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By Kelsey Kendall

Continuing to encourage discussions around health equity and diversity, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity hosted “Healing Through the Land: A CommUNITY Conversation” to explore land stewardship and health equity and the experiences of Virginia’s Indigenous people.

The event was hosted Monday evening at Chartway Arena in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Tribal leaders from across Virginia shared their perspectives on their peoples’ history and connection to the land. 

Dave Henneman, assistant chief of the Nansemond Indian Nation, Frank Adams, chief of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe, and Dana Adkins, environmental director at the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, participated in a panel discussion, sharing how their tribes came to be federally recognized and their efforts to preserve their ancestral lands, serving as stewards of the environment.

“It’s a healing process to go onto your property that you know is back in your tribe’s hands,” Adams said. “You just enjoy the peace and quiet or the noise of the geese flying over.”

Though each tribe has its own government and traditions, they share a connection to the land where their ancestors used to hunt, fish and gather to survive. When much of that land was taken throughout history, they lost that connection. When the Nansemond, Upper Mattaponi and Chickahominy tribes – along with three others in Virginia – gained federal recognition in 2018 after a decades-long fight, they were able to start the process of reacquiring that land and restoring it.

The land these tribes reacquired is often in poor shape with invasive species and stripped soil. Adkins described the Chickahominy’s efforts to focus on sustainable practices so future generations can appreciate that connection to their heritage.

Maintaining the environment also helps create healthier communities.  As climate change and other environmental factors impact the bodies of water in the region, they could have an impact on community well-being.

“The Chesapeake Bay watershed is vital to the health and well-being of countless communities, and Indigenous people have a deep-rooted connection to the land that has shaped their lives for generations,” said Lisa Renee Jennings, CBF’s Hampton Roads Grassroots Coordinator. “By exploring this relationship and its impact on health equity, we hope it inspired meaningful conversations and action.”

In addition to conservation efforts, the tribes are also taking on healthcare access, with each of the tribes represented Monday having established a clinic to support Native Americans.

The three leaders advocate for decision making in land and water usage – as well as in other areas that impact Native American communities – to include meaningful conversations between them and decision makers. Partnerships with local higher education institutions, governmental agencies and private companies can propose solutions that better support the environment and the people living there.

Millicent Lee, coordinator for diversity and inclusive excellence, said the goal of the conversation was to provide the attendees an opportunity to learn about the Native American communities and their efforts to build sustainability, as well as how they can get involved in the mission.

“I think we as a society need to be more aware of how we treat the land we live on,” Lee said. “We treat the land better, then ultimately we treat ourselves better.”

Monday’s event supported the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read initiative at Old Dominion 91����Ƶ. This year’s theme, “Health Equity: Where We Live,” will be the focus of more than 50 events throughout the school year. As part of the initiative, the Hampton Roads and Old Dominion 91����Ƶ communities are encouraged to participate in a shared reading experience of “Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary, Resilient Disabled Body” by Rebekah Taussig. The memoir touches on health equity, diversity and inclusion topics.

For more NEA Big Read events, go to the NEA Big Read website.