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Women from across the region had an opportunity to hear an incredibly encouraging story and meet Arlinda Locklear on Friday at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke's annual Women’s Empowerment Summit. The Summit includes guest speakers, networking opportunities, and storytelling with a goal to help those in attendance feel empowered. This year’s theme was "Preserving HERstory.” One of the keynote speakers was Arlinda Locklear. Locklear is an expert in federal Indian law. She was the first Lumbee woman to present her argument before the U.S. Supreme Court. Locklear has fought for over 20 years, alongside many others, for the Lumbee Tribe of NC to receive full federal recognition.

Congratulations to the coordinators and sponsors of the 19th Annual Southeast Native Studies Conference which was hosted this week at UNC Pembroke. The conference featured several thought provoking sessions on American Indian Culture, new Native Archeology collaborations, educational challenges for Native students and educational choice and much more. The two-day event, which wrapped up today, was hosted at the Museum of the Southeast American Indian

Join us for the Second Annual Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina’s Gala, "Protecting our Past, Moving Toward Our Future” on June 29, 2024. With your sponsorship, we will increase our efforts toward full federal recognition, acknowledgment and benefits, which will make a difference in the daily lives of our elders, children, and community. The event will be held at the Southeastern Ag. Events Center in Lumberton. The sponsorship packages are listed below. For more details, call Belinda Brewer at 910.522.2219. Individual tickets will go on sale May 1, 2024 for $125.

Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery visited with Congressional members last Tuesday through Thursday in Washington DC. During the visit, Chairman Lowery met with Rep. Bruce Westerman, Chair of the Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska, Rep. Jerry Carl of Alabama, Senator Alex Padilla of California, and our local congressional members Rep. David Rouzer, Rep. Dan Bishop, Rep. Richard Hudson and Senator Ted Budd. Chairman Lowery was grateful to have Catawba Chief Brian Harris, Assistant Chief Patricia Leach, and Council Member Connie Wade join him on some of these visits with Congressional leaders. Chairman Lowery and the Lumbee Tribal Council continue to push for the Lumbee Fairness Act, which will overall modify the Lumbee Act of 1956 and provide the Lumbee People with full federal recognition.

Please mark your calendar for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Dance of the Harvest Moon Powwow. The Powwow will be Friday through Sunday, September 27 - 29, 2024 at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center in Maxton, NC. Tribal Chairman John Lowery hopes you will make plans to join the Lumbee People during this time of celebration and fellowship. Are you interested in becoming a vendor at the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Dance of the Harvest Moon Powwow? Fill out this Pre-Application form. You are not guaranteed a vendor spot by completing this form. If selected, you will be contacted by a Lumbee Tribe of NC Powwow Committee member to finalize the application process, if selected by committee. Pre-Application must be submitted prior to May 31, 2024 for consideration. Vendor spots are limited! To complete the pre-application, please click https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchGmG5lA3K0OfDskAojpSQ9xniHl3pd2Wzuox50j11oWTnVg/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

Great News for the Lumbee Tribe and the region with the announcement of funding for Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center! Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery joins lawmakers Rep. Jarrod Lowery and Senator Danny Britt to announce that the NC Legislature has allocated 2 Million Dollars for the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. Tribal Chairman Lowery states the funding will bring upgrades across the Cultural Center and the community will reap the benefits of the allocation. Thank you to the N.C. General Assembly, but especially to our lawmakers who advocated for this funding.

The spring (vernal) equinox arrived Tuesday night at 11:06 pm. American Indian Tribal Leaders from tribes across North Carolina welcomed in the first day of Spring with thanksgiving and prayer on the mound at Town Creek in Mt. Gilead. The N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission coordinated this event. The attendees for the ceremony discussed the past year and hopes for the future. The leaders also prayed and gave thanks for the past year and for the communities. Culturally, the Spring Equinox is the beginning of a new year for Native People. It is a time to start anew. North Carolina Tribal leaders, including members of our Lumbee Tribe have gathered at Town Creek Indian Mound over the past decades. Town Creek was home to Native peoples spanning back thousands of years. It was an ancient ceremonial site and village with a platform mound. During the early Town Creek phase (A.D. 1150-1250) the site started out as a village of circular houses around a plaza. At about A.D. 1250, the platform mound was built.

REMINDER: April 5, 2024 is the deadline to return your application for the Lumbee Cords of Honor Ceremony. On April 25, 2024, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will honor all Lumbee High School and College Students, who are potential 2024 graduates in the Lumbee Cords of Honor Ceremony. Applications are now being accepted for graduates to apply. These cords represent this important milestone in the life of our Lumbee Students. The cords comprise the colors of the Lumbee Tribal Seal and the Medicine Wheel. This symbolism represents the four directions, four seasons, as well as our sacred path in life. The application is available at https://www.lumbeetribe.com/_files/ugd/6ca8af_e3a7a7468ebc4570bb4279afdc099586.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1ez6LpTxdCQX8_fky3bIQNovLlieF7EfmP1icJXFgHyJQbqfU6HYznTSw You may upload the application to a google form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3Z9fwVFTdeJafSp-USXDiKX0jPUETh-17cnYX6oQ8LVsnpA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR33Lrmyco07VRgtNMIndxkCZQTJbVz9qTUKOJIHe6-cfr0WGK-uDK-i1gY The application must be fully completed, signed by a school counselor or college advisor, and returned by April 5, 2024 by 5:00 pm to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Please email or hand deliver your application to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Housing Complex at 6984 NC Hwy 711 West in Pembroke. (Attn: Cords of Honor) Or Email to : cordsofhonor@lumbeetribe.com. Students must be actively enrolled. Enrollment Office information - 910.668.6099 or 910.521.7861 or email the Enrollment office at enrollment@lumbeetribe.com **Please note: Students that graduate(d) in Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Fall 2024 may apply for a Cord of Honor. Due to the limited seating available, this will be a ticketed event and graduates MUST RSVP to attend. Each graduate may bring (2) two guests and show their tickets at the door to be scanned. As your life moves into future directions, we wish you success and honor your accomplishments. Education is a core value of the Lumbee People. We know it is our path to success. You crossed this milestone. We want to celebrate your journey.

Thank you, North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), for welcoming the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Team to be a part of the 54th Annual NCAE Convention 2024. The Lumbee Tribe Cultural Team called the convention to order by blowing the conch shell. We did a traditional blessing and acknowledged the Native Tribes whose land they were upon. NCAE is the state's largest professional organization of public school educators and supporters for more than 50 years.

Reminder - You are invited to a Tennis Play Day this Saturday, March 23rd from 1:00 pm - 2:30pm at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club at 120 Youth Drive, in Pembroke, NC. The event is hosted by the US Tennis Association. RSVP your name and age to Larry Edwards at ledwards@lumbeetribe.com

Congratulations to Caleb Burnett on receiving $12,500 in Down Payment Assistance through the Lumbee Tribe Down Payment Assistance program. Caleb plans to live in Stedman, NC. For more information about Down Payment Assistance call 910.522.5187 or 910.522.2189 or visit https://www.lumbeetribe.com/down-payment-assistance-program #LivingLumbee

There is a flurry of activity today at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center as our staff and volunteers plant trees and work to bring back Native plants. The Lumbee Tribe Agriculture and Natural Resources Staff is planting 450 Long Leaf Pine Trees in the area of our first Cultural Controlled burn which was in December. In addition to the trees, they are also planting Wire Grass and other Native grasses. The planting is part of the Longleaf Pine Savanna Restoration project at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. The trees and grasses seeds were provided by the Sandhills Prescribed Burn Association (Jesse Wimberley, director) and the Lumbee Cultural Burn Association (Courtney Steed, director). The grass seeds were collected from Calloway Forest in Hoke County, which is owned by the Nature Conservancy. Dr. Lisa Kelly, a Biology professor from UNC Pembroke and two students from her class also joined in the planting. Also members of UNC’s Apple Service Learning program helped with the planting as well as Mikayah Locklear (Lumbee Tribe Natural Resources Intern, who is a recent UNC graduate.