TAHLEQUAH – To honor those who make significant contributions to the Cherokee language, culture, community, service, education, health and business, the Cherokee Phoenix has announced the recipients of its third annual Seven Feathers Awards. For the language, the Cherokee Phoenix chose Cherokee Citizen Dione Byrd from Cherry Tree. Byrd has developed a game that can be designed as a puzzle, solitaire game, word game, or domino game to make the syllabary accessible to every family. Byrd also serves the community with a library in his garage that allows Cherokees to research, find jobs and register for CN services, reducing and staying a living language, “Byrd said. The culture award goes to the Ray siblings Adelynn, Tyler, Ava and Hudsyn – CN citizens residing in Sand Springs. The siblings promote and share their Cherokee culture and traditions with fellow elementary school students and in summer camps, Johnson-O’Malley after school events and bookstores. They also tell traditional stories like “The First Fire” and “Why the Opossum’s Tail is Bare”. They are 12, 10, 7 and 4 years old, respectively. “Adelynn believes it is important to share her Cherokee culture in order to keep our stories alive and to let our culture thrive,” said mother Rachel Ray. “Tyler hopes others will share what they learn from their cultural presentations. He says that when you tell others about it, the culture stays strong. Ava loves to talk about beadwork and rattles. She says she likes to share the stories with her friends, but still has a little stage fright. Hudsyn had her first year sharing her culture with her siblings. She enjoys wearing her Cherokee teardrop dress and is with her brothers and sisters when they tell stories to their friends. We are also very fortunate to have a grandmother who speaks the language and shares the stories with us so we can share them with others. ”The fellowship winners are CN Citizens Anthony and Christy Davis of Kenwood Conduct Animal Rescue. Stray and neglected animals receive medical care at Kenwood Animal Rescue and an “eternal home” is sought. The Davises also help pet owners with feed and animal care costs. Donations are accepted, but the couple pays most of the costs. “We are very honored to receive this award,” said Christy. “We are as grateful as God blesses us that we can bless others, human or animal.” The recipient of Seven Feathers is Bill Davis, a citizen of CN and resident of Coffeyville, Kansas. His volunteer activities include cleaning and mowing neglected cemeteries, drive-throughs for programs, and event announcements for the public. He is a founding member and current chairman of the Native American Fellowship Inc., a South Coffeyville-based nonprofit of which he has been a member for more than 25 years. He was a delegate to the CN Constitutional Congress in 1999, worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for 42 years, and was an executive in his local chapter, the United Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. “I am very honored to receive this award,” said Davis. “I’m sure my mom and dad are looking down at me with smiles on their faces. I appreciate everyone who works for it. There are many volunteers in my community who deserve awards, so I accept them for them. ”The educational award winner is Lynett Rock, a CN citizen who lives in Muskogee. As a physics teacher at Connors State College, Rock has encouraged women, Native Americans, and other minority groups to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. She is the co-chair of the Northeast Oklahoma Student Science Fair, which enables her to speak to high school and middle school students about college and career paths. She attended a course at the Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics in Kansas and Colorado and lectured on The Landscape of Education at the American Anthropological Association’s annual meeting in Washington, DC. She is also a mentor for women – for the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center and Identity Restoration After Sexual Exploitation – who wish to continue their education. “When I was a little girl, there were no Native American women in science,” said Rock. “My mother (Joyce) won the Seven Feathers Award for Education last year. That means a lot, not just because I am an educator, but because I come from a family of educators. It means a lot to me to make a difference in the world – to make a difference. ”This year’s health beneficiary is 6 year old Lennon Anderson, a CN citizen from Tahlequah. To raise awareness of epilepsy and SUDEP (the sudden unexpected death of someone with epilepsy), Lennon has distributed medical alert bracelets, donated coloring books, crayons and picture books to the book box at WW Hastings Hospital, and plans to run fundraisers for Christmas for children who are with Have seizures and donate stuffed animals and dolls to Cherokee daycare. “She wanted to help the people in our community understand what can happen with epilepsy and seizures. She does this in honor of my father and hopes that one day we will find a cure for epilepsy and seizures. Most recently, she put together summer fun packages with various activities for children with epilepsy. There will be a back-to-school book campaign to help children struggling with seizures and other disabilities. ”The business winner is Cynthia Ruiz, a CN resident in Los Angeles. Ruiz is a leadership professional who served as President of the Board of Public Works in Los Angeles, where she oversaw 5,000 employees and a budget of nearly $ 1 billion. She served as an executive for the busiest container port in the country and now runs her business, executive coaching. Their business model, designed to help leaders develop strong leadership skills, includes delivering free leadership classes to undergraduate students, including Cherokee students. Their Gen Z Leadership Program consisted of six 15-minute online sessions. Full attendance earned a certificate of completion from the CN for supplement to college applications and résumés. “I am honored and honored to receive this prestigious award,” said Ruiz. “I enjoy using my skills to help the Cherokee community. I believe I have a responsibility to invest in our future generations and I am excited to teach leadership to young people. ”
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