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Dear Lumbee Citizens, I hope this monthly report finds you well. Over the last few months, our Agriculture and Natural Resources Department worked with the Open Space Institute and Ducks Unlimited to acquire 1,382 acres of land known as Camp Island. This property was donated to the tribe, so that we could preserve this land for conservation and related purposes. On April 1st, we held a ceremony honoring the transfer of the property to our tribe and thanked the representatives from Open Space and Ducks Unlimited for their partnership and dedication to this process. The Lumbee Tribe is now entrusted to maintain this land and its natural resources. We look forward to what the future holds for the Camp Island property. In April, we welcomed President Tom Barkin from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond to discuss economic issues and the outlook for business and community development in our region. This was the first visit to Pembroke by the Richmond Bank in almost 15 years. It was good to hear Mr. Barkin share information on items related to trade, inflation, construction cost, and future economic growth on a regional level. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond covers Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington DC, and most of West Virginia. We also honored our Lumbee graduates in April at the annual Honor Cord Ceremony. From High School to Graduate School, we had over 400 students receive their honor cords. As Lumbee people, we have a proud tradition of education, and our cord ceremony continues to acknowledge and praise our youth for continuing to move forward and completing another level of education. The Lumbee Tribe was also honored to take part in the Feather Ceremony held by the Hoke County Public Schools and Cumberland County Public Schools. I commend Cumberland and Hoke for recognizing their Native students and for understanding the government to government relationship they have with the Lumbee Tribe. Throughout the month of April, we had an opportunity to recognize some of our Lumbee athletic heroes who have made such a tremendous contribution on and off the field. Gene Locklear, Dr. Ray Brayboy, and Coach Kelvin Sampson were all recognized by the Lumbee community at different times. Mr. Gene, a former Major League baseball player and world-renowned painter, was highlighted by The Museum of the Southeast American Indian as their Lloyd Oxendine Artist in Residence. It was great to have Gene back home and to have him visit with our Boys and Girls Club students and be honored at our Tribal Council meeting. Gene continues to do great artistic work and we are so glad that he continues to invest into his community on a regular basis. The Lumbee Tribe was also honored to be part of Dr. Ray Brayboy’s jersey retirement ceremony. Dr. Brayboy was a legend on the baseball diamond and carried that same drive and determination into the classroom and later as Superintendent for numerous school districts. Dr. Brayboy’s jersey retirement was the first for an American Indian athlete who attended UNC Pembroke. Coach Kelvin Sampson led his Houston Cougar team to the NCAA Championship game and came within minutes of winning the game. The excitement for Coach Sampson was tremendous throughout our community and across the region as we showed our support for one of our own. These heroes, our own heroes, continue to inspire us to reach for the stars and to know that we can achieve our goals with hard work, determination, and a can do attitude. Thank you for allowing me to serve as the Chairman of our Great Tribal Nation. I love you all.

You are invited to the District 6 Community Meeting on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 6:00 pm at Berea Baptist Church located at 120 N Odum St, Pembroke, NC. The event is hosted by Councilman Larry Chavis. The meeting will offer information about tribal services and community information. Dinner will be served.

Detour Reminder - Main Route in Pembroke Requires Temporary Closure PEMBROKE – A half-mile of East Third Street, which is also N.C. 711, will be closed between Jones Street and Odum Street beginning next week. The closure to through-traffic is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. Monday. Because several businesses operate on this road, contract crews for the N.C. Department of Transportation will close small sections at a time, requiring customers and others to take side streets to avoid the construction. However, detour signs will direct commercial trucks to use a longer detour between Jones Road, which is east of town, and East Railroad Street, Union Chapel Road, Cornith Road and Prospect Road/North Odum Street, returning to N.C. 711. During the closure, crews will do storm drainage work. The roadway is expected to fully reopen by May 21, if not a few days sooner. In January 2024, NCDOT and town officials broke ground on an $8.5 million project to reconstruct several downtown streets and sidewalks.

Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery continues efforts to lobby for our citizens on the Lumbee Fairness Act. Last week, Chairman Lowery visited Washington DC to meet with lawmakers and staff members regarding the Lumbee legislation. He met with individual lawmakers including Congressman David Rouzer, Congressman Addison McDowell, Congressman Jeff Hurd, staff for Senator Thom Tillis, Senator Tedd Budd, and Senator Lisa Murkowski. Chairman Lowery was happy to be joined by Catawba Assistant Chief Patricia Leach and Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Councilman Jonas Hill on these recent visits to Capitol Hill. Their solidarity on the Lumbee Fairness Act means so much to our tribal citizens and their friendships are invaluable.

Thank you to everyone who came out this afternoon to celebrate the acquisition of land in Scotland County with a Land Blessing Ceremony. Community leaders, families, members from the Boys and Girls Club braved the rain to celebrate a new Boys and Girls club and a new neighborhood that will offer affordable housing for Lumbee citizens in Districts 12 and 19. Council Representatives for the community are Jo Doss and Larry Soles. The property is on McColl Rd. in Laurinburg, NC. The land is almost 33 acres and includes 24.5 acres for residential development and 8.32 for general business. This property is designated for a Boys and Girls club and home ownership. The construction team is currently in phase 1 of the project with the environmental assessment.

Please join us on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 for the Ground Blessing Ceremony for Districts 12 and 19. The ceremony will begin at 4 pm at 11680 McColl Rd, Laurinburg, NC.

Message from Tribal Chairman Lowery May 9, 2025 Dear Lumbee People, Many of you have been asking about the report from the Department of Interior that was requested by President Trump’s Presidential Memo on Full Federal Recognition for the Lumbee Tribe. What I know at this time is the following; the Department of Interior did properly consult with us in a very professional and timely manner. I understand the report was completed ahead of the April 23rd deadline and sent over to the White House for review. It is my understanding that the report is currently in the White House Counsel Office which is a usual standard practice for documents before they are publicly released. I do not know when it will be made public, but like many of you, I am anticipating the release of the report and I look forward to working with congressional leaders on the next steps regarding the Lumbee Fairness Act (H.R. 474) and (S.107). Once the report has been released, I will work to make it available for our Lumbee Citizens to read. Sincerely, John L. Lowery Tribal Chairman

Mark your calendar Key Dates of Upcoming Tribal Events May 14 - Ground Blessing Ceremony, Districts 12 & 19 - 4 pm - 1108 McColl Rd, Laurinburg May 20 - Lumbee Days | Raleigh May 24 - Veterans Stand Down - 10 am - 2 pm May 31 - June 1 Eastern Woodland Foodways Workshop & Feast - Indian Ed., Pembroke, NC. May 31 - American Indian Mental Health Awareness Event - 10 AM to 2 PM - Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center June 20 - Senior Ms. Lumbee Pageant - Pre Show 6 pm| GPAC June 24 to July 6 - Annual Lumbee Homecoming June 30 - State of the Tribe Address - 6:30 pm | Pembroke Boys & Girls Club July 1 - Lumbee Holdings, Inc. Shareholders Meeting - 11 am | Pembroke Boys & Girls Club July 5 - Lumbee Homecoming Parade - 10:00 am | Pembroke, NC July 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, and 26 - Strike At The Wind! - Pre-show 6:30 pm Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center August 16 - Lumbee Tribe Gala | Shahbain Farms and Event Center, 469 Posey Farm Road in Raeford, N.C. September 26-28 - Lumbee Tribe “Dance of the Harvest Moon” Powwow | Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center October 4 - Lumbee Tribe Fish Fry - 11 am | Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center

Tickets go on Sale Monday, May 12, 2025 at 9:00 am at Givens Performing Arts Center. Please join us for the Senior Ms. Lumbee Pageant on Friday, June 20, 2025 at 6:30 pm at Givens Performing Arts Center on the campus of UNC Pembroke. Tickets are available at Givens Performing Arts Center $20 + tax at Box Office $20 + tax and fees Online (Limit of 10 tickets per person) Your contestants are Shirley Lowry Ava Maria Locklear Lottie Lowery Locklear Sandra S. Dial Wendy Chavis Locklear Shelia A. Jacobs For more information call 910.521.6361 or https://www.uncp.edu/.../special.../senior-miss-lumbee

You are invited to the District 6 Community Meeting on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 6:00 pm at Berea Baptist Church located at 120 N Odum St, Pembroke, NC. The event is hosted by Councilman Larry Chavis. The meeting will offer information about tribal services and community information. Dinner will be served.

Mark your calendar to join us for a day of fellowship and cultural sharing with the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. during this special day at the N.C. General Assembly on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. The event will be held at the Halifax Mall from 10 am - 2 pm at 300 N. Salisbury St. in Raleigh, NC. There will be Lumbee artisans and much more.

We look forward to seeing you TONIGHT at the Monday, May 5, 2025, evening Culture class. The class will be at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club. The first (1) beading workshop will continue and there will be other cultural activities for those not regsitered in the beading workshop.