SPOKESPERSON MESSAGE: March 2024

ᎣᏏᏲ ᏂᎦᏛ osiyo nigad! (hello, everyone!)

ᎪᎨᏱ gogeyi (Spring) has sprung! We’re especially looking forward to next month’s Chief’s Annual Visit and Picnic, organized by Cherokee Nation Community & Cultural Outreach. It will be at Rush Ranch again. Cherokee Nation Registration will be traveling with the Chief to process applications for photo IDs for registered citizens. It will be a great opportunity to be in community with fellow Cherokees!

We’re partnering with Cherokee Nation and the Cherokee Society of the Greater Bay Area to help organize volunteers and we need your help! Sign up here to volunteer during the picnic, practice gadugi, make some friends, and receive your own volunteer apron!

If you missed our last event with Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry, be sure to check out the beautiful photos, taken by CNCV member Deirdre Fitzgerald (Brass Forest Photos) along with a link to an excellent documentary on Will Rogers.

Our annual John Rollin Ridge family plot clean-up is coming up on May 11. Come join friendly Cherokees to lend some light physical labor to clean up the small historical plot.

Also in this month’s newsletter, we highlight the Cherokee language intensive course the Nation brought to us recently as well as information on a free Cherokee Genealogy research group on Facebook. Honored Elder Mike Webb also shares a touching memorial for Rob Wood and tells the story of his 70-year-old Rare & Primo “Super Olds” Trombone, recently gifted to McClatchy Music Director, Jorge Munoz. Martha Blackbird shares a cute story about two wrens who have recently moved into a decorative gourd birdhouse made by outgoing CNCV council member, Debby Rising. Finally, we sincerely thank Debby Rising for her years of service to the CNCV and welcome Sheila Zangrilli to fill the remainder of Debby’s term.

We hope to see everyone at the picnic next month!

ᏙᏓᏓᎪᎲᎢ dodadagohvi ‘til we meet again,

-- Sabrina McKinney