Cherokee Nation, State Sign Historic Car Tag Compact

Cherokee Nation citizens living in all 77 Oklahoma counties can now buy a Cherokee Nation license plate. With a recently signed compact in place, all Cherokee citizens will soon have the opportunity to display a Cherokee tag on their car or recreational vehicle. The Cherokee Nation is the first tribe to sign a compact with the state of Oklahoma that will offer car tags to its citizens statewide.

This is an historic agreement between the state of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation, and a testament to our sovereign government-to-government relationship.

Signing historic car tag compact with Governor Mary Fallin. 

Governor Mary Fallin is right when she said, “Local schools, county roads and other important priorities will benefit from this agreement.” Revenues from Cherokee Nation car tags are split between the Cherokee Nation and state and local governments. Nearly 40 cents of every dollar in Cherokee Nation car tag sales goes to public education.

Within the Cherokee Nation’s 14-county jurisdiction, 38 percent of tax revenues from the sale of tribal car tags is distributed to about 90 public school districts each year. In April, we awarded those schools $3.2 million. The new compact will do the same for even more districts that border the Cherokee Nation, but are technically outside our jurisdiction. Schools in Wagoner, Tulsa, Muskogee, Rogers and Mayes counties all stand to benefit in the same way as neighboring schools.

Outside the 14-county jurisdiction, revenue from the sale of vehicle tags will be distributed to schools and local and county governments in the same manner as state tags.

At-large Cherokee citizens residing in Wagoner, Tulsa, Muskogee, Rogers and Mayes counties will be able to purchase a tribal car tag by the end of the year.  Statewide car tag sales start in June 2014, and can be purchased from any of the five Cherokee Nation tag offices.

Like our tribal photo ID cards, the car tags are a source of Cherokee pride. But the benefits are deeply felt across the Cherokee Nation. So far this fiscal year, more than 100,000 vehicle tags have been issued. Through our partnerships, we are strengthening our sovereignty, creating more jobs, lowering the costs of car tags for thousands of Cherokees and providing even more resources to public schools for our children.

The Cherokee people are the heart of everything we do, and I made a commitment to do more for them, regardless of where they live in Oklahoma. Cherokees living outside of our jurisdictional boundaries have asked for tribal license plates for years, and we are finally able to make good on those wishes. It’s another goal we have achieved for the Cherokee people.

The new compact was successfully negotiated with the governor’s office by Cherokee Nation Attorney General Todd Hembree. I thank him for leading the way for us in these complicated issues. The Cherokee Nation is stronger today for the work he has done in creating a compact that will benefit not just Cherokees, but all Oklahomans in the coming years. The Cherokee Nation values our government-to-government relationship with the state of Oklahoma, and contributes in other ways as well. We also hold gaming, tobacco and intergovernmental compacts with the governor’s office. 

In addition to this latest compact, we’ve expanded health care and housing programs, pumped record amounts into college scholarship programs and created new ways to help our elders.

We are building a stronger Cherokee Nation, and our car tag program allows us the capacity to keep doing more for our people, and for the people of our great state.

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Vinita Community Mtg Last Night

Enjoyed seeing a lot of old friends and catching up with Cherokee Nation citizens at the community meeting held last night at the Vinita Cherokee Health Clinic. We had a great crowd and we updated citizens on programs and efforts at Cherokee Nation.  

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New Spider Gallery Now Open

Cutting the Ribbon on Cherokee Nation's
new art center - the Spider Gallery 

The newly expanded and more visible Cherokee Arts Center “Spider Gallery” is officially open in downtown Tahlequah.

“This new space gives the Cherokee Nation an opportunity to showcase our fabulous artists’ work,” Principal Chief Bill John Baker said. “It’s not only a place to display it, but a place to sell it, a place for us to help advertise it around the world, a place for us to help Native American artists carry on our culture, our history, our art and the story of the Cherokee people.”

The Spider Gallery, formerly located on Water Street, has made its new home in downtown Tahlequah inside the revitalized Cort Mall. There, more than 50 Cherokee artists from eight area counties, as well as Alabama, New Mexico and Texas, have art on display. It ranges from traditional pottery, jewelry and paintings to contemporary assemblage sculptures, with costs ranging from $10 to $12,000.

The name of the gallery is taken from traditional Cherokee folklore.

“It’s a reference to the Cherokee legend of the water spider that brought the fire, light and warmth to the dark and cold side of the earth,” said Callie Chunestudy, Arts Center cultural specialist. “Like the water spider, we aim to bring illumination through art by fostering and celebrating the talent and ingenuity of the Cherokee people.”

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Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes Statement on Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Veronica Brown

Statement from Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes:

Cherokee Nation Chief Bill John Baker, President of Inter-Tribal,

Muscogee Creek Nation Chief George Tiger,

Choctaw Nation Chief Greg Pyle,

Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, and

Seminole Nation Chief Leonard Harjo

RE: In Support of the NCAI/NARF/NICWA Civil Lawsuit to Defend the Civil Rights of “Baby Veronica” and Her Right to a Fair Best Interest Hearing

“We stand today representing our five nations and joining with sovereign Indian nations across the United States and multiple national Native American organizations in support of the civil rights lawsuit filed in South Carolina on behalf of Veronica Brown, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. On July 17, 2013, the South Carolina Supreme Court ignored the child’s and the Brown family’s right to due process when it ordered the finalization of Veronica’s adoption by non-Indian parents and her removal from her biological Cherokee father and Cherokee family.

“The South Carolina Supreme Court’s order flies in the face of its previous determination and the U.S. Supreme Court. As elected leaders of sovereign tribal governments, we are outraged by the actions taken by the South Carolina Supreme Court. The reckless order to rush Veronica’s adoption will negatively impact Native children and family preservation efforts nationwide. Most importantly, though, it will take a happy and well-adjusted child from the only family she knows: her father, sister, stepmother, extended family, tribe, community and culture.

“A severe injustice has been committed to an innocent Cherokee child and her loving family in Oklahoma. The Brown family, including Veronica, deserves their due process. They do not deserve to have their lives forever transformed by the South Carolina judicial system without cause or consideration.

“Indian children being removed from their families and homes is not a new story in Indian Country. Those dark days have reared their head again sadly in South Carolina. We will stand with Veronica, the Browns, and national tribal organizations fighting for fairness and justice."

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Cherokee Phoenix Column: Cherokee Foster Families Needed

Cherokee Foster Families Needed

By Principal Bill John Baker

When I was elected Principal Chief, I promised I would do everything in my power to improve the lives of Cherokee youth. We have enjoyed many successes including more monies for education, and expanded health care coverage.

However, we are still in dire need in one area: foster and adoptive families for our Indian Child Welfare program. As you know, our children ensure the continued existence of our tribe, they are our future.  As Cherokee people, we all come from one fire and the Cherokee Nation belongs to our children. 

I hope strong Cherokee citizens and families can find a place in their hearts and in their homes for our beautiful children, who badly need a safe, nurturing environment. This is an issue that is deeply personal to me. We talk about taking care of our people, being a shoulder in a time of need and putting our Cherokee children first.

Now, I am asking Cherokee citizens to step forward and accept this huge responsibility. You can become a resource for our children.

Within the past five years, our Cherokee ICW office has had court involvement with 1,200 – 1,600 Cherokee children annually. The caseload increases each year and no decline is in sight.

Approximately one-third of these cases are children needing Cherokee homes.  Currently, we have about 140 certified resource homes - 100 are adoptive homes and 40 are foster homes.  The numbers of homes available for placement of our children has decreased drastically in the past five years, due in large part to issues related to the economy. 

Out of the 100 adoptive homes available, most request to adopt one child only in the range of zero to two years of age.  Most of the foster homes request only children from infancy to six years and generally do not want placement of more than two siblings.  We have no homes willing to accept the placement of teenagers.

Our greatest needs do not line up with our available resources.  We need foster homes for children over the age of six that are typically part of a sibling group and we need adoptive homes for children over the age of two that also have siblings.   

We need homes within our jurisdictional boundaries and throughout Oklahoma and in the communities where high numbers of Cherokees live – Texas, Arkansas, California, New Mexico, and elsewhere.

When we do not have safe homes to offer, we run the risk of our Cherokee children being placed in non-Native homes.  This goes against our basic Cherokee values and everything the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) represents and can make the battle difficult for Cherokee Nation ICW workers, who not only have to advocate for the best interest of the child and the Nation, but also many times must educate the local and state court systems on the importance of ICWA. 

Some people are unsure of whether or not they even qualify to foster or adopt. I encourage you to inquire if you have any capacity in your life and in in your home to help a Cherokee child.

My hope is this message will resonate with families who have love to offer and are willing to accept the responsibility of providing a foster or adoptive home.  Remember, while each of us is only one person in the world, we can be the world to a child.

Visit  www.cherokeekids.org  or call 918-458-6900 to be part of the solution. 

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Statement on "Baby Veronica" case decision today from SCOTUS

"While we are thankful that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act and protected a law vital to the survival of Indian country, we are deeply, deeply disappointed that this case was not fully resolved.


We believe Veronica Brown’s best interests are served continuing to live in a loving home with her biological father Dusten Brown.

My heart, and no doubt the hearts of all of Indian Country, goes out to Dusten, our fellow Cherokee citizen, and his entire family – his parents, his wife and two small children, including Veronica.

Everything this family has gone through the past few years, just to keep his biological child—HIS baby girl— is more overwhelming than any of us can imagine.Keeping Veronica Brown with her family is what’s best for her, her family, the Cherokee Nation and all of Indian Country.

The Cherokee Nation remains committed to the protection of all Indian children and families.

And we will continue to support the Brown family with our thoughts, prayers and every available resource we have, so that they can keep their family whole.

Their fight is our fight, and we will be there every step of the way."

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Teaming with State to Create Jobs

This profile is from the NW Arkansas Media...

LED-maker moves plant to U.S.

Arkansas-based firm will manufacture in Oklahoma

By John Magsam

NextGen Illumination Inc. is moving its manufacturing operation from overseas to Oklahoma.

The Fayetteville-based maker of light-emitting diode lighting for industrial, commercial, residential and agricultural applications has struck a deal with Cherokee Nation Industries to build products in Stilwell, Okla., a few miles from the Arkansas border. The company’s manufacturing operation had been in Asia.

NextGen had always wanted to produce its lights in the United States but cost had been a factor, said Patrick Rush, the company’s legal officer and director of media relations. With labor costs rising outside the United States, along with savings the company could realize through no longer paying duties and certain taxes and dramatically reducing shipping costs, it seemed the timing was right to bring the operation to Oklahoma, he said.

The shift to U.S. production gives the company more flexibility and more control over its products, Rush said. Eventually, more supportstaff is expected to be added to the company’s main office in Fayetteville.

“Those are all things that have frustrated us over the years,” Rush said.

Founded in 2008, Next-Gen’s LED lights use less energy than standard bulbs, last longer and don’t use toxic chemicals in their construction, Rush said. The company supplies lights for a variety of applications, including use in the poultry industry, where its patented dimming technology is considered advantageous.

NextGen will work with Cherokee Nation Industries to train workers to produce, assemble and package the company’s products. Theoperation will supply Next-Gen’s clients in North and South America.

Rush said the jobs will be tech-based, including spots in simple assembly and management.

Cherokee Nation Industries is a Cherokee Nation company. It was established in 1969 to serve as the economic and work-force arm for the Cherokee Nation, according to its website. It specializes in aerospace and defense manufacturing but also works in telecommunications and distribution services. It operates a 120,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Stilwell. Key clients include Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Chris Moody, president and chief executive officer of Cherokee Nation Industries, said in an interview Thursday that the Stilwell plant’s work force is well-trained in electronic assembly, so manufacturing the NextGen products is a good fit. He said some of the nearly 300 workers at the Stilwell operation have been trained to make the NextGen products and work will begin soon on the first order. He said additional workers likely will be added when production increases.

Cherokee Nation citizens make up 85 percent of the Adair County plant’s work force, Moody said. The workers primarily live in Adair County, but a small percentage commute from Arkansas. Adair County borders Arkansas’ Washington, Benton and Crawford counties.

Adair County’s unemployment rate for April was 6.5 percent, up slightly from6.3 percent for the same period last year, according to statistics from the federal Department of Labor. Oklahoma’s unemployment rate for the period was 4.4 percent, down from 4.6 percent in 2012. Adair County’s labor force for April was 10,143, according to preliminary data, down from 10,563 for the same period in 2012.

Moody said the working relationship with NextGen also meets a long term goal of Cherokee Nation Industries - diversification. He said working with companies like NextGen will help keep work steady at the plant, because demand in the defense and aerospace segments can be spotty at times.

“We’ve been looking for a good commercial program,” he said.

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