Osiyo.

November is always a significant time for the Cherokee Nation and tribes nationwide as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month and recognize Diabetes Awareness Month and Adoption Awareness Month. It is also an extra special time as we honor and recognize all veterans and our military heroes on Veterans Day.

Native Heritage

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Cherokee Nation is offering free admission to all museums during November.  Native American Heritage Month is the perfect opportunity to open our museum doors to the public and invite everyone to experience authentic Native American history and culture. This is an excellent opportunity to reconnect with your Cherokee roots and experience the shared history of Cherokee Nation citizens. Additionally, we are hosting a ‘Lunch & Learn’ lecture series every Monday at noon throughout the month. The series will feature speakers on various topics related to Cherokee Nation history, culture and government. The free series is open to the public and will be held at noon each Monday in November in the Tsalagi Community Room at the WW Keeler Complex in Tahlequah.

Celebrating Native heritage also shines a light on two issues that are deeply personal for me – diabetes prevention and placing more Cherokee children in adoptive homes.

Diabetes Awareness

Sadly, in Oklahoma one in 10 people lives with diabetes. Cherokee Nation Health Services currently treats more than 10,000 patients for diabetes, more than for any other disease. Half of all medical visits at our Cherokee Nation health centers are related to diabetes in some way. The silver lining is that diabetes is preventable through education. While the rate of youth diabetes is climbing across Indian Country, we have an opportunity to address our health disparities and stop the cycle by educating our kids. When our citizens have access to healthy foods and safe places to exercise, then we can begin to beat the diabetes epidemic. The Cherokee Nation Diabetes Prevention Program continues to bring our citizens the most effective medical care and offer more support programs so that we can combat this deadly disease.

Adoption Awareness

Another critical challenge facing our people today is the desperate need for foster and adoptive parents. Currently, the tribe’s Indian Child Welfare office is serving 1,561 Cherokee children. That number represents kids not just in Oklahoma, but all over the country.  Our Indian Child Welfare staff at Cherokee Nation currently works with 120 adoptive homes, 78 in Oklahoma and 42 out of state. Those loving homes make such a difference, but we still need more adoptive homes. Oftentimes older children are overlooked, as babies or toddlers are the most likely to be adopted first. While the number of adoptive homes has increased over the last year, we still need people willing to adopt those older children and groups of siblings. Our Cherokee children deserve the opportunity to grow up in a loving home, knowing their culture.

Veterans Day

We respect and admire any man or woman who has donned a uniform and made sacrifices to protect and defend America’s liberties. As Indian people, our heritage and history as warriors are something we all take great pride in and something that must always be revered and respected. Our citizenry serves in the military at a higher rate than any other minority group. This year we will remember Cherokee warriors and honor living veterans when we dedicate the new Cherokee Warrior Memorial at the tribal complex in Tahlequah. The black marble monument, indelibly inscribed, will be a testament to the valor and sacrifices of our brave men and women and a permanent reminder that they will never be forgotten.

Recently, a Cherokee Nation warrior from Sequoyah County was killed freeing hostages held by ISIS in Afghanistan. Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler was a highly decorated member of the Delta Force, and he died serving our great country. We are forever indebted to him for his bravery. Like so many of our Cherokee warriors, Joshua is a true American hero, and we will always honor his life and sacrifices at the Cherokee Nation.

Please join me this month in celebrating all it means to be Cherokee, and finding ways to contribute to our tribe by looking into becoming an adoptive home.

 Wado.