Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation Chuck Hoskin Jr was our guest Monday on COMMUNITY CONNECTION.

 

Chief Hoskin was very happy to talk about the recently enacted revised “Public Health and Wellness Fund Act” during a signing ceremony that was held Thursday at the Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center in Tahlequah. Chief Hoskin thanked the tribe’s behavioral health team, many of whom were present for the signing of the law, and said the expansion is earmarking $15 million over the next three years to help construct drug treatment facilities in the Cherokee Nation.

 

Chief Hoskin also talked about a new event coming to Cherokee Nation. Hoskin said six cyclists from the Cherokee Nation will participate in the 2022 Remember the Removal Bike Ride this June, retracing an estimated 950 miles along the northern route of the Trail of Tears by bicycle. This marks the first year for the team to be comprised entirely of Cherokee women.

 

The ride spans from Georgia to Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma over nearly three weeks.

 

Recently, local Cherokee leaders set out to establish a cultural center in Dewey to act as a central location for local members to celebrate the tribe’s culture and history, as well as connect them with tribal resources.

 

The facility at 700 E Durham has a five-member board that is establishing a non-profit. Hoskin said the facility will “be a great anchor” for Cherokee life in Washington County.

 

We also talked to Chief Hoskin about the advances in media that Cherokee Nation has made recently.

 

The Cherokee Nation Film Office is partnering with the Native American Media Alliance to help grow Native representation in film and television. The collaboration, which includes support from major industry allies and the Motion Picture Association, aims to expand diversity and inclusion throughout the entertainment industry, both in front and behind the cameras.

 

The tribe’s film office, Netflix, Amazon Studios, WarnerMedia, Snowpants Productions and Kung Fu Monkey Productions have partnered in support of the Native American Media Alliance and its TV and feature film labs, workshops and seminars.

 

The initiative helps Native Americans break into entertainment and new media professions, while also protecting Natives already employed in these industries. NAMA and its partnering agencies ensure fair and accurate portrayals of Native America by lifting and amplifying the authentic voices of Native people and organizations.