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OUR VISION

The vision is that participants will leave the conference with a renewed mind, body and spirit and empowered with an agenda for action on behalf of American Indian women, their families and their communities.

GOALS

• Educate and empower young American Indian college and high school students to achieve excellence and embrace the challenges of the 21st century by providing scholarship, advocacy, supportive environments, role models and mentors.
• Educate teachers and the public about what we value and articulate concerns dealing with American Indian history and culture.
• Address issues that impact the educational development of American Indian children and adolescents.
• Understand the complexity of American Indian community problems and develop culturally competent efforts to solve these problems.
• Increase the self-efficacy of American Indian women as agents of change in the educational, entrepreneurial, and political arenas. 
• Address the holistic (mind, body and spirit) needs of American Indian mothers and wives.

Greetings! It is with great pleasure that I invite you to participate in the Second Annual North Carolina American Indian Women’s Conference.  This event will take place on February 29 and March 1, 2008 on The University of North Carolina at Pembroke campus in Pembroke, North Carolina.

The conference theme, “A Gathering: Strengthening the Circle,” is especially relevant as we seek to establish partnerships with teachers, principals, school boards, and other school personnel that support efforts to annually increase academic achievement and graduation rates of American Indian students.  We are also seeking working relationships with tribes and organizations as we seek to build healthier lives for our families and communities in the context that celebrates and embraces American Indian values, beliefs and ways of the people.

We are offering a program with statewide and national applications, speakers who are recognized experts in their field, and timely topics.  The topics are focusing on mind, body and spirit, entrepreneurial initiatives, student scholarships, financial literacy, a panel discussion on a study on sexual violence toward Native women done by Amnesty International, and best practices in education.  Best practices in education will focus on the academic achievement of Indian students.  We are most interested in identifying promising practices designed to enhance educational opportunities for American Indians.  Ample time is scheduled for discussion sessions.  In addition, the program will feature music, dance and a celebration of American Indian children.

To assure quality time for total participation, lunch will be served each day and there will be an Honor Ceremony on Friday evening at 7:00 pm that will recognize seven American Indian women who have contributed to promoting American Indian families through leadership and service.  The conference will conclude on Saturday afternoon with a cultural program at the Lumber “Lumbee” River adjacent to Harpers Ferry Baptist Church.

Keynote speakers will include NC State School Superintendent, Dr. June S. Atkinson; Director of the American Indian Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Clara Sue Kidwell(White Earth Chippewa); noted Lumbee lecturer Wanda Maynor Carter of Charlotte, N.C.; President of Americans for Indian Opportunity, LaDonna Harris (Comanche); Dr. Willard Sakiestewa Gilbert (Hopi), president of the National Indian Education Association, and Mary Kim Titla (San Carlos Apache), former Arizona TV news reporter and Democratic candidate for the Arizona Congressional District 1.  Dr. Helen Maynor Scheirbeck (Lumbee), a recent retiree from the Museum of the American Indian, is serving as Elder-in-Residence for the conference.  Dr. Scheirbeck will address the often-unique situations and the concerns of our Native communities.

Certificates of attendance for continuing education credit are available for attendees.  Participants will receive the following CEU points: .6 for one day and 1.2 for two days.

It is our vision that conference participants will leave this gathering with a renewed mind, body and spirit and empowered with an agenda for action on behalf of American Indian women, their families and their communities.  We will be honored by your participation and commitment.

Sincerely,

Rosa Revels Winfree (Lumbee), Chairperson
Conference Planning Committee

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Last Updated: Thursday, February 14, 2008