April 2025 Chairman Monthly Report

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.

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