# at Immokalee library (2026)

> Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more.

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Aseminole_tribe_fl%3A5a49cca68052598b

## Record

- **Collection:** Tribal code
- **Document type:** Tribal code

## Text

Dozens of Seminole
youth attend UNITY
EDUCATION 1B

Sweetgrass session
at Immokalee library
COMMUNITY 6A

Tribe hosts NAYO
baseball/softball
SPORTS 1C

www.seminoletribune.org

Free
August 2026

Volume L • Number 8

Naples' Serena Zepeda, Hollywood's
Dahlia Sanders crowned Seminole princesses
BY DANIELLA HAKIM
Staff Reporter

HOLLYWOOD— Serena Zepeda and
Dahlia Sanders were all smiles and tearyeyed after being crowned the Seminole Tribe
of Florida’s new princesses July 25 at the
69th annual Miss Florida Seminole Princess
Pageant in the Hollywood executive building
auditorium on the Hollywood Reservation.
Zepeda, 24, earned the Miss Florida
Seminole title. Sanders, 15, earned the Jr.
Miss Florida Seminole title. They will serve
one-year reigns representing the tribe.
“We support these young ladies every
day,” said Tribal Secretary and Miss Florida
Seminole 1985 Naomi Wilson. “We have
young ladies at the tribe who believe in each
other, who believe in this sisterhood and say,
‘This is what we wish to continue to do.’”
Zepeda, the oldest of all eight pageant
contestants, is from the tribe’s Naples
community. Zepeda is a graduate of the
University of Vermont with a bachelor’s
in elementary education and education
for cultural linguistics diversity. She is
the daughter of Brian Zepeda, the Naples
Council Liaison. Zepeda volunteers for the
tribe’s Youth Empowerment Program and
the nonprofit, Big Brother Big Sister, as a
mentor.
“My platform is really on higher
education and building up our youth,”
Zepeda said. “My goal is to help our youth
see education as something that uplifts us.
Hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to read to
students and encourage them.”
Sanders is from the Hollywood
Reservation and the Bird Clan. She is a
sophomore at NSU University School in
Davie and is the daughter of Mercedes
Osceola and Neil Sanders.

Beverly Bidney

“What excites me most about the year
ahead is being with Serena,” Sanders said.
“She’s so inspirational, she’s like a big older
sister. I want to be an inspiration for other
children my age because there were only
three other contestants this year running for
Jr. Miss Florida Seminole. I would love for
more girls to get out of their comfort zone
and run for this pageant. It’s a good feeling—
being up on stage and seeing everyone’s
faces.”
Alongside Zepeda, the Miss Florida
Seminole contestants were Leilani Burton,
21, from Okeechobee; Sarafina Billie, 19,
from Hollywood; Carlise Bermudez, 21,
from Immokalee; and Tahnia Billie, 18, from
Clewiston.
Ada Bruised Head, 15, from Clewiston
and Ciani Smith, 15, from Okeechobee,
competed for the Jr. Miss Florida crown
alongside Sanders.
Both Zepeda and Sanders were crowned
on stage by their predecessors, Bailey Marie
Latchford and Chaka Yani Smith.
Following
each
contestant’s
introduction, traditional outfit presentations
showcased custom-made patchwork skirts
and capes, while the contestant’s talent
presentations presented their passions for
patchwork, beadwork, harvesting sweetgrass,
preparing sofkee, and storytelling. Zepeda,
Burton, and Tahnia Billie told stories of the
box turtle and the rabbit, the supernatural
twins, and the good hearted and the evil
spirit.
Sanders and Sarafina Billie won the
evening’s talent division; Sanders and
Burton won best essay; and Tahnia Billie
won this year’s Miss Congeniality award.

Newly crowned Jr. Miss Florida Seminole Dahlia Sanders, left, and Miss Florida Seminole Serena Zepeda bask in the spotlight at the 69th annual Miss
Florida Seminole Princess Pageant on July 25 in Hollywood.

See PRINCESSES on page 4A

Summer means
shipping season for
Seminole cattle

Broward
bridge project
to close
Sheridan
Street lanes

BY BEVERLY BIDNEY
Staff Reporter

He has been working with cattle most of his
life with his grandfathers Reno and Rodney
Osceola’s herds in Brighton.
“I like helping; it isn’t really hard,” said
BIG CYPRESS — Summer is calf
the
PECS
eighth grader.
shipping season on the Big Cypress and
Pauletta Bowers, who has spent her
Brighton reservations, where cattle owners
and the Board sent about 5,000 calves to life working with cattle, shipped about 60
calves. The largest weighed 788 pounds and
feed lots out west from July 6 to July 16.
The temperature in Big Cypress on the smallest, which was born later than the
July 13 was in the low 90s and humid with rest of the calves, weighed 328. She said
no rain. Fortunately, there was plenty of the weather this year has been good which
created an optimal
shade in the pens
growing
season
for the cattle and
for the calves. She
the cowhands who
has been tending to
moved them from
cattle all her life.
trailers to pens to
“I
can’t
the cattle truck.
complain.
I’ve
“The morning
been
blessed,”
went well,” said
Bowers said. “I
Clint
Raulerson,
like the lifestyle
Natural Resources
and seeing your
cattle
operations
product from start
general manager.
to finish.”
“It
was
very
Ahnie Jumper
cool and none of
was
also raised in
the calves were
a cattle family in
overheated.”
Big Cypress. This
The
annual
is the third year she
calf
shipping
has owned her own
event marks the
herd, which she
conclusion
of
purchased
from
the time owners
Joe Frank. She
spent raising the
shipped 54 calves
calves. The animals
and didn’t keep
will spend the
as many as she
next few months
usually does since
eating; when they
she is about to
reach about 1,350
have her third child
pounds, they will
this month. Jumper
be sent to market.
said she loves
Beverly
Bidney
Work in the
cowpens starts at Bentley Osceola, 13, herds a group of calves from one working the cattle
with her children
sunrise to avoid pen to another in Big Cypress.
Hayze, Sawyer and
the hottest part of
Desmond.
the day. The work
“The challenge is buying more cows,”
is dirty, crowded with cattle and potentially
dangerous for the cowhands who work she said. “The market is so high right now,
extremely close to the cattle. The animals it’s insane. I want to have a bigger herd; I
are usually wary of people and tend to move have 95 but I want 130.”
out of their way quickly.
Bentley Osceola, 13, likes to help out
in the cowpens with his uncle Sean Osceola.
See SHIPPING on page 6A

Community......................3A

Education........................1B

Health.............................8A

Sports..........................1C

STAFF REPORT

Beverly Bidney

HOLLYWOOD — A major bridge
project on Sheridan Street near the
Hollywood Reservation and off-reservation
tribal buildings is scheduled to start lane
closures in early August for a project that is
expected to be completed in spring 2027.
Led by the Broward County Engineering
Department, the Sheridan Street bridge
improvement project will increase the height
of the bridge by two feet. Lifting the bridge
from its current 14 feet, 6 inches to 16 feet,
6 inches is aimed at preventing strikes by
trucks below it on the Florida Turnpike that
have plagued the bridge. The county has hired
Structural Technologies to raise the bridge to
meet current vertical clearance standards.
According to the county, lane closures
on Sheridan Street will begin Aug. 3. The
bridge is near a Hard Rock Support Services
building at the corner of Sheridan Street
and North 64th Avenue and is less than a
half-mile from the southern entrance to the
reservation. The tribe’s Taft Street buildings
are a short distance away, too, at the corner of
North 64th Ave. and Taft Street.
The initial phase will close westbound
lanes on Sheridan Street on and near the
bridge while the eastbound side will be
reconfigured to carry one lane of traffic in
each direction. In phase 2, the eastbound
lanes will close while the westbound lanes
will serve both directions.
At a June 2 community public meeting,
project officials said full closure of the
Sheridan Street lanes would be necessary at
times, but would be “relatively minor at night
and shouldn’t be for long.” They displayed a
map of a detour that would divert traffic onto
North 64th Street (south of the reservation)
and then east on Taft Street. Westbound traffic
on Sheridan would have to follow a detour
south on 441 and then west on Taft Street.
The project also includes new lighting
and sidewalks, a lane for bicycles and
drainage improvements.

Todd Johns herds calves July 13 from the Big Cypress cowpens into the cattle truck that will take them
to feed lots out west.

See BRIDGE on page 2A

Visit the Tribune's Instagram (@seminoletribune)
for news throughout the month

2A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

Editorial
The Army Corps Faces More Than a
Permit Decision. It Faces a Promise.
• Whitney Gravelle

T

he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
is preparing to make what many
will see as a permitting decision
on Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel
beneath the Straits of Mackinac.
For Tribal Nations, it is something much
larger. It is another test of whether the United
States will uphold the promises it made when
it entered into treaties with our ancestors.
For nearly two hundred years, Tribal
Nations have heard the same assurances. The
United States promised our treaties would
be honored. It promised our rights would
endure. It promised to protect the resources
that make those rights meaningful.
Yet history tells a different story.
Time and time again, whenever
tribal rights have collided with economic
development,
industry,
or
political
convenience, those promises have bent.
Homelands were taken. Languages were
stolen. Rivers were dammed. Sacred places
disappeared beneath reservoirs and highways.
Native children were separated from their
families in the name of assimilation. Entire
ways of life were sacrificed because someone
else decided the cost was acceptable.
Each generation was told the harm was
necessary.
Each generation was told to trust treaties
are the supreme law of the land.
The Line 5 tunnel asks us to believe that
this time is different.
When most Americans hear the phrase
“treaty trust responsibility,” they think of
lawyers, courtrooms, or dusty history books.
I think of my grandparents.
I think of my uncle pulling fish from the
waters of Lake Superior. I think of my family
picking berries in the summer, hunting in the
fall, making offerings of tobacco before a
harvest, and teaching us that the Great Lakes
are not resources to exploit but relatives to
care for. For Anishinaabe people, treaties
were never simply about land. They were
about the future.
When our ancestors signed the 1836
Treaty of Washington, they did not surrender
who we were. They reserved the right to
continue living as Great Lakes people to fish,
hunt, gather, and maintain what the treaty
called the “usual privileges of occupancy.”
In return, the United States made a
promise.
That promise became what is known
today as the federal trust responsibility: a
solemn obligation to protect Tribal Nations,
our treaty rights, and the natural resources
those rights depend upon.
I have spent the last decade fighting
to decommission Line 5 and protecting the
Great Lakes. During those years, I have sat
with nearly every state and federal agency
involved in this project. I have participated
in consultation after consultation, hoping
someone would finally step back and see
what Tribal Nations have been saying from
the beginning.
Instead, I watched government willingly
operate in pieces. One agency studies
wetlands. Another evaluates water quality.
Another reviews archaeological sites.
Another examines endangered species. No
one asks what happens when all of those
impacts fall on the same people. No one asks
what happens when the project threatens not
just water quality or cultural resources, but a
treaty-protected way of life.
That is where the federal trust
responsibility matters.
The trust responsibility is not simply a
duty to consult with tribes before making a
decision. It is an obligation, a legal, moral,
and constitutional obligation, to ensure that
the rights reserved by treaty remain real. The
United States does not fulfill that obligation
by inviting Tribal Nations into the room if
it ultimately permits the destruction of the

very resources those treaties were meant to
protect.
A treaty right to fish means little if the
waters are placed at perpetual risk.
A treaty right to gather means little
if construction destroys the places where
medicines have been harvested for
generations.
A treaty right to hunt means little if
forests are cut down and wetlands are filled.
A treaty right to maintain our way of life
means little if our ancestors are excavated,
catalogued, and displaced to make room for
infrastructure.
My family has lived that way of life
for generations. My father was a fisherman.
My grandfather was a fisherman. My family
hunted, gathered, and lived from these waters
long before Line 5 was ever imagined. We
did not survive because governments took
care of us. We survived because the Great
Lakes did.
That relationship is exactly what our
ancestors protected when they signed the
1836 Treaty. They had the foresight and the
strength to preserve the “usual privileges of
occupancy.” A relationship with land and
water.
Throughout this review, Tribal Nations
repeatedly warned the Army Corps, the State
of Michigan, and Enbridge that ancestral
villages and burial sites existed along both
shores of the Straits. We knew because our
oral histories remembered what maps did
not.
We were right.
Hundreds of archaeological sites have
now been documented.
For many Americans, those discoveries
are remarkable archaeological finds. For
us, they are our grandparents, our history,
our language, our proof that we have
always belonged here. Proof of those “usual
privileges of occupancy.” Yet, even after
centuries of dispossession, we are still being
asked to move aside so another project can
proceed.
The United States has an opportunity to
write a different chapter.
The Army Corps can continue the long
history of treating tribal treaty rights as
something to acknowledge before approving
the project anyway. Or it can finally give
substance to the federal trust responsibility
by recognizing that protecting treaty rights
sometimes requires saying no.
While the federal trust responsibility is
unique to Tribal Nations, the responsibility
to faithfully consider the public belongs
to every federal agency. Thousands and
thousands of people have participated in
this process because they recognize that the
Straits of Mackinac are not simply another
construction site, they are one of the world’s
greatest freshwater resources. The Army
Corps now has both treaty obligations and a
clear public mandate to protect them.
This decision will say far more than
whether Enbridge receives a permit. It will
answer whether the United States believes
its promises endure when they become
inconvenient. For a process that hears every
voice but changes nothing does not build
public trust. It erodes it.
For Tribal Nations, this question is as old
as the Republic itself. The Army Corps now
has the opportunity to answer it differently.
I hope it does, not only for Bay Mills
Indian Community, but for every American
who believes that when our nation gives
its word, it should keep it. For the question
before the United States is whether those
words are merely written on parchment,
or whether they still carry the weight of a
nation’s honor.
Whitney Gravelle is president of the
Bay Mills Indian Community in Michigan.
This guest opinion was published on
nativenewsonline.net.

NICWA offers in-person, virtual training
FROM PRESS RELEASE

NICWA’s Foundations of Tribal Child
Welfare Casework Practice training is
designed for individuals working throughout
the Tribal child welfare system. There are
two upcoming opportunities to attend this
training, Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Portland, Oregon,
and Nov. 3-5 in Mystic Lake, Minnesota.
The training focuses on day-to-day
duties of Tribal Child Welfare, working with
families using the Relational Worldview

BRIDGE

From page 1A

Model, best practices for court preparation,
and basic case management. Newer
advocates in this field will become familiar
with the basic elements of these topics,
while experienced workers can consider
this an opportunity to stay up to date on best
practices.
For those unable to join in person, a oneday virtual training institute, a condensed
version of our three-day training that covers
the basics in short time, is offered in August.
For more information go to nicwa.org.
one lane in each direction.
For more information about the project
go to wspengages.com/SheridanStBridge.

The project will also impact traffic on
the Florida Turnpike with nightly closures of
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Indigenous Journalists Association.

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Letters/emails to the editor must be signed
and may be edited for publication.

Issue: September 2026
Deadline: August 19, 2026

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Everglades, STOF’s McDaniel Ranch
featured on ABC’s July 4 special
BY BEVERLY BIDNEY
Staff Reporter

The Everglades and the Seminole Tribe
of Florida’s McDaniel Ranch were featured
on ABC’s 24-hour commemoration of the
250th anniversary of the United States July
4 in a segment called the “Seven Natural
Wonders of America.”
National Geographic Explorer Carlton
Ward Jr. interviewed Alex Johns, the tribe’s
executive director of Agriculture, at the
McDaniel Ranch located a few miles north
of the Big Cypress Reservation. Johns and
his crew moved about 110 head of cattle
a few miles from a pasture to a pen for
vaccinations as a drone captured the action
for the broadcast.
In 2021, Ward worked to get the Florida
Wildlife Corridor Act passed in the state
legislature, in which 18 million acres are
designated priority preservation landscape.
That includes working ranches in the
Everglades, such as the McDaniel Ranch.
“There was a time when the
environmentalists didn’t favor the ranchers,
then they found out we were actually the
original environmentalists,” Johns said on
the program. “Our people are called the
‘Cowkeepers’; we keep cows, we raise cows
and we’ve fed our families for 500 years.
You have to have these herding animals
graze this land to keep it pristine and the
prairies open and keep everything from
growing over.”
“The open green space can filter the
water and purify that water on its way down
to the [Everglades] National Park,” added
Ward, who comes from a ranching family in
central Florida.
“Good Morning America” anchor
Robin Roberts interviewed Betty Osceola,
of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, who
talked about protecting the ecosystem and
her ancestral land as they explored the
Everglades on an airboat.
“The Florida Everglades, it’s a magical
place,” Osceola said. “It’s just like this secret
garden you’re traveling into and there’s no
other place like it in the world.”
Historically the Miccosukee people
have lived in the Everglades on tree islands.
The Miccosukee Tribe’s constitution states

Beverly Bidney
Alex Johns, who was interviewed on ABC’s “Seven Natural Wonders of America” that aired July 4 and
drew more than 4.5 million total viewers, works at McDaniel Ranch on the day of the taping.

they have a duty to protect the Everglades.
The greatest threat Osceola sees to her
homeland is the pressure of development.
“This is my people’s home,” Osceola
said. “For the Miccosukee to be Miccosukee
we have to keep that deep connection here.
In order for us to thrive, we need to protect
the Everglades itself.”

“The health of the Everglades is the
health of us all,” Roberts said. “This is part
of the country that people need to see.”
The “Seven Natural Wonders of
America” segment aired from 1 p.m. to 3
p.m. and was watched by 4.5 million total
viewers, according ot Nielsen. It is available
to watch on YouTube.

California returns ancestral land to tribes
BY CALVIN TIGER
Staff Reporter

In June, the state of California’s
Transportation Commission approved a
return of 136 acres of ancestral land that
includes the Blues Beach and Mendocino
County bluffs to the Kai Poma, a nonprofit
that represents: Coyote Valley Band of Pomo
Indians, Round Valley Indian Tribes, and the
Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians.
According to the California Transportation
Commission (CTC), the transfer includes
defining boundaries, an agreement to various
environmental terms, and a completion of
management plans.
“This is beyond huge,” Sherwood
Valley Band of Pomo Indians Chair J. Carlos
Rivera told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s

enormous from our tribal perspective that
we are basically obtaining the land that our
people once lived on before colonization.”
The state of California had purchased
the land back in the 1960’s for the expansion
of Highway 1 and to also create a scenic
viewpoint for travelers according to the
CTC.
After the land transfer, Kai Poma plans
on conducting cultural, archeological,
and environmental studies and a resource
management plan. A public access
management plan has also been drafted to let
the public access the lands from sunrise to
sunset.
“This momentous transfer restores a
sacred cultural connection between Native
peoples and their ancestral homelands in
the north state. By virtue of a collaborative
effort among tribal nations, state agencies,

and regional partners, this majestic stretch of
coastline will once again be managed under
the rightful stewardship of local tribes,”
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in
a news release.
“Ancestral lands hold profound
importance
to
California
Indian
communities. The legacy of forced
relocation continues to affect tribal families,
and the protection of homelands remains
essential for cultural continuity,” said Kai
Poma Chairman Eddie Knight in the release.
“Preserving and restoring Blues Beach
supports ongoing tribal practices such as
harvesting food, harvesting medicine, and
safeguarding sites of historical and spiritual
significance. Kai Poma looks forward to
restoring and protecting Blues Beach for
future generations.”

Tribes, states, and the federal government battle for
Colorado River water rights
for their survival, again, economic growth
and benefit. At the same time, we also had
the Upper Basin states, so that includes New
Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming,
who submitted these letters to the Senate
committee, and they all kind of said the same
thing. They said, you know, we recognize
tribes have water rights. It’s important to
settle and to quantify those, but as Upper
Basin states, we have concerns – concerns
that their water would be impacted, and that
it’s doing something that hadn’t been done
before. This exchange of inner basin tribe
water in the upper or lower, and vice versa,
and they’re concerned that that would create
some kind of negative precedent, and just
being able to account for, as I mentioned
before, in this broader Colorado River
governance, and so that seems to be the
primary hangup .
KUNM: And the Upper Basin states
say that the Navajo Nation’s ability to lease
the water could create a precedent for other
tribes to do the same. How realistic is this,
and what would be the issue if it does?
Heather Tanana: It gets a little
disingenuous when we’re talking about
the law of the river and the original 1922
compact that made this division of the upper
and lower. Well, Navajo is right there in the
middle. They cross the Upper Basin and
the Lower Basin, and this is exactly what
Navajo President Buu Nygren said in his
testimony. It’s a unique situation. Navajo
is the only tribe to cross the basins, and so
does it really set up a precedent when it
can’t happen again because we don’t have

a tribe that again
crosses that border,
the
imaginary
line between the
Upper and Lower
Basin, and it’s
really important to
remember that in
the 1922 compact,
and really until
the last five years
or so, tribes have
not been involved
in Colorado River
governance
at
all. The 1922 Heather Tanana (Navajo)
compact actually
includes
a
provision
that
says nothing in
this compact shall be construed as affecting
the obligations of the United States to the
Indian tribes. So they weren’t included in
the law, and to try and use the law of the
river now as a way to prevent them from
exercising these legally recognized tribal
water rights, I think, is a little problematic.
KUNM: Can you walk me through
the process of what tribes typically have to
do in order to get access from the federal
government?

Please send address changes to:
The Seminole Tribune
6365 Taft St.
Suite 3003
Hollywood, FL 33024

Staff Reporter: Beverly Bidney, ext. 16466
BeverlyBidney@semtribe.com

Contributors: Byron Osceola,
Mayli Tommie, Teresa Snow

Staff Reporter: Calvin Tiger, ext. 10739
CalvinTiger@semtribe.com

© 2026 Seminole Tribe of Florida

Publisher: The Seminole Tribe of Florida

Staff Reporter: Daniella Hakim, ext. 10704
DaniellaHakim@semtribe.com

FROM KUNM (NEW MEXICO PUBLIC RADIO)

The largest proposed tribal water
rights settlement in U.S. history — which
could transform some Native American
communities — continues to stall. KUNM’s
Jeanette DeDios talked about tribal water
rights to the Colorado River with Heather
Tanana, who is Navajo and an assistant law
professor for the University of Denver, on
New Mexico in Focus.
Heather Tanana: So tribes, in order to
exercise these water rights that are legal, have
been legally acknowledged since 1908, you
either have to go to the court and adjudicate
your right, or you have to reach a settlement.
And so that’s what three tribes did: San Juan
Southern Paiute, the Hopi Tribe, and Navajo
Nation. These are outstanding rights that
they’ve been trying to reach an agreement
on for literally decades. So the next step is
getting that congressional approval. And so
it’s been introduced twice. This is the second
time, and I think we’re all really crossing our
fingers that’ll make it over this final hurdle
because they’ll secure much needed water
for Hopi, Navajo, and give reservation lands
to the San Juan Southern Paiute.
KUNM: And what has been the central
conflict holding this water settlement back?
Heather Tanana: So we actually had a
hearing just back in March before the Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs, and we heard
testimony from all three of the tribal leaders
about how important this settlement is to
their communities and how necessary it is

Phone: 954-985-5700
Senior Editor: Kevin Johnson, ext. 10715
KevinJohnson@semtribe.com

Advertising: Donna Mason, ext. 10733
DonnaMason@semtribe.com

See WATER RIGHTS on page 4B

3A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

Community
Mitchellanie Cypress
dances in Nashville

Pedro Zepeda receives
Folk Heritage Award

BY BEVERLY BIDNEY
Staff Reporter

BY BEVERLY BIDNEY
Staff Reporter

Mitchellanie Cypress, an eighth grader
at Immokalee Community Academy
(ICA), sang and danced on the stage of the
renowned Ryman Auditorium, former home
of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, in late June.
Cypress wasn’t alone on that big stage;
she was with 26 other dancers from her
school’s Beta Club which was competing
against other student groups. The group
competes for national titles in academics as
well. Cypress’s group came in fourth place in
the song and dance category.
The theme was Wired for Success, for
which the group performed two song and
dance routines. The ICA Beta Club was
a top three finisher in the prior Orlando
competition, which qualified it for the
Nashville competition. In Nashville, they
performed twice. The first time they place
in the top 10, the second time they placed
fourth.
“It felt nice, I really enjoyed it,” Cypress
said. “I didn’t get nervous at all.”
Cypress has been in the Beta Club
since sixth grade and she’s been singing
and dancing with the group ever since. She
also attended a leadership summit in Jekyll
Island, Georgia, in March.
ICA earned a National Beta School

Courtesy photo
Mitchellanie Cypress holds awards from the Beta
Club Regional Leadership Summit in Georgia in
March.

of Merit for the 2025-2026 school year.
Founded in 1934, the national program
encourages students to do well in school,
become leaders, serve others and build
strong character.

Pedro Zepeda was honored with the
2025 Folk Heritage Award May 23 at a
ceremony held at the 74th annual Florida
Folk Festival held at the Stephen Foster Folk
Culture Center in White Springs.
The award is given by the Florida
Folklife Program, which is part of the
Florida Division of Arts and Culture.
Founded in 1985, the Florida Folk Heritage
Awards recognizes the stewardship of
Florida’s traditions and are presented to
folk artists and folklife advocates who have
made longstanding contributions to the
preservation of Florida’s traditional arts and
culture.
“It’s an honor to be able to honor my
teachers and others who taught me and pass
it on to the next generation,” Zepeda said.
“To get recognized for that is pretty cool.
Zepeda has been carving dugout
canoes from fallen cypress trees since he
was 14 years old. He learned from Ingram
Billie, Jr., his brother Brian Zepeda and

Courtesy photo
State folklorist Dr.
Dominick Tartaglia and
Folk Heritage awardee
Pedro Zepeda at the
award ceremony in White
Springs May 23.

Courtesy photo
From left, Mariah Martinez, Mitchellanie Cypress and Noel Quintero with the Beta Blitz board they
created as part of a group effort at the leadership summit.

Spencer Battiest named member of
Recording Academy Class of 2026
BY BEVERLY BIDNEY
Staff Reporter

The
annual
Grammy
membership invitations were sent to
established music professionals July
9 which included Spencer Battiest.
“I’m so excited to share that I’ve
joined the Recording Academy’s
2026 New Member Class,” Battiest
said in a statement. “It’s an honor
to be part of a community of music
creators and professionals who
are helping support, uplift, and
advocate for the people who make
and shape music. I’m grateful for
the opportunity to use my voice,
contribute to the Grammy Awards
process, and be part of conversations
that help move our industry forward.
As a Native artist, I’m especially
proud to help elevate Indigenous
voices
and
support
greater
recognition, opportunities, and
representation for Native creators

across the music industry. Music is
shaped by so many voices, genres,
backgrounds, and perspectives, and
I’m proud to add mine to the mix.”
The
Recording
Academy
extended the invitations to over
4,000 music creators and industry
professionals
including
Cash
Cobain, Lola Young and Sombr.
The annual selection of artists aims
to diversity the voting body of the
Grammys and strengthen advocacy
for music rights.
“Every year, we look forward to
welcoming a new group of dedicated
music creators and professionals
through
our
membership
invitations,” said Grammys CEO
Harvey Mason, Jr. “Our membership
is the engine of the Grammys, and
we’re excited for invitees to join
our vibrant community, engage with
their peers and help shape the future
of the music industry.”


     

  



 
     





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his uncle Leroy Osceola. Although Zepeda
uses a combination of hand tool and power
tools, the canoes are traditional Seminole
watercraft which used to be the only method
of transportation in the Everglades.
Zepeda educates people about Seminole
culture at conferences and other events
around the country. In July, he taught a threeday class in paddle carving at the College
of the Muscogee Nation in Okmulgee,
Oklahoma.
His canoes have been displayed at
the Collier County Museum, History Fort
Lauderdale and HistoryMiami Museum,
where he was an artist-in-residence in 2019.
Zepeda has also demonstrated canoe carving
at the Florida Folk Festival, Ocmulgee
Mounds National Historic Park and the
Smithsonian Museum of the American
Indian.
Courtesy photo
Pedro Zepeda accepts the Folk Heritage Award
and speaks to the audience at the Stephen
Foster Folk Culture Center.

4A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

PRINCESSES

From page 1A

Former Miss Seminole Nation of
Oklahoma Genesis Rene Talamasey from
Seminole Oklahoma, treasurer Joseph H.
Blanchard from the Absentee Shawnee
Tribe of Oklahoma, and the founder of
Nativemax Magazine, Kelly Holmes, from
the Mnicoujou Lakota tribe, were judges
tasked with selecting this year’s princesses.
Both Talamasey and Holmes toured
the Big Cypress Reservation prior to the
ceremony, where they had the opportunity to
visit the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum.
“I’m very grateful to be a part of this
experience,” Holmes said. “It’s a different
experience, for anyone to be a judge.
Essentially, our decisions can have an impact
here. I don’t take that lightly, so I’m very
honored to be here.”
A tribute to the tribe’s preceding
princesses, Latchford and Smith, was
projected prior to the farewell speeches that
concluded their one-year reigns.
“As my reign comes to an end, I find
myself searching for words large enough
to hold my gratitude,” Latchford said. “Our
community stretches so far across the states
and across our generation. I have constantly
felt that embrace throughout this past year.
Our people and our tribe have been blessed,
Beverly Bidney
Beverly Bidney
profoundly so. But blessings are not a resting Miss Florida Seminole Serena Zepeda is crowned Jr. Miss Florida Seminole Dahlia Sanders and
place—it is a responsibility.”
by the previous princess, Bailey Marie Osceola Miss Florida Seminole Serena Zepeda stand
Latchford.

together the morning after the pageant.

Beverly Bidney

Ada Bruised Head

Beverly Bidney

Tahnia Billie

Beverly Bidney

During the pageant, Sarafina Billie models
her traditional outfit as emcee Cypress Billie
describes what she is wearing and who made it.

Beverly Bidney

Serena Zepeda

Beverly Bidney

Dahlia Sanders describes the patchwork skirts and capes she made during
her talent presentation in the pageant.

Behind the scenes, pageant
preparations help form
bonds, friendships
BY BEVERLY BIDNEY
Staff Reporter

HOLLYWOOD — Eight young ladies
worked hard for three days to prepare for the
69th annual Miss Florida Seminole Princess
Pageant, held July 25 at tribal headquarters
in Hollywood. At the same time, the girls
formed a strong bond that will likely last for
years to come.
Jr. Miss Florida Seminole contestants
were Ada Bruised Head, Dahlia Sanders
and Ciani Smith. Miss Florida Seminole
contestants were Carlise Bermudez, Sarafina
Billie, Tahnia Billie, Leilani Burton and
Serena Zepeda. They came from Big
Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood, Immokalee
and Naples to compete.
Day 1, preparations for the pageant
begin
Contestants spent three busy days
learning what was expected of them and
how to project their best selves to the
audience and judges. They were coached
and supported by a committee of volunteers,
all former princesses themselves.
Tribal Secretary Naomi Wilson, Miss
Florida Seminole 1985, welcomed the
contestants and their parents July 23 for
the first day of practice in the auditorium
lobby. She introduced each girl as they
received their pageant contestant sash from
current Miss Florida Seminole Bailey Marie
Latchford and Jr. Miss Florida Seminole
Chaka Yani Smith.
After receiving their sashes, the
contestants chose to sit together at one table
instead of with their parents. The bonding
among the group began immediately.

Beverly Bidney

Leilani Burton studies her story for the talent
competition during a break backstage.

“She decided she wanted to try it again
and give it one more shot,” said Micki
Burton, Miss Florida Seminole 1995 and
Leilani’s mother. “She is the same Leilani,
but a little more confident when speaking to
people. She’s come out of her shell a lot, I’m
proud of her.”
Tahnia Billie was Jr. Miss Florida
Seminole 2023. “Tahnia does her own thing,”
said Alice Billie, Miss Florida Seminole
1997 and her mother. “She had to wait until
she was 18 to go for Miss Florida Seminole.”
The contestants brought their outfits and
accessories backstage in the auditorium and
then got down to the business of rehearsing.
The first thing they learned was how to enter
the auditorium with waves and smiles.
All contestants were previously given
the list of possible impromptu questions they
would blindly pick from a basket during the
pageant. The girls studied before coming to
the practices and went through them together
backstage and with the committee in the
auditorium. They were very engaged and
supportive of each other.
Questions were about the tribe’s
history and culture and included: knowing
the difference between the Council and
the Board of Directors, name an iconic
Beverly Bidney
Seminole woman past or present, name an
Ciani Smith
exemplary elected official past of present,
the significance of the Council Oak tree, how
the tribe uses its sovereignty and more.
Latchford and Smith coached the
contestants during the study session.
“Lead with your heart, shoulders back,”
Latchford said. “Speak confidently, smile and
say thank you. Don’t overthink the answers
Beverly Bidney and don’t ramble. Just say what you’re going
Tahnia Billie puts on jewelry backstage as she to say.”
prepares for more practice two days before the
Randee Osceola, Miss Florida Seminole
pageant.
2017, led the practice sessions as stage
manager and did so with purpose so there
“One of the purposes of this is for you would be no surprises. She told the girls to
to bond with each other,” Wilson said. “We “put some pep in your step.”
encourage you to get together after the
During the talent and impromptu
pageant.”
questions rehearsal, Cherelee Hall, Miss
Wilson introduced the pageant Florida Seminole 2003, sat in the furthest
volunteers and their responsibilities including seat from the stage in the last row to make
working backstage during practices and the sure the contestants spoke loud enough to be
pageant, taking two of the judges on a tour heard clearly.
of Big Cypress to share the tribe’s history
Later that evening, the contestants
and culture, pageant tabulators, parental adjourned to Okalee Village for a dinner
contact and stage director. Wilson told the hosted by Latchford and Smith. Food was
contestants about the banquet the following enjoyed, games were played and the girls
night, where they were to speak in front of relaxed as they continued to bond with one
the assembled crowd and the judges.
another.
“This is when it’s all about you, it’s
your time to shine,” Wilson said. “Use it; be
Day 2, honing their skills
open and confident, be prepared to speak at
Beverly Bidney the end of the night and for the next morning
Practice was a bit more intense and the
Ada Bruised Head describes her beadwork during personal interviews with the judges.”
contestants wore the outfits and jewelry they
Parents observed the orientation and would wear during the pageant.
her talent presentation at the pageant.
stayed in the lobby when practice began,
“This is something big,” said Bruised
which is a standing rule of the pageant: no Head, 15. “I’m a little scared and nervous, but
parents inside the auditorium.
I wanted to try something new. Serving my
“Ada has had this on one of her five-year tribe and being an ambassador is something
goal boards,” said Ayze Henry, Ada Bruised I’d like to do, it’s important.”
Head’s mother. “She is very goal oriented
The contestants practiced their talents
and a lot more organized than I was at 15. using props and going through it from start
She’s been to a few pageants. She’s always to finish.
wanted a younger sister. I think now she has
“Sewing is very important in my family,”
found a sisterhood.”
said Sanders, 15, surrounded by dress forms
Suraiya Smith, Miss Florida Seminole displaying three of her patchwork skirts and
1999 and Ciani’s mother, doesn’t push her capes during her practice run. “I learned
daughters to compete in the pageant; she just when I was very young and it stuck with me.
tells them about the opportunities available. My grandmother and my mother both sew.”
Another one of her daughters is Jr. Miss
See PREPARATIONS on page 5A
Florida Seminole Chaka Yani Smith.

Beverly Bidney

Holding a bundle of sweetgrass she picked, Carlise Bermudez explains the
tribe’s use of natural resources.

Beverly Bidney

Leilani Burton tells the story
of a pair of twins as her talent
presentation.

Beverly Bidney

At left, 2025-2026 Jr. Miss Florida Seminole Chaka Yani Smith and at right, 2025-2026 Miss Florida
Seminole Bailey Marie Osceola Latchford coach the contestants on how to project positively to the
audience.

5A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

PREPARATIONS

From page 4A

Zepeda, 24, told the story of the Box
Turtle and the Rabbit and used the entire
stage as she told the story in a very animated
fashion.
Bermudez, 21, is passionate about her
work at the Department of Conservation and
gave a presentation about the tribe’s use of
its natural resources including the pop ash
and cypress trees.
“We continue to use them and they
support us,” she said. “We found a way to
survive in the Everglades and now we are
protecting them. We also use sweetgrass
for baskets and just planted some on the
Immokalee reservation so we can pick on
our own reservations.”
Sarafina Billie talked about the history
of patchwork.
“I grew up watching my mother and
grandmother make patchwork,” said Billie,
19, who displayed some of her work.
“Sewing is a way to keep our culture alive. I
come from a long line of sewers.”
The pageant volunteers gave critiques;
these are some of their comments: “Smile
because people are always looking at you.
This is your moment, don’t be shy. Tell
them you are ready for this. Don’t talk too
fast, have a conversation with the audience.
Be confident and make sure your posture
is on point. Look happy to be here. Your
introduction is your time to shine, get rid of
filler words such as like, um, sorry.”
After the day’s rehearsal, the girls
dressed up and met on the pool deck of
the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood for a
group portrait and the Seminole Princess
Banquet. It isn’t every day one sees pageant
contestants in full dress parading through a
resort pool deck. As the contestants walked
to and from the photo location, sunbathers
gazed at them intently.
At the evening’s banquet, two or three
contestants sat at tables with one judge.
The judges rotated between the tables so by
the end of the night, they had spoken with
each contestant in an informal conversation.
Contestants also went on stage and
introduced themselves to the crowd and the
judges, which was another chance to practice
public speaking.

Beverly Bidney

Pageant stage manager Randee Osceola helps Ada Bruised Head put on a beaded necklace during
practice.

Day 3, Pageant Day
The contestants dressed in business or
traditional Seminole attire for their individual
interviews with the three judges. The Jr. Miss
contestants had 10-minute interviews, the
Miss contestants had 20-minute interviews.
Afterward, it was back to the auditorium for
the final day of practice.
The girls were feeling mostly confident,
but some had a few nerves thrown in to keep
them on their toes.
“I feel grounded,” Zepeda said. “I
thought I’d feel nervous, but I don’t. I’m
just grateful to be here. There aren’t a lot
of girls my age in my community, so it’s
nice to be surrounded by other girls my age
who have different backgrounds. Seeing the
perspective of people from other reservations
is always nice.”
“It’s amazing, it feels like we are sisters
that I’ve known forever,” said Sanders. “It’s
a really fun experience and I have gotten to
know more about myself. I love meeting
new people and making new friends.”
“It’s going really well,” said Tahnia
Billie, 18. “I thought I’d be more nervous,
but now that I’m here, it’s OK. I’m happy to
be competing again. I feel hyped and ready.”
“I’m excited to see what happens
tonight,” said Bermudez, whose mother was

out of town taking her brother to college.
Beverly Bidney
“The nerves of my mom not being here are
there, but my aunt and some of my other Miss Florida Seminole 2025-2026 Bailey Marie Osceola Latchford waves her final goodbye as she
family are here. My mom prepared me to prepares to take the stage for her farewell remarks.
do things for myself and I’m grateful she
raised me like that. I’m passionate about
my work and passing on tribal history. I was
able to get a job that reflects and respects our
culture, it’s something I value.”
“I’m nervous and excited,” said Sarafina
Billie. “I want to make my mother and
grandmother proud. I have a little sister and
Cheehantâmo,
Tribe, the artists who worked hard to bead
I want to set an example for her. You have to
My name is Bailey Marie Osceola and create all of my beautiful jewelry, the
be proud of who you are.”
Latchford. I am the 21-year-old daughter Seminole people for the motivational and
“I’m feeling really happy, it’s going of Amy and William Latchford, and the fun conversations and keeping faith in me
well,” said Bruised Head. “We can’t all get a granddaughter of Marie and Jimmy Hank to represent our people well, Florida State
crown, but we have a sisterhood. Meeting all Osceola. I am a proud member of the Otter University for uplifting my platform and
these girls and getting to make new friends Clan and grew up in Pembroke Pines, Florida. supporting me as a student while I balanced
is amazing.”
I am the 2025-2026 Miss Florida the crown and my education, and my family
“I’ve gotten over being anxious,” said Seminole.
for always picking me up when I needed
Burton, 21. “I’m feeling a lot more calm and
Throughout my reign, I have been support and encouraging me no matter what.
getting to know the girls has been great.”
fortunate enough to experience a plethora of
A message I want to leave with everyone:
“I’m feeling pretty good and pretty cultures and meet a wide variety of people Strive to be better than you were yesterday
confident,” said Smith, 15. “I’m excited to across the country. The opportunity to and take chances!
go on stage and show what I’ve practiced represent and serve as Miss Florida Seminole
There are a multitude of paths life can
for.”
has been an honor I will cherish my entire take you down, but you’ll never know if you
After the final practice, the girls went life. Talking with tribal members from across don’t go for it. It can be scary, the potential to
back to the hotel to relax before the pageant the reservations, interacting with our youth, fall down is present but you have the strength
began.
and educating people about our resilient to get back up and keep going. Put the work
history are just a few memorable times I into yourself to make the best impact in
cherish.
your life and the lives around you. Being
A year ago today, I was filled with 1% better than you were yesterday is still
nerves and questions. Thoughts like “will I progress, remember that progress isn’t linear.
do good?” or “what if I mess up” plagued my
To the next Miss Florida Seminole:
mind and had me a bit scared for what was Remember to work hard, be humble but
to come. Because of the support from my proud, and stay true to yourself. You represent
family, Tribal Council and Board, and the your people, your family, and yourself in this
encouraging tribal members, I was able to beautiful role.
overcome these mental barriers and flourish
Thank you all for trusting me to
in my role as Miss Florida Seminole. With represent our people well. Being your Miss
the love I received this past year, it motivated Florida Seminole Princess will always be
me to be a good role model for our youth, to held near and dear to my heart. I hope I was
listen to our elders, and work hard to be the able to make as meaningful an impact on
best I can be to show others anything they your lives as you’ve made on mine. Now, I
can dream of is achievable with hard work look forward to continuing my education and
and dedication.
pursuing my goals to continue making my
Thank you to the Tribal Council and family, my tribe, and myself proud.
the Board of Directors for always providing
Shonaabesh your support in my endeavors and trusting
me with this role, the seamstresses who put
Bailey Marie Osceola Latchford
in time and effort into my gorgeous outfits
Miss Florida Seminole 2025-2026
I wore when representing the Seminole

Bailey Marie Osceola Latchford
Miss Florida Seminole 2025-2026

Beverly Bidney

Contestants and pageant volunteers backstage on pageant day.

Beverly Bidney

An emotional address for 2025-2026 Jr. Miss Florida Seminole Chaka Yani Smith as she talks about
her year as a princess and says goodbye for the last time wearing the crown.
Beverly Bidney

Beverly Bidney

From left to right, Serena Zepeda, pageant judge Genesis Rene Talamasey
and Ada Bruised Head talk at the Princess Banquet.

Contestants listen, learn and applaud the assistance they receive from
princess pageant volunteers during a practice of how to best answer the
impromptu questions during the pageant. From left to right are Dahlia
Sanders, Ada Bruised Head, Carlise Bermudez, Tahnia Billie, Leilani
Burton, Ciani Smith and emcee Cypress Billie.

Beverly Bidney

Posing together in front of the Princess Banquet ballroom from left to right are 2025-2026 Miss Florida Seminole Bailey Latchford, Tahnia Billie, Ada
Bruised Head, Leilani Burton, Dahlia Sanders, Sarafina Billie, Carlise Bermudez, Serena Zepeda, Ciani Smith and 2025-2026 Jr. Miss Florida Seminole
Chaka Yani Smith.

Chaka Yani Smith
Jr. Miss Florida Seminole 2025-2026
Estonko!
My name is Chaka Yani Smith and
I am the reigning 2025-2026 Florida Jr.
Miss Seminole. I am 18 years old, reside in
Okeechobee, Florida but call Brighton my
home reservation. My parents are Suraiya
and Chaka Smith and I am a proud member
of the Bird Clan.
My este-cate, or creek name is “Eslicet”
which means “to sit with something”. I
recently graduated from Okeechobee High
School where I also earned my Associate
in Arts degree from Indian River State
College. I will soon be leaving to further my
education at Howard University located in
Washington, D.C. to pursue my Bachelors
degree in political science and then obtain
my law degree. Eventually I would like to
work in the Florida House of Representatives
and one day, Congress, to make a positive
difference not just for Florida, but for the
rest of the country, especially my Seminole
people.
It has been an honor to represent you,
the members of the Seminole Tribe of
Florida, each community has welcomed
me with open arms and I am grateful for
the knowledge of our culture that has been
shared with me from every person that I have

encounterd.
Throughout the year I have traveled to
many locations across Indian Country and the
State of Florida and have been told by many
elders, “that it's good to see that the Seminole
are still here”, that statement alone has given
me the drive to continue to represent my
people after my reign commences.
Ultimately, I want to continue to be
a bridge between generations, between
tradition and our future. Being Jr. Miss
Florida Seminole was just the beginning to
serve my people, to listen and learn, and to
proudly represent everything it means to be
Seminole, exemplifying what we
Seminole people are: strong, proud,
resilient and unconquered.
From the bottom of my heart, MVTO.
Mvto to our leaders, our communities, and
my family for this opportunity to represent
you. Mvto for the encouraging words and
the unforgettable opportunity of being your
ambassador. It was truly an honor.
Mvto,
Chaka Yani Smith
2025-2026 Florida Jr Miss Seminole

6A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

Hali Garcia shows sweetgrass
basketry at Immokalee library

SHIPPING

From page 1A

Seminole 4-H kids typically receive their
cattle from ranchers before calf shipping and
bring them to the pens in Big Cypress and
Brighton to be weighed during calf shipping.
In Brighton 53 4h-ers received their animals,
which were 38 steers, 12 commercial heifers
and three registered heifers. In Big Cypress
4H-ers received 23 steers, three yearling
heifers and one bred two-year-old heifer.
Each 4-H’er led their animal from the
cattle trailer, through the pens to the scales
and back onto the trailer again.
Cheyenne McInturff, 4-H program
assistant and parent, was there to support her
daughters Katelyn Mariscal, 11, and Dakota
Mariscal, 16, who both got their steers from
Clarissa Bowers’ herd.
Katelyn has been in 4-H for four years,
but this is her first steer. She named him
Brisket.
“I’ll learn responsibility for the animals
and make sure he has good feed and water,”
said the Immokalee Middle School sixth
grader.
Dakota has been in 4-H for six years and
this is her fifth steer. She named him CheezIt. She would like to work with cattle after
high school and eventually have her own
herd.
“I like the experience of it all,” said the
Immokalee High School junior. “I get a new

BY BEVERLY BIDNEY
Staff Reporter

IMMOKALEE — Sweetgrass basket
maker Hali Garcia brought her knowledge
and baskets to the Immokalee library July 21
and demonstrated the art of basketmaking to
kids and adults.
Garcia has been making baskets for
about 10 years. She showed off her very first
one, which took her about eight months to
make. Today, a large basket takes her just a
few days to complete.
She said Donna Frank taught her how
to pick sweetgrass and make baskets. Garcia
Beverly Bidney
said there was a time not too long ago when
Inside the Big Cypress cattle pens, Brighton Board Rep. Bryan Arledge, center, and Natural Resources there were very few basket makers. She
and Cattle Operations general manager Clint Raulerson move calves from the scale to a pen based credits Frank with teaching the art to many
on their weight.
younger people.
Staying safe while picking sweetgrass is
important,
since the grass is typically found
steer every year and they all have different
After the morning’s work, the cowhands
personalities. I learn something new every and owners gathered for a hearty cowboy in wild areas and usually not on tribal land.
year.”
lunch provided by the cattle owners’ She told the kids how she stays safe from the
Avani Smith, 12, has had heifers for the families. By the end of the shipping weeks, bugs, snakes and spiders by wearing long
last three years and got a steer this year, from 39 trucks had left the reservations heading sleeves, overalls, snake boots and a widebrimmed hat.
Josh Jumper’s herd.
west to the feedlots.
“Wearing patchwork identifies us as
“I think the steer should be calmer, since
Seminole,” Garcia said. “Donna always
he’s been clipped,” she said.
wears short patchwork skirts when she picks.
Picking on land that you don’t belong on can
be scary, but picking sweetgrass is fun and
fulfilling.
Garcia, who often goes to pick sweetgrass
with Frank, uses a stick and her voice to scare
off the snakes and other creatures lurking in
the bushes and underbrush.
Once you pick the sweetgrass, it must
be washed. Garcia does it outside in large
tubs with Dawn dish detergent and then lays
it out to dry. It can take three to five days to
dry outside if it’s sunny and about two weeks
with fans inside if it’s rainy. Unfortunately,

the best time to pick sweetgrass is during the
summer rainy season.
For the last few years, Garcia has been
teaching and has about 150 students of all ages
tribal wide. She travels to reservations and
even out of state for non-resident meetings
to hold sweetgrass basket making classes.
There are arts and crafts competitions for
Tribal Fair in the winter and Indian Day in
the fall, so plenty of tribal members want to
learn to make the baskets and become good
enough to compete.
Seminole women have been making
sweetgrass baskets since the 1930s. The
thickness of the rows of sweetgrass are up to
the maker, some like it thinner, others make
their rows thicker.
“Everybody’s take is different and
unique,” Garcia said. “It’s cool to see what
every new basket maker comes up with.”
She once made a top hat with a row
of sweetgrass on the rim and presented
it to singer Stevie Nicks before one of her
concerts at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood.
Nicks, who often wears a top hat on stage,
wore it during the concert and dedicated a
song to Garcia.
During the presentation, Garcia held
up baskets that were in the midst of being
made and one that is older than she is. She
believes she is part of a movement that gave
sweetgrass new life.
“When you are making art, it makes
you feel better,” Garcia said. “Once you get
started and figure out how to do it, you can’t
put it down. Every basket is good; there’s no
bad basket.”
Garcia led a group of people for a
sweetgrass picking session in Immokalee the
following day.

Beverly Bidney

Beverly Bidney

4-H program assistant Cheyenne McInturff watches as her daughter Katelyn Mariscal leads her 4H
calf to the scales

Natural Resources assistant cattle foreman
Jessie Carter moves some cattle in the Big
Cypress cowpens.

Beverly Bidney

Hali Garcia shows kids and adults how a sweetgrass basket is made, coil by coil, during a demonstration
in the Immokalee library July 21.

Beverly Bidney

Pauletta Bowers rinses her hands in a spigot attached to a cow pen fence after a busy morning of calf
shipping.

Beverly Bidney

Emma Urbina counts the calves as they make
their way onto the cattle truck in Big Cypress.

More than $200M in grants available in federal
tribal home energy rebate program
STAFF REPORT

The U.S. Department of Energy recently
released updated program guidance for
the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate
(HEEHR) Program for Indian tribes, which
will distribute up to $218.5 million in grants

for energy efficiency upgrades for tribal
homes. All federally recognized tribes and
Alaska Native corporations are eligible to
receive formula awards from the program.
The extended deadline to apply for funding
from the program is Dec. 11. Go to energy.
gov for more information.

Wine showcase in
Tampa Sept. 27
TAMPA — Cipresso at Seminole Hard
Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa will host
the inaugural HER POUR: Wine & Spirits
Showcase on Sept. 27 from noon to 4 p.m.
The immersive tasting event will
celebrate the innovation, craftsmanship and
leadership of women winemakers, distillers
and culinary professionals live entertain It
will have live entertainment. Go to casino.
hardrock.com for tickets.

Beverly Bidney

Kids and adults fill the Immokalee library for the sweetgrass basket demonstration.


     

  



 
Beverly Bidney

     






    ­

€ ‚ ­

Immokalee kids get a close-up look at the baskets.

See page 4B for more about Seminole sweetgrass

7A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

Hard Rock helps supply meals for earthquake victims

NIGC announces
$46.2 billion in
FY25 gross gaming
revenues

FROM PRESS RELEASE

HOLLYWOOD — In reponse to the
Venezuela earthquake, Hard Rock Heals
Foundation, the charitable arm of Hard
Rock International, together with Hard
Rock Bet, is contributing $60,000 to fund
approximately 15,000 meals through World
Central Kitchen, a nonprofit known for
quickly deploying chef-prepared meals to
communities affected by natural disasters
and humanitarian crises.
On the ground, Hard Rock Cafe Caracas
team members are preparing and serving
1,000 fresh meals each day for nearby
families and residents affected by the disaster.
The Cafe is acting as a central distribution
center alongside World Central Kitchen.
“In moments of crisis, our responsibility
is to move quickly and compassionately to
help people in need,” said Jeff Hook, chief
operating officer for Hard Rock International
and Hard Rock Heals Foundation Board
member. “Through the Hard Rock Heals
Foundation, Hard Rock Bet, World Central
Kitchen and our dedicated team at Hard
Rock Cafe Caracas, we are helping deliver
nourishment, comfort and care to families
facing an incredibly difficult recovery.”
To support the relief, visit https://donate.
wck.org/campaign/816248/donate.

FROM NIGC

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National
Indian Gaming Commission announced
July 21 gross gaming revenues of $46.2
billion for fiscal year 2025, the highest ever
for the Indian gaming industry. This figure
reflects a $2.3 billion increase over FY 2024,
representing overall growth of 5.3% across
the Indian gaming industry.
The gross gaming revenue figure is
derived from independently audited financial
statements submitted by 545 gaming
establishments operated by 246 tribes across
29 states. Seven of the NIGC’s eight regions
showed an increase over FY 2024.
“Indian gaming is an important
contributor to tribal economies that
empowers sovereign tribal governments to
invest in their communities and provide their
citizens with essential services,” said Vice
Chair Billy Kirkland in a press release.
“I would like to wish the Indian gaming
community a job well done on another
strong year. These GGR results reflect the
continued commitment of tribal regulators
and operators to responsible growth and
community benefit,” NIGC Associate
Commissioner Sharon Avery said in the
release.
NIGC uses gross gaming revenue as
a key industry measure, defined as the
amount wagered minus winnings returned to
players. The agency collects this information
annually to assess trends and help guide
regulatory policy in support of the Indian
Gaming Regulatory Act.

FROM PRESS RELEASE

Hard Rock

Hard Rock Caracas team members prepare food.

Patricia Tate to lead Salt River Community Gaming Enterprises
FROM PRESS RELEASE

SALT RIVER PIMA-MARICOPA
INDIAN COMMUNITY, Ariz — Salt
River Community Gaming Enterprises
(SRCGE)
announced July 29 the
appointment of Patricia Tate as president
and chief executive officer, effective Aug. 1.
An enrolled member of the Salt River
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Tate
becomes the first woman and first enrolled
tribal member to serve as CEO of the Gaming
Enterprises. She steps into the organization’s
top leadership role following more than two
decades of executive service, during which
she has helped guide the growth of Casino
Arizona and Talking Stick Resort.
“Today’s announcement marks an
important milestone for our gaming
enterprise and our Community,” said Martin
Harvier, president of the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community, in a press
release. “After 22 years of dedicated service,
Ms. Tate brings a deep understanding of our
organization, strong financial leadership, and
a long-term commitment to its success. The

August birthday for
Hard Rock co-founder

Community’s selection reflects confidence
in her experience and vision, and I look
forward to working alongside her as we
continue to strengthen our gaming enterprise
for the benefit of our Community.”
Tate joined the Gaming Enterprises in
2004 as controller, was promoted to chief
financial officer in 2006, and served as
executive vice president and chief financial
officer from 2011 through 2026, a period
which included the expansion of Casino
Arizona and the opening of Talking Stick
Resort.
As president and CEO, Tate will oversee
all aspects of Casino Arizona and Talking
Stick Resort, with a focus on sustainable
growth, operational excellence, employee
development, and continued investment in
initiatives that support the economic wellbeing of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa
Indian Community.
Tate holds a Master of Finance &
Accounting and a Master of Business
Administration from Keller Graduate School
of Management and a Bachelor of Science in
Accounting from the University of Arizona.

Her professional
achievements have
earned
significant
recognition, including
being named a 2026
Phoenix
Business
Journal Outstanding
Women in Business
honoree,
2015
Female
Executive
of the Year, a 2015
AZCentral Highest
Ranking Executive
Patricia Tate
Woman, a 2014
Phoenix Business
Journal Outstanding CFO, and one of
Arizona’s 50 Most Influential and 50 Most
Dynamic Women in Business in 2013.
Beyond her executive leadership, Tate
has a long record of civic and charitable
service. She currently serves on the Board
of Directors of the Arizona Humane Society
and her past board roles on the Board of
Governors for the Boys & Girls Club of
Greater Scottsdale and Florence Crittenton.

Upcoming shows at Seminole Brighton Bay
Wiki Commons

Peter Morton, a co-founder of Hard Rock, turns
79 on Aug. 7. Morton and Isaac Tigrett opened the
first Hard Rock Cafe in 1971 in London.

BRIGHTON — Here’s a look at
upcoming shows at Seminole Brighton Bay
Casino on the Brighton Reservation:
• Aug. 22 – Country music artist
Elijah Scott, 8 p.m.
• Sept. 5 – Classic Albums Live,

Andy Matheis named
SVP of Marketing at
Hard Rock Tampa

Classic Albums Live,
a modern-day
orchestra that brings the world’s greatest
records to life on stage note for note and
cut for cut, will present Led Zeppelin: II.
Showtime is 8 p.m.
• Nov. 6 – Grammy winning singer

Richard Marx, 8 p.m.
• Dec. 5 – Legendary hard rock band
Blue Oyster Cult will perform its classics
starting at 8 p.m.
For more information visit casino.
hardrock.com/brighton.

TAMPA — Seminole Hard Rock
Hotel & Casino Tampa announced July 30
the appointment of
Andy Matheis as
senior vice president
of Marketing, where
he will lead the
property’s marketing
team and oversee
strategic initiatives
to strengthen the
brand,
enhance
guest
engagement
and drive continued
growth.
Matheis
joins
Seminole
Hard
Rock Tampa with
Andy Matheis
nearly 20 years
of gaming and
hospitality marketing experience. Most
recently, he served as senior vice president
of Marketing and regional chief marketing
officer for Caesars Entertainment, overseeing
integrated marketing efforts across the
company’s eight Las Vegas resort properties.
In that role, he refined brand positioning,
strengthened customer engagement and
delivered measurable business results in one
of the world’s most competitive gaming and
entertainment markets.

Cha-ching for
Chobee patron at
Brighton Bay
FROM PRESS RELEASE

BRIGHTON — A lucky guest
from Okeechobee won a jackpot totaling
$39,618.89 on July 22 at Seminole Brighton
Bay Hotel & Casino.
The guest was playing Aristocrat
Gaming’s Triple Supreme slot machine
and placed an $8.80 bet on a 10-cent
denomination to land the jackpot.
The winner chose to remain anonymous.

Classic guest
hits slot for
$258K
FROM PRESS RELEASE

Memories of Elvis concert comes to Immokalee
FROM PRESS RELEASE

IMMOKALEE — Chris MacDonald’s
Memories of Elvis in Concert tribute to the
King of Rock and Roll returns to Seminole
Casino Hotel Immokalee on Aug. 15 at 8
p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets

are available from ticketmaster.com or at
moreinparadise.com.
MacDonald is the star and creator
of Chris MacDonald’s Memories of
Elvis in Concert, a national touring fullproduction, multi-media tribute, complete
with a dynamic band and singers. With the
ultimate honor of being the only tribute

artist hired by Elvis Presley Enterprises to
perform at Graceland’s Heartbreak Hotel,
MacDonald draws his audience in with the
look, sounds and nuances that made Elvis
the King. The show is not a parody or an
overdone impersonation; rather, there is a
true understanding of what Elvis did best,
connecting with his music and the heart of

HOLLYWOOD — A lucky guest hit
a massive jackpot totaling $258,769.58 on
July 13, while playing Aristocrat Gaming’s
his audience. It is a natural, heartfelt tribute Dragon Link slot machine at Seminole
Classic Casino in Hollywood.
to an American icon and his music.
The guest wagered $25 on a $1
As an accomplished and experienced
entertainer, MacDonald has performed in denomination to land the grand jackpot. The
progressive has since reset to $200,000. A
Vegas and Bransona.
progressive slot machine starts with a base
jackpot amount that increases as guests
continue to play.

Richard Marx to
perform Nov. 7

New restaurant to replace Cipresso
FROM PRESS RELEASE

HOLLYWOOD — Seminole Hard
Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood announced
July 30 plans to introduce a new signature
restaurant created by Major Food Group
(MFG), an acclaimed hospitality company
behind some of the world’s most celebrated
dining destinations.
The forthcoming restaurant will succeed

Cipresso, which permanently closed July
19 following seven years of service. Guest
favorites from Cipresso are being offered at
Abiaka Wood Fire Grill, which has expanded
its operations to seven days a week.
In 2024, a partnership between Hard
Rock International and Major Food Group
was created to develop and curate distinctive
dining experiences across Hard Rock’s
global portfolio of integrated resorts, hotels
and casinos. Hailed as one of “the most

creative companies in the world” by GQ,
Major Food Group has redefined luxury
hospitality with internationally renowned
restaurants, private clubs, and residential
endeavors that include Carbone, Torrisi, and
ZZ’s Club.
“Major Food Group has an extraordinary
ability to create restaurants that become
destinations in their own right,” said Jim
Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International
and CEO of Seminole Gaming, in a press

release. “Bringing an exclusive MFG
concept to our resort is an exciting next step
in our partnership and reflects our continued
investment in world-class dining and
hospitality. We look forward to sharing what
we are creating together later this year.”
Additional information, including the
restaurant’s name, culinary direction, design
renderings, opening timeline and reservation
details, will be announced this fall, according
to the press release.

954.522.3500

Travis W. Trueblood, LL.M
Advocacy for Sovereignty & Justice

helping the
seminole community
For Many Years

Areas of Practice:
• Native American Law Matters
• Civil Rights & Serious Legal Matters

24 houRs a daY

• Business Law
• Tribal, State and Federal
Court Representation
Admitted to Practice:
Tribal Courts / FL / DC / MD / TX / U.S. Supreme Court

Call or Text:
(954) 871-ATTY (2889)
Calls Answered 24 Hours
Consultations Always Free

500 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 900, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33397

www.truebloodlaw.com

O f f i c e s i n F o r t L a u d e r d a l e , F L , a n d Wa s h i n g t o n , D C

IMMOKALEE — Grammy-winner
Richard Marx will perform his hit songs at
Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee on Nov.
7 at 8 p.m. For ticktets go to moreinparadise.
com. Attendees must be 21.
Marx is a singer, songwriter, and
producer whose career has spanned four
decades of chart success and creative
reinvention.

RichaRd
castillo

WHO’S YOUR ATTORNEY?

Choctaw Tribal Member
Veteran - U.S. Navy and Air Force

FROM PRESS RELEASE

RIchaRD caStIllo

FloRIDa cRIMInal DeFenSe attoURney

www.caStIllolawoFFIceS.coM

Since 1990 I have protected rights like yours.
My office defends DUIs, drug offenses, suspended
licenses, domestic violence, and all felonies and
misdemeanors throughout Florida and the
United States.
The hiring of an attorney is an important decision
that should not be based solely upon advertisement. Castillo worked as a Public Defender in
Broward County from 1990-1996 and has been in
private practice since 1996. In 1995, he was voted
the Trial Attorney of the year. He graduated from
Capital University in 1989 and was admitted to the
Florida Bar in 1990, Federal Bar in 1992, and the Federal Trial Bar in 1994.

8A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

New article series features Doris
Duke Oral History Collection
BY ANTHONY ALVAREZ
Oral History Assistant

BIG CYPRESS — From 1966 to
1975, tobacco and energy billionaire Doris
Duke funded seven universities regionally
spread across the United States to document
the diverse historical perspectives that
Indigenous people have via recorded oral
history interviews.
Chosen to document the diverse
historical perspectives that Southeastern
Indigenous people have, the University of
Florida recorded over 1,000 oral history
interviews with narrators from tribes
throughout the Southeast, including the
Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Despite the project’s seemingly
progressive objective to document Native
American perspectives, the University of
Florida used these oral history interviews
as opportunities to research the Seminole
Tribe, write several books on its history, and
exploit its stories by using them to inform
their research without consent and keeping
them housed in an archive 285 miles away
from the tribe’s reservations. To correct this,
the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum organized the
transfer of the University of Florida’s entire
collection of Florida Seminole oral histories
to the museum in 2023. With this collection
back on the reservation, the tribe regains
control over how these oral histories are
accessed, used, and are now made accessible
to the community.
To raise awareness of this collection,
we’re starting a new series that highlights
the stories captured within it. This month,

we’re sharing Ivy Stranahan describing the
fun that Seminole children had trying on
shoes and hats for the first time in her and
her husband’s trading post. If you’re a tribal
citizen interested in listening to or receiving
copies of these oral histories, please contact
me at Anthonyalvarez1@semtribe.com or
call the museum at (863) 902-1113.
Interviewer: You made your first
contact through the [Seminole] children, did
you not?
Ivy Stranahan: I made contact through
the [Seminole] children entirely. They
were very curious to see me, and they’d
come over in the bushes around me in the
cottage. I would see them and I was anxious
to meet them, too. And I would come out
on the porch and smile and say something.
But of course, I didn’t know any Indian, but
they understood what I said. It took about
6 or 8 months to a year for us to really get
acquainted. But every time they would come
in, they would come over to spy out to see
what I was like, and eventually I got them to
come up to the doorsteps and into the house.
They were very curious, just like any child.
They wanted to know. They came into the
house, and they would try on the shoes. They
had never worn shoes, you know? And the
hats, the big hats that we used to wear at that
time, and our dresses, and they would laugh
and have more fun. I used to tell them they
could laugh more than our girls. Nobody
ever thought of an Indian laughing, you
know? They are very stoic. But they had lots
of fun.

Quilt block honors
MMIP
STAFF REPORT

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

The rows of cassette tapes and transcripts being cataloged by Anthony Alvarez, Oral History assistant.

In a recent social
media
post,
the
National Museum of
the American Indian
highlighted
Emma
Alcazar’s (Chickasaw)
Quilt
Block
for
NMAI's theme of 20th
century to present day
(1902–2026).
These are her words:
"Because Native women and girls are
victims of violent crime at a higher-thanaverage rate, I knew I wanted to highlight the
plight of missing and murdered Indigenous
people by including my handprint, created
in red fabric, in honor and remembrance of
lives that have been disrupted or lost, and to
recognize the ongoing struggles that we still
fight.
For the background of the block, I chose
colors from the natural world, and I was
inspired by the diamond shapes that appear
in star quilts, fishing nets, leaves, feathers,
decorated containers, and most personal to
me—in Chickasaw and Choctaw beaded
necklaces. These diamonds are individual,
like our separate tribes, but interlock to create
a connected pattern for the background of
this quilt block. They represent our collective
experiences during the past 125 years. I
wanted to show that although we faced and
still face adversity, we are still here."
—Emma Alcazar (Chickasaw).

Milo Osceola, Pedro Zepeda
featured in Toronto art exhibition
STAFF REPORT

Stickball sticks made by Milo Osceola
and a ball made by Pedro Zepeda are part
of the GATHER in Toronto exhibition that
opened July 23 at the Market Gallery in
Toronto, Canada.
The exhibit features documentaries, the
contemporary art by Osceola and Zepeda,
both from the Seminole Tribe of Florida, as
well as Marina Dempster, Maria Hupfield,
Safoura Zahedi, Benjamin Spears, Daniel
Henhawk, Elder Aceytuno and David
Barnett, and new and historic items from the
City of Toronto Art and Artifact Collection.
“This exhibition invites visitors
to examine some of the ways people
come together in
companionship,
competition
and
celebration through
sport,” said Tara
Chadwick,
chief
curator,
Toronto
History
Museum,
who has previously
worked
with
Seminole
artists
for exhibitions in
City of Toronto
Fort
Lauderdale.
“The
Creator’s Tara Chadwick, chief
Game, or lacrosse,
curator
has a long history

City of Toronto

"Seminole Sticks" by Milo Osceola are paired with sticks from Ojibwe and Mohawk in the Toronto exhibition. Osceola's sticks are the first two on the left
and the first two on the right.

City of Toronto

Pedro Zepeda's "Seminole Lacrosse Ball" (first
ball in the photo) at GATHER exhibition in Toronto.

rooted in community and culture, helping
to shape values, resolve disagreements and
build unity. Works featured in GATHER
in Toronto, including “Seminole Sticks”
(2015) by Milo Osceola and “Seminole
Lacrosse Ball” (2015) by Pedro Zepeda, help

AUGUST 2026

ARTIFACT OF THE MONTH

ARTIFACT OF THE MONTH

The Artifact of the Month for August is a fragmentary
tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) tooth. Tiger sharks can
be found on both coasts of Florida and are widely
distributed across the world (Compagno 2005). One
place they are not naturally found is on the Brighton
Reservation, where this tooth was excavated. The damage
this tooth sustained prior to being in the ground allows
archaeologists to piece together what it might have
been used for.
Shark teeth are found in archaeological sites across
South Florida (Kozuch 1993). At the time it was believed
that the people inland did not have ready access to
marine resources like shark teeth. However, sites like
Fort Center and multiple sites in the Everglades show
that shark teeth could be found with people througout
Florida, not just on the coasts.

Figure 1: Fragmentary tiger shark tooth.
Red: drill hole. Green: black coloration.
Orange: enamel wear

THPO

wikimedia.org

Figure 2: Whole tiger shark tooth. Red circle
overlays the drill hole of the THPO’s tooth. Blue
line is where THPO’s tooth is broken.

Unlike other bones archaeologists find, which can be
turned into awls, pins, hooks and other tools, with shark
teeth, what you see is what you get. Shark teeth naturally
have a cutting edge and a puncturing point. However,
this does not mean that people of the past did not
modify the teeth of sharks. Modification is the process
by which peoples of the past altered the shape of a bone
or tooth to better fit a purpose, either by blunting the
tip, removing parts of the tooth, or drilling a hole for
attaching to a handle. This tooth is a perfect example of
those types of modification.
There are three telltale modifications on this tooth which
point to it having been a tool. The root, the topmost
section, is the most obvious as it has a bore hole drilled
through it. This could be a sign that the tooth was used
as a tool. The dark coloration near the drill hole could
be remnants of resin or cordage used to attach it to a
handle, or as a decoration. There are spots of wear on
the edge of the tooth where the cutting edge is dulled
and the enamel is chipped. This shows a possible point
of contact between the tooth and whatever it was being
used on, such as wood, meat, cordage, or leather.

Compagno, L.J.V., D. Dando and S. Fowler, 2005. Sharks of the world. Princeton field guides. Harper Collins Publishing Ltd.,
London. 368 p.
Kozuch, Laura (1993) Sharks and Shark Products of South Florida. Institute for Archaeology and Paleoenvironmental Studies
University of Florida
Pollerspoeck, Juergen & Straube, Nicolas. (2019). An identification key to elasmobranch genera based on dental morphological
characters Part A: Squalomorph sharks (Superorder Squalomorphii).. 18. 77-105.
Stienen, Karl T. (1971) Analysis of the Non-Ceramic Artifacts from a Hopewellian Affiliated Site in Glades County Florida, Florida
Atlantic University
Sears, William H. (1994) Fort Center: An Archaeological Site in the Lake Okeechobee Basin, University of Florida Press

tell a larger story about how traditional and
contemporary ball games have strengthened
social bonds, supported wellbeing and
passed knowledge between generations.”
The exhibition allows visitors to listen
to local sports origin stories alongside

artistic reflections on identity, resilience and
belonging through works that highlight the
power of connection across cultures and
communities.
The exhibition runs through Nov. 1 at
the gallery in downtown Toronto.

SEMINOLE HISTORY STORIES - AUGUST 2026

ANCESTORAL ANSWERS TO
PESKY PROBLEMS
How did the ancestors deal with the pesky problem of bugs?
As you probably know, the simple answer is plants – including
leaves, seeds and roots. But methods differed from place to
place depending on what was available.
In many cases, fragrant oils from the leaves of plants like
mint and eucalyptus were applied directly to skin to deter
insects. In other cases, roots from plants like goldenseal
were ground into powder, combined with greasy animal fats,
and spread onto the skin. Compounds from the goldenseal
repelled insects and the animal fats made it easier to apply
the goldenseal powder and allowed it to remain on the skin
longer. Interestingly, applying animal fats also served to
protect ancestors from sunburn! (This method is probably
what the professor was thinking of when he said ancestral
Floridians used rotting fish to repel insects – except it was
more likely that they used oil from fish combined with local
plant materials.)
Ancestors also went to the source of the problem. Controlled
burns helped to clear underbrush where many insects breed,
which was also an effective method of driving off venomous
snakes. This helped to reduce insect (and snake) populations
around villages, camps, and gardens.
As with the other examples from this year’s Seminole History
of the Month series, these methods were appropriated by
colonizers who struggled to adapt to the conditions they
encountered. What’s more interesting about this case,
however, is that colonizers initially reacted to the methods
with disgust and ridiculed ancestors for the practices,
suggesting they were unclean (even though colonizers were
known for poor personal hygiene, as records from the time
indicate). Of course, it wasn’t long before colonizers stole the
ancestor’s methods of repelling insects and added them to
their own routines.

To see more Seminole History Stories, please visit the THPO website at www.stofthpo.com
Top:
An Aedes aegypti mosquito, Photo by Joao Paulo Burini via Getty Images
Middle: Hydratis canadensis, Goldenseal, was used as protection.
Photo by Lonnie Galt-Theis
Bottom: A controlled burn through Everglades sawgrass.
Photo by Michael Gue, NPS

9A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

Health
More than a number
on the scale
A plain-talk guide to healthy weight, and the small
steps that get families there together
BY TERESA SNOW
Health Contributor

The smell of fry bread drifted across
the yard as Linda watched her grandkids
race to the swings. Ten years ago, she would
have chased them. Now her knees ache by
noon, and the shorts she wore last summer
sit unworn in the drawer. Nothing dramatic
happened. The weight just crept up, a few
pounds each year, the way it does for so
many of us. If Linda's story feels close to
home, keep reading. Extra weight is one of
the most common health challenges in our
community, and one of the most manageable.
What It Is
So what do doctors mean when they say
someone is overweight or obese? In plain
terms, it means a person is carrying more
body fat than is healthy for their height.
Your body needs some fat to stay warm and
store energy. Problems begin when the body
stores more fat than it can put to use.
Most clinics use a screening number
called Body Mass Index, or BMI. It compares
your weight to your height. You do not need
to do any math. Your nurse can tell you your
number in seconds, and many pharmacies
can too. A BMI between 25 and 30 counts
as overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher counts
as obese.
One important note. BMI is only a
starting point. It does not measure muscle,
and it does not tell your whole story. Think
of it like the check engine light in your truck.
It does not say exactly what is wrong. It
simply says it is worth taking a look.
Why It Matters

health. And habits can change, one small
step at a time.
Take a breath, because none of this is set
in stone. You do not have to fix everything
at once, and you do not have to do it alone.
What to do
• Move for 30 minutes most days. A
brisk walk counts, and you can break it into
two or three shorter walks if that fits your
day better.
• Fill half your plate with fruits and
vegetables. Aim for five servings a day. One
serving is about one piece of fruit or one cup
of raw veggies.
• Trade sugary drinks for water.
Cutting one soda a day removes about 150
calories, and that adds up fast over a month.
• Keep portions honest. A healthy
serving of meat is about three ounces,
roughly the size of a deck of cards.
• Make it a family effort. Kids
copy what they see, so cook together, walk
together, and keep the fridge stocked with
fruit instead of soda.
• Limit screen time. Keep TV and
phone time under two hours a day for kids,
and swap some of it for outdoor play.
Quick tips for busy weeks
• Park farther from the door and let
the walk count.
• Take the stairs whenever you can.
• Wash and cut fruits and veggies on
Sunday so they are easy to grab.
• Eat slowly and stop when you feel
satisfied, not stuffed.
• Weigh yourself once a week at the
same time of day.

Hollywood's
health fair
promotes
preventative
care
BY DANIELLA HAKIM
Staff Reporter

HOLLYWOOD — The Seminole Tribe
of Florida's Health Department continues
to save the day, encouraging youth and
families to make health-conscious decisions,
celebrating the third anniversary of their
health fair and comic con.
"When we're healthy, we're able to
participate," said newly crowned Jr. Miss
Florida Seminole Dahlia Sanders. "And when
we're able to participate, we're able to make a
positive impact within our communities and
connect with others."
The Howard Tiger Recreation Center
brimmed with staff and tribal youth on July
31.
The fair proffered learning opportunities
and demonstrations organized by the tribe's
Integrative Health Department and its Center
for Behavioral Health. In turn, vendors filled
the gymnasium, showcasing Funko Pops,
comic books, mangas (a genre of Japanese
graphic novels), and art; tribal youth engaged
in photo opportunities and games such as
Dungeons and Dragons and Legos.
"We're promoting overall health,"
said the Integrative Health Department's
registered dietitian, Karen Two Shoes.
"Native Americans are at high risk of diabetes
and kidney issues. We encourage everyone
to get tested and are promoting preventative
care. We're teaching families to make healthconscious decisions."
A1C testing for diabetes and prediabetes
and GFR testing to measure kidney
functioning was held at this year's fair.
"By bringing Comic Con into the
mix, we're able to screen young adults that
may not have been previously tested," said
Jamie Diersing. "That way, if there are any
concerns, we can catch them early."
"Our mission is to educate, but most
importantly, we want everyone to connect,"
said the Integrative Health Department's
Director, Suzanne Davis. "A lot of times,
people choose to stay within the comfort of
their home. We aim to bring people together."
"Everybody comes and brings a piece
to make this possible," Davis added. "It's
thanks to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum,
Human Resources, the Health Department,
the Seminole Police Department, and several
other departments that we're able to bring
these resources to the community."

Did you know?
Extra weight makes your heart work
harder every hour of the day. Over time,
Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body
that raises the risk of high blood pressure,
diabetes, stroke, and worn-out knees and weight can lower blood pressure and blood
hips. It can drain your energy, disturb your sugar. For a person who weighs 200 pounds,
sleep, and cut into the moments that matter that is only 10 to 20 pounds. Small steps
most, like keeping up with your grandkids at make a real difference.
a tribal fair or dancing at a family celebration.
The takeaway
According to the CDC, about 7 out of
every 10 American adults carry more weight
Linda's turnaround did not start in a
than is healthy. Native communities have
doctor's
office. It started in her own kitchen,
been hit especially hard. Healthy food has
not always been easy to find or afford, and with cold water on the table instead of soda
the active traditions of past generations have and fruit within easy reach on the counter.
given way to desk jobs, long drives, and By the next summer, she was out at the
swings pushing the grandkids herself. You
drive-thru dinners.
FROM NCIA
can start today, at your own table.
It affects our
children,
too.
Kids
who
SERVING
FLORIDA
AND
FULLY
STOCKED
Here is your one action: at dinner
carry extra weight early in life often carry
The National Congress
of water and skip
it into adulthood,THE
along VICINITY
with the health risks tonight, set out a pitcher
We
keep
our you.
response
hubs
of
American
Indians will hold
the
soda,
and
ask
your
family
to
join
that come with it. The habits our families
its
tribal
impact days Sept.
Small
choices,
made
together,
are
how
supplied with critical post-storm
We table
specialize
in serving
the
build at the dinner
today shape
the
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health of the nextFlorida,
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emergency materials
including
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Sessions
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But here is what the numbers do not
to
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from members of
Source:
Centers
for
Disease
Control
plywood,
generators,
roof
southern
Alabama
markets,
and
show. Weight is not about willpower or
and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Congress and agency officials
worth. It is about
habits,
surroundings,
and
patching
materials,
and more.
we’re always ready to assist
regarding
their work for
Disease you
Prevention and
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Country.
anywhere in these areas.
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Daphne Sanders and newly crowned
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Sanders represent the Culture
Department.

Daniella Hakim

Thommy Doud, dressed up as Toy Story's "Woody," poses with Takaius Osceola, left, Yariah Osceola,
center, and Nokaiyah Osceola, right.

Daniella Hakim

From left to right are Education staff members Lydiana Saintil, Shayla Brown, Janelle Bishop and
David Atehortua, who handed out goodie bags filled with health-conscious snacks for attendees.

Upcoming
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Aubrilee Billie, left, Brian Billie Jr., center, and Allie Billie, right,
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in learning opportunities and demonstrations organized by
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Guests are encouraged to
bring lawn chairs. Start time is
6 p.m. The Sept. 7 event is the
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series. For more information
call 863-357-6246.
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Rockabillaque
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to fund projects that support improvements Care Facility (Belcourt, N.D.) – facility
to existing health care facilities to reduce lighting replacement
Dena’ina Wellness Center (Kenai,
operating costs, improve energy and water
efficiency, and enhance overall facility Alaska) – Kenaitze Solar Installation Project
Consolidated Tribal Health Project
performance.
Team RRT.SEM.09.25
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The projects selected are: © 2025 Rapid Response

IMMOKALEE
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10A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

SEMINOLE SCENES

Kevin Johnson

SUMMER BREAK ALMOST OVER: With many schools in Florida set to open Aug. 10, summer break
is close to ending. Kids were busy with activities on reservations, including RJ Powell, left, and his
brother Knowledj Ervin. They spent July 29 practicing basketball in the gym at Chupco’s Landing in
Fort Pierce. Ervin is entering his freshman year at Fort Pierce Central; Powell will be heading into 8th
grade. Both play basketball and football for local teams.

SMP

HOMEGROWN TALENT: Aubee Billie, from the Brighton Reservation, sings at the reservation’s July 4th celebration during the evening’s concert
performances. Billie is a 2026 graduate of Elon University in North Carolina, where she was a double-major in music theatre and arts administration
and a minor in business administration.

Beverly Bidney (4)

BUSY BC: Justice Jumper, left, and Dalaylah Cypress, center, practice their softball pitching with the
8U Wild Spirit team on July 21, a few days before the start of the NAYO tournament. At far right, Boys
& Girls Club member Zendaya Quintana enjoys the slide at the Big Cypress pool on July 21. Below, kids
compete in a game of dodge ball at the Herman L. Osceola Gymnasium in BC.

Mayli Tommie (4)

WORLD CUP WATCH PARTY: President Holly Tiger joined thousands of soccer fans at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood to watch the championship game of the
2026 FIFA World Cup on July 19. They weren’t alone. Spain’s 1-0 victory against Argentina in New Jersey drew more than 60 million viewers in the U.S. on
Fox and Telemundo, according to media reports. Hard Rock Live offered the watch party on massive screens free of charge; tickets went quickly.

FSU (3)

UPCOMING SEASON: The 200-plus page 2026 Florida State football media guide was released in July.
It features Seminole Tribe of Florida tribal member Zae Thomas, a defensive back who is entering
his second season on the team. The guide also has features about how the team incorporates STOF
heritage into its uniforms, traditions and other experiences. The guide is available on the team’s
website under links and media center. FSU opens its season Aug. 29 at home against New Mexico
State.

11A • The Seminole Tribune • August 2026

NATIONAL NATIVE NEWS
Lumbee Tribe votes against I-95
casino in Robeson County
Seven months after receiving full federal
recognition, the Lumbee Tribe of North
Carolina has officially voted not to move
forward with a proposed casino development
off I-95 in Robeson County.
According to unofficial results from
the Lumbee Tribe Elections Board, voters
overwhelmingly rejected the proposed
amendment, with roughly 62% voting
against it. The measure received 3,363 votes
in favor and 5,553 votes opposed.
Tribal Chairman John Lowery, who also
represents Robeson County as a Republican
in the North Carolina General Assembly,
expressed disappointment in the vote but
noted the people have spoken.
“A majority of the Lumbee people have
spoken, and they have said no to progress
and have decided to stay with the status quo
or simply staying with the way things are,”
Lowery wrote. “As a federally recognized
Indian tribe, we had the opportunity, like
so many of our brother and sister tribes, to
exercise our sovereign rights to the fullest
and generate billions of dollars to assist our
tribal members and lift this entire region.
This decision by the majority of Lumbee
voters is historic and ensures we will not
move forward with gaming.”
The proposed amendment would
have created a constitutional framework
for gaming within the Lumbee Tribe. The
measure would have authorized tribal
leaders to negotiate gaming compacts,
regulate gaming operations, and oversee
any future gaming enterprises. It also would
have removed a requirement that gamingrelated ordinances receive approval from
the tribe’s general membership through a
referendum, instead placing that authority
with tribal leadership.
Under current tribal rules, referendums
require participation from at least 30%
of eligible tribal members to be valid.
Constitutional amendments, however, only
require a simple majority of votes cast and
are not subject to any minimum participation
threshold. Supporters of the project estimate
the casino could create between 2,750 and
3,500 full-time jobs, with priority hiring
given to Lumbee tribal members. Salaries
were projected to range from approximately
$45,000 to more than $300,000 annually
depending on the position.
Under federal law, gaming revenues
would be dedicated to specific purposes,
including tribal government operations,
education,
healthcare,
housing,
rehabilitation programs, public safety
initiatives, economic development projects,
charitable contributions, and programs
that benefit tribal members. Because tribal
gaming revenue is not subject to federal or
state income taxes, the tribe would keep all
earnings generated by the casino.
Lowery, said that he will support the
majority opinion and not bring the issue
forward again before his term expires in 18
months.
The Lumbee Tribe received full
federal recognition in December 2025.
Shortly afterward, the tribe purchased
approximately 240 acres along Interstate
95 for $6 million as the site of the proposed
casino and entertainment complex.
- The Carolina Journal

Judge rejects California tribes’
latest attempt to kill blackjack at
cardrooms
California’s dozens of private gambling
halls can continue offering blackjack and
other table games after a San Francisco
judge ruled [in June] that Attorney General
Rob Bonta overstepped when he tried to ban
them.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge
Richard Darwin ruled that Bonta’s Bureau
of Gambling Control didn’t have the legal
authority to issue statewide rules severely
restricting the games at cardrooms.
The ruling, which followed Darwin’s
temporary order in May, is the latest
defeat for the state’s casino-owning Native
American tribes. They have spent years and
tens of millions of dollars unsuccessfully
appealing to courts, voters, the Legislature
and California regulators to put their only
in-state competitors out of the blackjack
business.
The tribes contend cardrooms have
unscrupulously
violated
state
laws
prohibiting anyone but tribal casinos from
offering “house-banked,” Las Vegas-style
table games including blackjack, the most
lucrative.
Cardroom operators say the ruling once
again proves their business model is legal.
It also ensures taxes that cities receive from
blackjack revenues will continue to support
local government services and cardroom
jobs.
“For more than a year, we have said this
case is about far more than gaming — it is
about whether the attorney general and his
regulators can bypass the Legislature and
unilaterally rewrite decades of established
law,” Kyle Kirkland, a Fresno cardroom
owner and president of the California
Gaming Association, said in a statement.
“The court delivered a clear answer: they
cannot.”
James May, a spokesperson for
California
Nations
Indian
Gaming
Association, didn’t return an interview
request.
Bonta’s office said in an email that
officials were disappointed in the ruling and
are reviewing their options.
- Cal Matters (Sacramento, California)

Deborah Begay wins JP primary
while facing judicial misconduct
charges over Facebook post
Maricopa County’s (Arizona) first
Native American justice of the peace,
Deborah Ann Begay, is facing charges of
judicial misconduct for a complaint that she
used her status as a judge to obtain special
treatment for a friend’s son.
Begay, who is Navajo, worked as a
justice of the peace for the Moon Valley
precinct of the Maricopa County Justice
Court from 2021 to 2025. After she lost the
2024 election, she worked as a pro tem judge
for the Maricopa County Justice Courts.
In [a July 21] election, Begay won
the Democratic primary for justice of the
peace in the neighboring Encanto precinct,
defeating businessman and former state
legislator Ken Cheuvront. There is no
Republican candidate, so Begay will will
the November election by default.
In July 2025, Begay made a Facebook
post saying that she had called some other
judges for help after her friend’s son was
detained over the July 4 holiday weekend
for not having a driver’s license.
“Not the usual way things go but look
for more of this if you have higher melanin
content,” the since-deleted post read. “I
didn’t have any local judges phone numbers
but (Justice of the Peace) Jennifer Jermaine
did. She helped me to help someone else.”
Begay went on to thank the three judges
who she said had helped her: Jermaine, Gila
County Justice Court Judge Pro Tem Javier
Sobampo and Pima County Justice Court
Judge Victoria Steele.
“Everything turned out fine,” Begay
wrote.
After seeing the post, someone made
an anonymous complaint about it to the
Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct.
“It must be nice to be a former judge,”
the complainer wrote. “If you are, you get
to ask current judges to get your friends out
of jail.”
Begay deleted the post after Jermaine
asked her to. Jermaine told the commission
that she didn’t know why Begay had asked
her for other judges’ phone numbers,
according to the Commission on Judicial
Conduct’s statement of charges.
In a December response to the
complaint, Begay said that she didn’t believe
she had done anything wrong.
“I respectfully deny the allegation that
I have used, or attempted to use my judicial
office to secure any personal advantage,”
she wrote. “At no time have I invoked
my title, authority or position as a judge
— explicitly or implicitly — to influence
decisions, obtain services, or gain treatment
not equally available to members of the
public.”
In a follow up letter to the commission’s
disciplinary counsel Brian Bohan, Begay
wrote that her only intention when reaching
out to the other judges was to find out the
process for holding people over the holiday
weekend.
She added that the post was aimed at
“general advocacy against racism and in
support of due process. I wanted others to
know this is a value shared by the judiciary.”
But the Commission on Judicial
Conduct found that the post made it seem
that Begay used her judicial connections to
obtain favorable treatment for her friend’s
son. In January, the commission formally
reprimanded her, taking into account past
warnings it issued to Begay about her
campaign conduct as well as previous social
media posts that it said violated the Judicial
Code of Conduct.
In February, Begay requested a formal
hearing on the charges against her, which is
yet to be scheduled.
In a July 10 response to the formal
charges, issued in May, Begay wrote of her
“longstanding commitment to administering
justice fairly, treating litigants with dignity,
and faithfully carrying out my judicial
duties.”
She wrote that the post was made to
thank the judges for “making themselves
available to the public” and was aimed
at “maintaining public confidence in the
judiciary.”
“The allegations accurately reflect
neither my intent nor my conduct,” she
wrote.
Begay asked the commission to
consider her history of serving the public
via her 20 years in the U.S. Navy and as
a guardian ad litem for Gila River Indian
Community children in foster care.
Begay also wrote of the gravity of her
status as the first Native American elected
to the Maricopa County Justice Courts
and as a two-spirit person, who embodies
both female and male, she has “advocated
for inclusion, dignity, and equal access to
justice.”
She wrote that, if the commission finds
that she violated judicial ethics, it would
stand in contrast to the rest of her judicial
record.
“The totality of the circumstances
reflects, at most, a word choice that could be
(and was) misconstrued — not a willful or
intentional violation of the Arizona Code of
Judicial Conduct,” Begay wrote.
She asked that the commission dismiss
the charges against her, or issue a private
reprimand.
- Arizona Mirror

US Sen. Heinrich, New Mexico
tribes seek rules to rein in prediction
markets
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.),
along with local Indigenous tribes and
pueblos, is urging Republican senators to
restrain online gambling apps, saying the

unregulated platforms pose an “existential
threat” to tribal gaming rights and
sovereignty.
Heinrich on [July 17] sent a letter to
Republican chairmen of two U.S. Senate
committees that are considering separate
pieces of legislation that deal with digital
assets like cryptocurrency. As drafted,
according to the letter, both the CLARITY
Act and Digital Commodity Intermediaries
Act remove accountability for online
platforms that allow users to bet on sports
and other events online.
The “rapid expansion” of the apps,
which allow users to bet on sports and
otherwise engage in casino-style gambling,
“poses an existential threat to tribal
sovereignty by undermining the revenue
that tribes rely on for government services,”
Heinrich and 11 other Democratic senators
wrote.
The letter argues that the apps bypass
federal tribal gaming laws and also undermine
states’ abilities to regulate gambling. In New
Mexico, sports gambling is illegal except inperson at tribal casinos, which tribes rely on
to fund services including education, public
safety, healthcare and housing.
Sixteen tribes and pueblos in New
Mexico signed on to the letter, according to
a news release from Heinrich’s office, as did
the national Indian Gaming Association and
National Congress of American Indians.
The two bills are currently being
negotiated in the U.S. Senate’s Committee
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
and Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition,
and Forestry. Heinrich’s letter warns that if
enacted, the legislation would “effectively
allow prediction markets to offer online
casino-style gaming and sports betting
across the United States, entirely bypassing
the localized tribal-state regulatory systems
required” in federal law.
Heinrich’s letter to leadership of both
committees comes amid lawsuits from New
Mexico’s attorney general and a group of
tribes and pueblos seeking to crack down
on Kalshi, one of the platforms that local
plaintiffs accuse of subverting state and
tribal law. Both lawsuits remain pending in
state and federal courts.
U.S. Sens. Tim Scott (R-South
Carolina) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas)
chair the committees that are reviewing the
legislation. Spokespersons for both senators
did not immediately respond to Source
NM’s emailed requests for comment [July
20].
The letter urges senators to amend the
bills to prohibit the platforms from enabling
sports betting and also make explicit that
the platforms cannot be used to circumvent
existing tribal-state gaming compacts.
Without those amendments, unregulated
online gambling will undermine federal
treaty obligations to tribal governments
and their rights to self-determination,
which represent a “primary pillar of tribal
sovereignty,” the letter reads.
- Source New Mexico

WA tribes, environmental groups
sue over Endangered Species Act
rule change
Washington tribes and environmental
organizations sued the federal government
Tuesday, arguing that recent changes to
Endangered Species Act rules defy scientific
research and pave the way for the destruction
of important wildlife habitat.
The two separate lawsuits, filed in U.S.
District Court for Western Washington,
challenge the Trump administration’s
decision to rescind the legal definition of the
word “harm” as used under the Endangered
Species Act.
In a July 10 announcement, the
Department of the Interior said the new rule
would reduce permitting requirements and
compliance costs for farmers, landowners
and energy producers.
“For years, federal agencies abused
the ESA to obstruct lawful land use and
burden American families and businesses,”
said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “This
action restores common sense, respects
private property, provides much-needed
certainty for landowners and follows the
statute Congress actually passed.”
But the environmental groups and tribes
contend that the change will pose greater
risks for species like salmon, steelhead,
grizzly bears and northern spotted owls.
The rule is underpinned by a 2024
Supreme Court ruling, according to the
Department of the Interior announcement.
When a species is listed as endangered,
federal agencies such as the National Marine
Fisheries Service designate certain areas of
federal or private land as critical habitat.
Before the rule change, developers
seeking permits were required to explain
how they would limit habitat harm in
these areas, but that is no longer the case,
said Kristen Boyles, Earthjustice attorney
representing the nine environmental groups
suing the federal government.
“This is a big deal,” Boyles said,
noting that she expects other lawsuits to be
filed in the near future. She described the
rule rewrite as “an assault on all of these
resources that should belong to all of us,”
which will enrich companies.
The conservation groups that sued
include the Center for Biological Diversity,
Columbia Riverkeeper, Conservation Law
Foundation,
Conservation
Northwest,
Friends of the Wild Swan, Oregon Wild,
Sierra Club, Swan View Coalition and
WildEarth Guardians.
Their suit names lead officials at the
Interior and Commerce departments as
defendants.
Swinomish and Squaxin Island Tribes
fear the rule will undermine recovery efforts
for the federally listed Chinook salmon in

the Puget Sound and Skagit River, which
are reserved for the tribes to fish in under
longstanding treaties with the federal
government.
“We cannot save the ESA-listed
Chinook salmon that are a pillar of our
Treaty rights and our cultural lifeways
when the habitat they need to spawn, rear
and grow is under attack,” Steve Edwards,
chairman of the Swinomish Indian Tribal
Community, said in a statement. “This new
rule is anti-science.”
The lawsuit from the tribes also alleges
that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
National Marine Fisheries Service violated
the law by arbitrarily and capriciously
rejecting Swinomish’s consultation request.

- Washington State Standard

After decades of denials, North
Carolina’s Tuscarora Indians take a
step closer to recognition
NC Newsline editor’s note: House Bill
600 does not have unified support from
North Carolina’s Tuscarora communities.
After publication of our story, the Tuscarora
Indian Nation of North Carolina Prospect
Longhouse, the Tuscarora Nation of North
Carolina (Maxton), and the Tuscarora Tribe
of North Carolina (Saddletree) reached
out to NC Newsline to dispute support for
the legislation. They did not speak at the
legislative hearing, but clarified the while
Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina has
continuously sought state tribal reaffirmation
since the 1970s, their leadership does not
recognize the newly formed Tuscarora
Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories named in
H600 as its government.
“I’m a firm believer. When somebody
has been wrong, it has to be righted.”
Rep. Ed Goodwin (R-Chowan) choked
back emotion [July 1] as he tried one last
time to gain recognition for the Tuscarora
Indians.
The 73-year-old Republican recounted
how, in his childhood, the Tuscarora had
worked long hours in the fields of eastern
North Carolina helping his father bring
their tobacco crop to market. Growing
up, he marveled at Tuscarora history, but
felt deeply frustrated that the tribe was
repeatedly denied recognition.
“My heart has hurt because friends that
I’ve had all my life couldn’t get recognized
by the General Assembly. That just didn’t sit
right,” Goodwin told members of the House
Committee on American Indian Affairs.
On a week that the North Carolina
legislature was focused on passing a $34
billion state budget, Goodwin, the vice chair
of the House appropriations committee,
wanted to use his time to fight for a tribe
largely dismissed by the state Commission
of Indian Affairs.
“You may think I’m a nut, but I’m not.
You may think I’m a crybaby, but I’m not. It
pissed me off,” said Goodwin.
He has tried unsuccessfully each
session since 2019 to pass similar legislation
on behalf of the tribe.
“I’ve tried all different kind of angles,
and I’m about on my last tire. My tire’s
blown out on me now, but I think this
is the final effort that I will ever have to
have a chance to get the Tuscarora nation
recognized,” Goodwin said.
This year, Goodwin is advocating for
House Bill 600, which would officially
recognize the Tuscarora Indians of
Kahtenuaka Territories and grant two seats
on the Commission of Indian Affairs and
one seat on the American Indian Heritage
Commission.
Language buried deep in this year’s
state budget gives the Catawba Indians a seat
on the commission, but not the Tuscarora.
The Tuscarora have long sought
recognition from the state, arguing it is
essential to preserve their culture and
traditions. Tribal members and officials
attended the hearing to make their case.
“Where will this tribe be located?
Where’s the headquarters at?” asked Rep.
John Lowery (R-Robeson), chairman of the
Lumbee Tribe. The Lumbee Tribe of North
Carolina received full federal recognition
last December after more than a century of
lobbying Congress.
Brandi Locklear-Alvarez, a member of
the Tuscarora, said the tribe does not have a
central office, but has no desire to encroach
on Lumbee territory.
Opponents of recognition of the
Tuscarora have suggested for years that they
are merely a splinter group of the Lumbee.
Tribal Council co-chair David Webb
said H600 does not create or invent a new
tribe, nor take anything away from another
tribe.
“Instead, it recognizes our modern
tribal government,” said Webb. “It’s really
about fairness. It’s about correcting a
historical error, and this committee has the
opportunity to do that.”
Rep. Anna Ferguson (R-Jackson), a
member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians, said while she was spiritually
with the Tuscarora, she could not logically
support the measure.
“I would like to see a more unified
presentation,
especially
from
the
Commission of Indian Affairs,” said
Ferguson. “You’ve been denied there in
the past. What I would like to see is going
forward that you work with the commission.”
“It appears that the commission does not
have a desire to work with them based on the
comments that were made,” responded Rep.
Amber Baker (D-Forsyth). Baker said it was
also unfair for the commission to base state
recognition on whether the Tuscarora of
New York could validate the tribal members
in North Carolina.
After an hour of debate, lawmakers
voted 6-2 to advance the bill sending it on

to the House State and Local Government
committee. And while the legislation could
stall as the session winds down, Rep. Carla
Cunningham (U-Mecklenburg) reminded
the Tuscarora no one on Jones Street should
diminish or determine the value they bring
to their community.
“Every day I fight for who I am, even
when people don’t like it. They haven’t
come from where I came from,” said
Cunningham. “Stand for who you are. When
people say no, you say, ‘God is watching.
He is not finished.’ You aren’t either.”
- NC Newsline

After residential school survivors
speak out, Ottawa reinstates funding
to travel for counselling
Indigenous Services Canada has
confirmed it now has funding available to
pay for travel costs so residential school
survivors and their family members can
continue in-person counselling.
The news comes after mental health
counsellors were told [in July] travel costs
would no longer be paid for though the
Indian Residential School Resolution Health
Support Program.
Indigenous Services Canada told CBC
News of the change in an email [July 29].
The funding will pay for travel costs in
the N.W.T. and Nunavut for the rest of the
current fiscal year. It applies to both clients
and counsellors.
Earlier this week, ISC said funding
was still in place for virtual appointments,
but counsellors said many of their clients in
remote communities didn’t have access to
reliable internet or phone, or a quiet place to
carry out such appointments.
Counsellors and Dene National Chief
George Mackenzie have denounced that
decision.
On [July 29], an Indigenous Services
Canada spokesperson said the funding will
allow both in-person and virtual services
to continue, while the department works to
develop a plan for the coming years.
- CBC (Canada)

Warm Springs Reservation faces
years of recovery after Bench Fire
sweeps through
Warm Springs tribal member Shana
Johnson sat in her purple Scion in front of
her barn and watched a firefighting crew
leave for the night as thick wildfire smoke
turned the setting sun a brilliant orange.
The Bench Fire that erupted [in
July] upended life for Johnson and the
three generations of her family living on
a sprawling ranch on the outskirts of the
640,000-acre reservation. The winds shifted,
forcing them to flee briefly to a nearby open
field for safety. They lost electricity for
seven days, lost power to their wells and
rationed granola bars as their food spoiled.
“We were so frightened that we didn’t
want to leave our animals, our cows and our
horses and our dogs and cats,” Johnson said.
“I mean, it’s not like for us, we can just pick
up and move. So we pretty much decided
that we were going to all stay and make sure
that our animals were OK.”
The Bench Fire tore through the Warms
Springs Reservation, burning at least six
homes and forcing hundreds to evacuate
as roads closed and the air filled with thick
smoke. The fire is now about one-third
contained, but it will likely take years for the
tribe to recover from the disaster.
The fire is one of at least 30 fires
that have burned nearly 1.8 million acres
state

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Aseminole_tribe_fl%3A5a49cca68052598b. Public record. Not legal advice.