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This week, Native Women from across the nation are in the Lumbee Tribal Territory to look at issues facing Native Peoples. The conference for American Indian Women of Proud Nations is at UNC Pembroke on Thursday and Friday. Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery welcomed the women and tribal leaders on Thursday morning. The conference theme focuses on healing through spiritual and physical wellness. This afternoon, Pamela Brewington Cashwell, State Secretary of the N.C. Department of Administration, welcomed the conference attendees. The participants are looking at issues such as Native community trauma, resiliency, language revitalization, strengthening connections with land and water and much more. The conference will wrap up along the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center Lake on Saturday.

Chairman Lowery’s Monthly Report for June 2023. Dear Lumbee People, The Lumbee Tribe celebrated National Homeownership Month in June by completing construction on our 250th home! Since 2001, our Housing Department has been able to help 250 families achieve their homeownership needs through our Homeownership Program. Our staff is always available to talk about opportunities to become homeowners through our program. Also, in the month of June, we made a major policy change to allow families to build homes on land that is not road frontage. This change was something that the Tribal Council and myself found to be imperative and I was happy to announce this updated policy. We teamed up with Veterans Services of the Carolinas, NCWorks, the US Department of Veterans Affairs and many local partners to hold our Annual Veterans Stand Down event. The event, held at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club, offered veterans a variety of resources including health screenings, free haircuts, mental health services, food, gear distribution, blankets, the opportunity to apply to services, and so much more. I want to thank the Fayetteville Woodpeckers for hosting the first ever “Lumbee Night” at Seagra Stadium. During the game, we had numerous booths set up showcasing our artisans and singers, along with a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem by Senior Ms. Lumbee Sharon Burnette. I was honored to throw out the first pitch of the game and enjoyed the night with our tribal citizens. Kicking off Lumbee Homecoming, we held our annual Senior Ms. Lumbee pageant at the end of June. The pageant was magnificent as our contestants showed off their talents before a packed house. I want to say “Thank You” to Sharon Burnette for being a wonderful Senior Ms. Lumbee and representing our people with dignity, beauty, and pride. To our new Senior Ms. Lumbee Edith Jones, I look forward to serving with you over the next year. We lost one of our greatest leaders in June. Dr. Ruth Dial Woods was a true trailblazer for the Lumbee people. Her career in education, constant pursuit of equality and fairness for Natives and women, and her work to improve the lives of those with substance abuse issues will forever be remembered. Dr. Woods served as the Tribal Government’s first Tribal Administrator and laid the foundation for where we are as a government today. We are a better people today because of the life of Dr. Woods. Thank you for allowing me to be your Chairman. I love you all, John L. Lowery Chairman

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. recognized 185 scholarship winners on Thursday night at the 2023 Scholarship Ceremony at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club. The Lumbee Tribe distributed almost $100,000 in scholarships to Lumbee high school and college students. These scholarships also included two Kernice Lee Locklear Scholarships, two Dr. Ruth Dial Woods Scholarships and two Mrs. Agnes Chavis Scholarships. These scholarship recipients are attending two year and four year colleges around the southeast, but also several colleges around the nation. The awards ranged from $500 to $1,500. **Picture Caption: Lumbee Tribal Council Members with Lumbee scholarship recipients. The Lumbee Tribe recognized 185 scholarship winners on Thursday night at the Scholarship Ceremony. The tribe distributed almost $100,000 in scholarships to Lumbee high school and college students.

Congratularions to the 2023 Lumbee Tribal Scholarship Recipients. 185 scholarship winners were recognized on Thursday night at the Scholarship Ceremony at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club. The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. distributed more than $150,000 in scholarships to Lumbee high school and college students. The scholarships included two Kernice Lee Locklear Scholarships, two Dr. Ruth Dial Woods Scholarships and two Mrs. Agnes Chavis Scholarships. These scholarship recipients are attending 2-year and 4-year colleges around the southeast, but also several colleges around the nation. The awards ranged from $500 to $1,500. Congratulations to the students on their hard work and the parents for encouraging them. The high school recipients are: Emerson Gist, Ashtyn Thomas, Grace Oxendine, Kaylee Chavis, Andrew Rice, Kylie Cummings, Lahna Sampson, Kiara Locklear, Lauren Locklear, Kailey Locklear, Raven Cummings, Aiyana Strickland, Cayden Hammonds, Georgia Locklear, Joshua Lowery, Savannah Saunders, Jamari Young, Cameron Gagnon, Alaina Goins, Reagan Locklear, Zachery Olive, Landon Shelley, Julianna Bell, Dennis Lowery II, Amyra Dial, Madelyn Wilkins, Maycee Bullard, Nakiyak Hunt, Aydan Bullard, Ethan Johnson, Marcus Lowry, Natalie Evington, Myla Locklear, Natalie Maynor, Jenna Felts, Madison Sampson, Carmella Locklear, Hannah Locklear, Jerald Brown, Benjamin Brewington, Ava Jacobs, Victoria Locklear, Andon Revels, Destiny Locklear, Kinsey Chavis, Nathanael Jones, Brianna Hunt, Tessa Morgan, Madison Hunt, Julius Hunt, Kayleigh Chavis, Eli McCoy, Ashlin Todd, Abigail Gladden, Kassie Harris, Kendall Robinson, Gabriel Scott, Madison Chavis, Lakayla Chavis, Joseph Blake, Katerina Lesane, Jaylen Bowen, Alyssa Davis, Jayda Smith, Jacob Hammonds, Kameron Graham, Dadrian Ward, Jadyn Chavis, Malachi Gales, Christian Hunt, Harmony Richardson, Emma Brewington, Halie Scott, Serjio Sosa, Lydia McNeill, Jacob Yelton, Tangela Chavis, Autum Davis, Kenneth Brooks, William Brooks, Samuel Hunt, Timothy Brewington, Kachina Baldwin, Alarria Chavis and Abel Messer. The college recipients are: Morgan Locklear, Meghan Jones, August Smith, Zachary Scott, Jeremy Hunt, Chloe Locklear, Jaylen Locklear, Lydia Mansfield. Jadyn Locklear, Jada Allen, Jalyn Herndon, Katelyn Harris, Kailee Sampson, Frederick Locklear, Kinsley Locklear, Nola Graham, Khalie Jones, Caden Locklear, Destiny Locklear, Dylan Hammonds, Seth Lowery, William Jacobs Jr., William Smith, Mariah Graham, Morgan Locklear, Alena Thomas, Marijo Wilkes, Madison Brewer, Madison Deese, Caitlin Smith, Kiley Oxendine, Shania Lewis, Alyssa Chavis-Wanson, Anna Lowry, Layla Locklear, Brooklyn Oxendine, Jaelyn Locklear, Riley Edwards, Ashton Sumpter, Natalie Locklear, Tiana Jacobs, Morgan Jones, Kendal Woodell, Latasha Rice, Thristan Clark, Aliyah Locklear, Emily Deese, Myra Berumen ,Philip Revels, Catherine Oxendine, Kaitlynn Chavis, Nahava Clark-Chavis, Logan Lowery, Benjamin Adams, Megan Locklear, Caris Lynch, Garrett Gerber, Alyssa Brooks, Tokobe Hunt, Cheyenne Oxendine, Halie Allen, Nikki Clark, Emily Goins, Amber Holmes, Jaden Jacobs, Joshua Bell, Erik Lowery, Alona Locklear, Shaunccley Lowery, Cheyenne Locklear, Brianna Graham, Jada Locklear, Bradlee Logan, Nikayia Chavis, Tristian Sumpter, Elayna Chavis, Sarah Lowry, Syniah Lancaster, Chasity Locklear, Asa Locklear, Dylan Deese, Celine Locklear, Jamie Oxendine, Mahala Carter, Paul Oxendine, Camden Williams, Kendrick Oxendine, Erika Locklear, Michaela Gales, Kaleb Lowery, Bayli Locklear, Kristen Butler, Katherine Park, Ethan Wilkins, Rebecca Zingarelli, Haley Lowery, Justus Brewington, Emme Jolicoeur, Cameron Graham and Jordan McNeill.

Dear Lumbee People, In May, we joined our Lumbee Citizens in the Rowland (District 1) community to celebrate the grand opening of the South Robeson Court Administrative building at Pine Needle Senior Village. This building will serve as a gathering place for the Elder Housing Community currently in development. Once completed, Pine Needle Senior Village will have 22 homes for elders to live in a safe and affordable community. This site has been in the planning stages for a long time and I am proud to have worked with Councilman Billy “Dollar Bill” Oxendine and our tribal staff to see the community brought to life. On May 6th, the Lumbee Tribe, along with our partners, honored our Missing and Murdered Indigenous People by participating in the annual MMIW March and rally. As Lumbee people, we have so many loved ones who have been murdered or gone missing over the years. Without closure, those wounds never heal. I am grateful to the many family members who came out and shared about their loved ones and continue to carry their memories everywhere they go. The lives of our Lumbee people are priceless; we must be our brothers and sisters’ keepers. Let us remember those that we have lost and continue to work to protect others from a similar fate. One of the key components of our Tribal Support Services is the Peer Support program. Our Peer Support program is designed to help those who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction. In May, we held a “Night of Hope” event which highlighted and celebrated the efforts of eight individuals who are working with our Peer Support staff. At this touching event, we heard from individuals who experienced first-hand the impact of addiction on themselves and family. If you or a loved one would like to know more about our Peer Support Program, please call our staff at 910-522-5055. Please remember these eight individuals in prayer as they move forward each day on their recovery journey. Thank you for allowing me to be your Chairman. I love you all, John L. Lowery Chairman

You are invited to the District 14 Community Meeting on Thursday, August 24 2023 at 6:00 pm at the First Nation Boys & Girls Club. The event is hosted by Councilman Homer Fields. The event will offer information about tribal services, community information. Dinner will be served.

Today the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. participated in an Acknowledgement Gathering at Fort Fisher in Wilmington along with other descendants, our sister tribes and other groups that were forced to work at the fort during the Civil War. The event was hosted by Michelle Lanier, Director, of the N.C. Division of State Historic Sites. The gathering was a time of reflection of the contributions of our ancestors before the NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources began an archeological excavation of an air strip in the area of the original fort. The project is part of a new $25 million visitors center, which is expected to be completed by next summer and will replace the old visitors center which was built in 1965. The new Fort Fisher Visitors center will triple the size of the center. The archeological dig is expected to take two weeks.

The Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center is closed today, Saturday, July 22, 2023 and will reopen on Sunday, July 23, 2023.