Our sins are before us, but our past is behind us. Many of us need to remind ourselves of these truths.

Dr. Carmaleta Littlejohn Monteith, Beloved Woman of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from Elawodi (Yellowhill), is a force to be reckoned with. Her boundless energy, along with the passion and love she has for her people, combine to make her unstoppable. 

A few months ago, several of our elders approached me and asked whether there was a way to provide a small amount of additional assistance to help offset rising fuel and heating costs.

When we started researching the banishment list over a decade ago, the exclusion power outlined in the Code (the Cherokee Code) was being used, but a couple of the directives in it were not being followed.

This is my Council Report for the month of February. I want to begin by publicly expressing my appreciation for the collective effort shown by our Tribal programs in both the preparation for and response to the recent snowstorm on the Boundary. As always, my report follows the standard format below.

Pheasant is a true educator and represents the EBCI very well wherever she goes.  She has a way of painting a picture in your mind as she speaks. 

How often do you hear from those around you, “What can I do?” with the tenor of failure? Your choice to motivate others in service suggests we change these exact words into a tenor of service – “What can I do for God?”

We have experienced the resulting apathy within our own community. When someone advocates for change, there will always be those who hang their Eeyore-like heads and say, “Oh, bother. They are bringing this up again. Don’t they know it will never work?” or “Why are they trying this?