American Indian issues addressed

By Margaret Damghani
Opinion Editor

A conference series focusing on issues related to the American Indian community was held in the UC Annex on Nov. 6.

Photo by Maggie Damghani American Indian Mothers, Inc. President Beverly Collins-Hall speaks with a seminar participant. The seminar focused on issues in the Native American community.

Several organizations focusing on topics from diabetes to sustainable agriculture had booths.

Approximately 100 people attended the seminar.

The three seminars were:

• No American Indian Child Left Behind: Helping our Native American children succeed in the public school system.

• American Indians in Business/Agriculture: An informative forum for those that wish to change from tobacco farming to organic/natural faming.

• American Indians Focusing on Health and Health Disparities: Addressing the unique health risks faced by Native Americans.
The conference was a part of the sixth Annual Harvest Festival hosted by American Indian Mothers, Inc.

The Millennium Memorial and Warriors Award Banquet following the conference at 7 p.m. gave first place to Lt. Joshua Deese, an UNCP graduate who died while serving in the U.S. Army in 2006.

Other events that were a part of the Harvest Festival included the Nov. 2 Art Expo and the Nov. 3 Iron Bear Vision Eighth Annual Cultural Fest held at the North Carolina Indian Cultural Center in Maxton.

The Harvest Festival moved back to the North Carolina Indian Cultural Center Nov. 7 to 9 for storytelling, pottery, arts, museum tours and a nature walk where participants got their picture taken with a live buffalo.

The cultural center also hosted the “Walking in Many World Youth Conference,” on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10 and NCICC Powwow to end the Harvest Festival Week.