mothers who work for the tribe. We raised the minimum wage for all employees. These initiatives enable our staff to continue working for the Cherokee people while meeting their family obligations.


Cherokee Nation’s legislative body, the Tribal Council, is shaped in large part by Deputy Speaker Victoria Vazquez, Secretary Janees Taylor and at-large Councilors Wanda Hatfield and Mary Baker Shaw. Their leadership and vision are driving the Cherokee people into a brighter future and carrying on critical work set in motion by those who preceded them.


Indeed, no discussion of Cherokee Nation’s leaders is complete without mentioning the late Wilma Mankiller, who last year was in the inaugural class of the Native American Hall of Fame. In her decade-long tenure as our Principal Chief, Mankiller was a strong, confident leader. She is now a national icon across Indian Country and America for her commitment to advance equality for all and for her empowerment of women.


March also marks the anniversary of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. At Cherokee Nation, we remain resolute in our commitment to protect women from the epidemic of domestic violence. Our ONE FIRE Victim Services office stands as a beacon of hope and safety for women and families within our tribal jurisdiction.


Cherokee women are proud and powerful people, and they propel our tribe forward. This is as true today as ever. Be sure to follow our social media accounts and join us as we share inspiring profiles of historic and modern Cherokee women throughout the month of March. I encourage you to celebrate all of the women in your life – wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and daughters.

Read More

More than just a car tag

Every time a tribal citizen registers a vehicle with the Cherokee Nation, they make an investment in public education and our young people. You see, our vehicle tags are more than just a pretty tag. By Cherokee Nation law, 38 percent of the revenues from our tag sales are earmarked specifically for public education. This year, thanks to our flourishing Motor Vehicle Tax program, Cherokee Nation is awarding a record-breaking $5.7 million to more than a hundred school districts in northeast Oklahoma.

Since 2002, Cherokee Nation has contributed more than $56 million to public education. Today, that investment in public education is more important than ever for the Cherokee Nation and the state of Oklahoma.

More tribal car tag revenue means we are able to serve more students. When we expanded the sale of Cherokee Nation tags statewide to all 77 Oklahoma counties in 2013, we knew the school systems in northeastern Oklahoma would reap the benefits. Indeed, it has proven to be an essential component of their annual budgets for many schools here.

Supporting local school districts is important to the Cherokee Nation’s long-term success. These partnerships with schools represent our investment for the future of our great state and our tribal government. Our tribal funding comes with no strings attached and is not earmarked for specific budget items, so every pupil benefits. This means we are helping area students in our local schools, regardless of whether they are Cherokee.

For Cherokee people, embracing education has always been a community value. It creates hope for a better future for our children and the generations to come. I come from a long line of teachers and administrators devoted to learning. My family’s background helped build a foundation and reinforced an ideal that I have embraced as a public servant: Supporting access to educational programs is the best investment we can ever make as a sovereign tribal government. Over the last several years, public education in Oklahoma has taken numerous financial hits and the proceeds from Cherokee car tags allow us to help fill in the gaps in school budgets.

I am extremely proud of the many ways our region benefits from these revenues. The Cherokee Nation Motor Vehicle Tax program not only saves our people money on their car tags and instills Cherokee pride, it also has a positive and lasting impact in our communities and schools. With every vehicle registered, we are investing in our children, in our families, and in our future as Cherokees and Oklahomans.

Read More

New Cherokee Nation Film Office will promote region

Telling the Cherokee story – our history, our heritage – is a skill that our people have passed down from one generation to the next. Storytelling is a cornerstone of our culture. That’s why I am so proud we have launched the Cherokee Nation Film Office. It will promote northeastern Oklahoma while cultivating Native filmmaking. The office will provide much-needed cultural and historical consultation on film projects, ensuring our stories are told with cultural sensitivity and accuracy. And it will serve as a way to develop a database of Cherokee Nation locations for film shoots, resources and talent. It’s a bold new endeavor to enhance an ancient tradition.

Our home state, especially in our northeast quadrant, has unlimited potential when it comes to American Indian filmmaking, including the authors, actors and technicians to build successful filmmakers, as well as its natural beauty, history and character. Cherokee Nation and other tribes in Oklahoma have already begun producing high-quality videos, television shows and movies. There is great potential to promote Oklahoma as a destination for aspiring and experienced filmmakers.

This is where the Cherokee Nation Film Office, a division of the Cherokee Nation Businesses Communications Department, will come into play, growing the burgeoning state film industry by promoting northeast Oklahoma and a new generation of talented artisans. The Emmy Award-winning TV program “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People” has proven highly successful, laying the groundwork for this new venture’s launch. To kick things off, we will be creating our first feature-length documentary.
 
Additionally, we have a goal to help other filmmakers.

That means Native people telling Native stories. Cherokees telling Cherokee stories. At Cherokee Nation, we routinely work with individuals who fundamentally misunderstand Native Americans – who we are, our culture, our history and our modern identity. We know from these interactions that Native stories are best told by Native voices. As a result, five years ago we launched the production of “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People,” and we discovered in the process that there are many Cherokees with a natural aptitude for filmmaking and storytelling, either behind the camera or in front it.

This brought home to us that there are many talented filmmakers, producers, directors and actors right here in the Cherokee Nation that are being under-utilized or not utilized at all. Our vision is to create an environment that nurtures these creative Cherokees.

The Cherokee Nation Film Office will collaborate with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture and other local film offices to leverage resources and talent. Areas of cooperation include providing local recommendations for crew and talent, coordinating site visits, and hosting filmmaking workshops and film festivals. We share the same goals and ambitions to enhance the attractiveness of Oklahoma’s budding film industry.

Cherokee Nation is one of the most beautiful areas of our state. It’s a natural fit as a filmmaking destination. Although California is still the entertainment capital of the world, other states have established themselves as film destinations. In recent years, major motion pictures and television series have been filmed in regional states like Texas, Georgia and Louisiana. We firmly believe it is now our time.

According to the Motion Picture Association of America, in 2016, Oklahoma’s film and television industry was responsible for 13,273 direct and indirect jobs and more than $220 million in wages. By contrast, Texas’ film and television industry was responsible 105,525 jobs and $1.81 billion in wages. Georgia’s impacts were 92,494 jobs and $2.15 billion in wages, while Louisiana’s numbers were 22,707 jobs and nearly $400 million in wages.

Numbers like these tell us there are genuine business and economic development opportunities to be pursued, and we are more than ready to meet the challenge. We have a passionate team committed to making this new industry successful for the Cherokee Nation, while furthering our mission of preserving Cherokee culture. We are excited about the new opportunities the Cherokee Nation Film Office will bring.

For more information about the Cherokee Nation Film Office, visit www.cherokee.film.

Read More

Cherokee language board will play vital role in revitalization efforts

Part of my sworn oath as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation is to preserve, promote and advance the language and culture of the Cherokee Nation. We’ve seen some wonderful examples of that recently, including concentrated revitalization efforts for the Cherokee language. This week, we took another important step by creating a new Cherokee Language Advisory Board.


Cherokee language experts and speakers Durbin Feeling, Rosa Carter and Wyman Kirk will make up the inaugural board, and as this effort’s first members, they are charged with ensuring all of Cherokee Nation’s language programs and all the efforts to educate our citizens in our communities have a united vision, implementation method and mission. This coordination will enable all our language programs to synchronize, giving us better management, tracking and verification abilities.


Today, Cherokee Nation operates several language programs, including the Cherokee Translation Department, Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program, Cherokee Language Technology Program and the Cherokee Immersion School. The widespread success and recognition of these respected programs are a testament to the efforts and investments we have made into language programs.


The formation of the Cherokee Language Advisory Board is part of the tribe’s Native Language Community Coordination ANA Grant, received in 2016.


In addition to the creation of the advisory board, we will also develop a coordinated, standardized Cherokee language curriculum that will be available for each level of language learning. We also plan to establish a Cherokee Nation Cherokee Language Teacher Certification to solidify the standards of proficiency for those teaching Cherokee.


Through the execution of these new initiatives, prompted by the national grant, we can keep striving for our cultural preservation goal: Within 20 years, Cherokee communities are living, speaking and thinking in Cherokee and the Cherokee language is the first language of the Cherokee Nation.


Our Cherokee language is the most fundamental aspect of our culture as Cherokee people. That’s why we are developing more avenues and partnerships that will ensure the Cherokee language endures.  

Read More

Investing in education, investing in the future

In the Cherokee Nation, education is the foundation of our success. That has been true for generations. Even prior to our removal to Indian Territory, education was critical. Renowned statesman Sequoyah invented a written syllabary, which enabled better communication and expanded knowledge opportunities. Increased literacy happened very quickly, making us stronger and more sophisticated as a tribal nation. After removal, education was the first thing our ancestors invested in to build our tribe back up. Decades before Oklahoma statehood, our ancestors established the Cherokee National Female Seminary, the oldest educational institution west of the Mississippi River for women of any race. Upon graduation, many of those young women became public school teachers in our Cherokee communities.


During my tenure as Principal Chief, the tribe has nearly doubled its scholarship funding, from $8.5 million to almost $16 million. Since 2010, more than 27,000 scholarships have been awarded through the Cherokee Nation higher education program. We have increased the number of scholarships awarded by nearly 45 percent.


More Cherokees are benefitting from tribal college scholarships than ever before. Right now, almost 5,000 tribal citizens are fulfilling their dream of earning an undergraduate degree. Every qualified Cherokee student who applied in the last funding cycle was issued a Cherokee Nation scholarship. These recipients embody some of the most important values we hold as a tribe, including personal accountability, community and responsibility.


Additionally, the Cherokee Nation Foundation offers multiple scholarship opportunities, including the growing “Leave a Legacy” endowment effort. It is another way that the Cherokee Nation invests in our future. Cherokee Nation’s economic future, along with Oklahoma’s, depends on a well-educated workforce and college graduates. The education staff at Cherokee Nation works diligently to expand opportunities for young people.


Cherokee Nation recently announced a new partnership with Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine for a Tahlequah branch campus. As part of that effort, $350,000 was donated to scholarships for students to attend the new school. Cherokee Nation Businesses contributed $100,000 of the amount raised. Many Cherokee Nation citizens will be the recipients of these scholarships at the future OSU Medical School.


Sometimes an opportunity is all a young person needs to reach their potential. As we continue to strengthen and grow the Cherokee Nation, education and opportunities for our people remain a strategic priority. Education is a vital part of our history, and it is equally important to our bright future. When we invest in education, we invest in our people and their collective ability to lift us all to greater heights.

Read More

Reforming Johnson-O’Malley can change lives

The Johnson-O’Malley Supplemental Indian Education Program Modernization Act, recently signed into law, requires the U.S. Department of the Interior to update the count of Native American students eligible for the JOM program annually. The bill will establish a new baseline count of JOM-eligible students, which includes thousands of Cherokee youth. The new modern, accurate allocation funding formula will better meet the needs of Native students across the country.

This issue is one Cherokee Nation has been advocating to change for years, since I was a member of the Tribal Council. When federal funding was frozen at the 1995 level and capped at 278,000 students nationally, it negatively impacted our families, schools and communities. By law, the U.S. has a trust responsibility to tribal nations. But the population and funding formulas to fund that trust never grew, even though Indian Country has grown rapidly since 1995.

The U.S. Census confirms American Indians are among the fastest-growing populations in America. According to the National Indian Education Association, the FY18 federal budget allocated only $15 million of the estimated $42 million required for fully funding JOM in the United States. That’s why we have spent more than two decades advocating for JOM reform. It is an incredibly important program for regional students. In northeast Oklahoma, JOM’s mission is to ensure every Indian child in the Cherokee Nation’s service area receives educational opportunities – books, fees, equipment – that their schools would not otherwise provide. Additionally, successful JOM programs incorporate tribal culture and heritage as part of a base curriculum.

There are more than 130,000 American Indian school-aged children in our state’s public schools – the highest number in the country. Oklahoma continues to be one of the worst states for K–12 school funding cuts. Since 2008, Oklahoma has slashed education funding by almost 25 percent. In the Cherokee Nation alone, we have more than 26,000 Native students. That’s why this new act is so very important.  The JOM program awards contracts based on the number of Native students served, making it imperative that updated, accurate numbers be reflected in those contracts.

The JOM Modernization Act is a major step in the right direction, and I look forward to seeing the positive ripple effect it will have throughout Indian Country. With the passage of this bill, I believe we are poised to build a stronger future for the Cherokee Nation, for Oklahoma and for all of Indian Country. It is our responsibility to keep pushing for greater successes and raising the bar for our JOM programs. Every child deserves an education that meets his or her needs, and we want our youth to become everything God intended them to be.

To learn more about Cherokee Nation JOM or other education services, visit www.cherokee.org/services/education.

Read More

Years in the making: radioactive waste removed from Cherokee Nation

It was a historic day in December when we celebrated the final removal of more than 10,000 tons of nuclear waste that have plagued Sequoyah County and its citizens for decades. More than 500 semi-tractor loads removed the dangerous substances from the former Sequoyah Fuels Corporation site near Gore. Our Cherokee Nation Attorney General’s office and Secretary of Natural Resources office collaborated with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office to undertake this immense task.

The original uranium processing plant was opened by Kerr-McGee in 1970 and converted yellowcake uranium into fuel for nuclear reactors. However, over the years, the plant changed several times before General Atomics began operations as Sequoyah Fuels Corporation. Many of the residents who live in Gore and who worked at the site over the years are Cherokee.

Our tribal government has been involved in litigation over the Sequoyah Fuels site since 2004. I’m proud that Cherokee Nation took the lead in removing a risk that would have threatened our communities forever. This would not have been possible if the tribe and state had not worked cooperatively, presenting a united front in court to ensure removal of this material.

The removal process took 18 months and leaves the riverbed area where the Arkansas River and Illinois River meet free of nuclear waste for the first time in almost 50 years. Tons of radioactive waste remained at the facility when it closed in 1993 after multiple lethal accidents. In 2004, Cherokee Nation and the state of Oklahoma entered into a settlement agreement that required the highest-risk waste be removed from the site. The owners of Sequoyah Fuels Corporation announced in 2016 their intention to bury the waste on site. Thankfully, a judge forced the company to comply with the original agreement, clearing the way for complete removal instead.

This material is no longer a ticking time bomb on the banks of two of our most precious natural resources – waterways along the Arkansas and Illinois rivers. Our tribe’s natural resources remain protected, and the 41,000 residents of Sequoyah County will no longer be in harm’s way. The radioactive waste has been transported to a disposal site in Utah, where the uranium will be recycled and reused.

Sara Hill, Cherokee Nation’s secretary of Natural Resources, said it best: “Decommissioning this plant was never enough to satisfy our goals for a clean and safe environment…removal of this highly contaminated waste was our goal all along.”

Mission accomplished. Cherokee Nation will continue to step up, lead and forge the partnerships that will protect our citizens, families and communities for generations.

Read More