A Terrific Accomplishment

 Congratulations to Gadugi scholars Caedance Smith and Dali Crowe, who this afternoon presented the resolution they researched and wrote in the Cherokee Culture and Leadership class to Tribal Council. The resolution began as their service learning project, and today it became Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians policy! Caedance (left) and Dali are pictured here with (from left) EBCI Vice Chief Alan Ensley, and Tribal Council representatives Bo Crowe and Albert Rose. This journey began for the students in February, and they worked tirelessly on this effort. Very proud of and for them! #Gadugi

Blue Light Initiative Fundraiser!!

Please come grab a dinner if you can! Good food and a GREAT cause!! 

The Blue Light Initiative

 This morning students in the Gadugi Partnership's Cherokee Culture and Leadership class presented their service learning project to Tribal Council member Bo Crowe. The project, called The Blue Light Initiative, is looking to place a specialized blue light bulb in public spaces throughout Cherokee. These lights make it more difficult for drug users to shoot up in public spaces. The students wanted to do something to address the meth crisis within the community. The students will now work on model legislation for tribal council on the issue. They have worked so incredibly hard on this and did a phenomenal job today!! S'gi to Mr. Crowe for making time for these incredible young leaders!

On This Date...

 Today is an important anniversary for Indian Country. On this date, May 12, 1879, the United States Supreme Court--for the very first time--recognized a Native American, Ponca Chief Standing Bear, as a person. A human. That's 387 years AFTER contact. 90 years AFTER the US Constitution. 16 years AFTER emancipation. Nine years AFTER ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment.

Selu Lecture Article

 A great article from our friends at the Watauga Democrat about tomorrow's lecture! Hope to see you tomorrow evening!

Acknowledge--And Act

 A new editorial from Gadugi director James Bryant on the need for colleges and universities to move beyond the "mere maudlin" of land acknowledgment ceremonies. 

ONE WEEK AWAY!

 Hope you can join us next Wednesday, March 24th at 7 pm for the 8th annual Selu Lecture featuring CHS student and Gadugi scholar Ms. Caedance Smith. 

COMING SOON!!

 

Malcolm and Miseducation

 When Malcolm X was asked "What do you think is responsible for prejudice in the U.S.?" he answered, "A skillfully designed program of miseducation that goes right along with the American system of exploitation and oppression." Powerful words. #Gadugi

Go COINTELPRO

  It's a bit confusing, to say the least, to see the US government clutching its pearls over how to confront the scourge of white supremacy and the organized terror surrounding it. The poor government just seems lost as to what to do.

Which is strange since the US government has tons and tons of experience destroying groups or movements it deems dangerous. Tons. One approach, COINTELPRO, was launched in 1956 and wreaked havoc on progressive movements for decades. You can read David Garrow's harrowing account of the FBI's war on the civil rights movement in general and Dr. King in particular here. Or you can read about the infiltration of the American Indian Movement and its destruction from within here. Or you can read about the injustices of the Leonard Peltier case and COINTELPROs relation to it here. Or you can read about the relentless and ruthless war against the labor movement here. 

The US government has plenty of experience fighting and destroying movements when it wants to. 

It just has to want to.

#Gadugi

From Oppression to Renaissance

 Thank you to the Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home for the invitation to speak and for the hospitality! It was a pleasure to speak about the history of Cherokee education. Thanks to all who came!

Democracy's Renewal

 On this day more than most, in this time of hope and challenge, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." 

MLK Day

Happy MLK Day from the Gadugi Partnership! May Dr. King's vision and dream comfort, challenge, and inspire us all. #DREAM

Happy Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day from the Gadugi Partnership, and thank you for your service! As a percentage, Native Americans serve in the armed forces more than any other ethnic group.  Men like Ira Hayes, women like Lori Piestewa, and many others have distinguished themselves and brought honor to their communities through this service. One such hero is pictured below...this is the statue of Charles George, an Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian who also was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor that stands in Cherokee Veterans Park on the Qualla Boundary.

Happy Veterans Day!

Join Us For Our Second Speaker of the Series!!

 

Voter Suppression in Indian Country

Here is an important article from The Guardian about the history of voter suppression in Native American communities. It's an often-overlooked topic that deserves more attention. The article states, "The rights of indigenous communities – including the right to vote – have been systematically violated for generations with devastating consequences for access to clean air and water, health, education, economic opportunities, housing and sovereignty. Voter turnout for Native Americans and Alaskan Natives is the lowest in the country, and about one in three eligible voters (1.2 million people) are not registered to vote, according to the National Congress of American Indians."  The article includes an interview with Jean Reith Schroedel, author of the new book Voting in Indian County: The View from the Trenches.

S'gi!!

 Thank you to everyone who attended last night's opening session of our How Diverse is Your Diversity series! A very special thank you to Dre Crowe for doing such a wonderful job and challenging us with the searing stories of her time at college and the inspiration of her success! Please watch this space for upcoming speaker announcements!

Fall Speaker Series: How Diverse is Your Diversity?

Please join us for our opening session of this important speaker series! To attend RSVP to bryantja@appstate.edu. Hope to see you there!

 

Celebrating Elders Day

 Today is Elder's Day on the Qualla Boundary. By act of Tribal Council, a day set aside for honoring the wisdom and lived experience of our elders. America could learn something from this. Our elders are not burdens; they are blessings. Whether you are Cherokee or not, whether you are Native or not, take a moment today and reach out to an elder. Thank them, value them, and love them. #Gadugi #GoBraves #EBCIStrong

Student Government Association Statement & Gadugi

The Gadugi Partnership is a proud co-signatory to the statement from ASU's Student Government Association regarding Black Lives Matter and the need to improve diversity on our campus. The statement calls on ASU to:

• Advocate for more faculty, staff and mental health counselors of color
• Advocate for the immediate name change of all residential halls that are named after confederate soldiers/leaders/generals
• Hold ourselves and our university accountable for discriminatory actions, images, signs, and slurs used by any professor and/or student/faculty
• Work with all Intercultural Student Affairs organizations and advocate for their needs
• Revisit and review the 2017 demands of the App State Student Power group
• Fix and advertise the bias reporting system
• Promote changes in legislation/policy and voting at the local, state and federal levels

S'gi to the student leaders committing to much-needed change.