By Norah Stevens, Reporter, Cattaraugus Territory, Seneca Nation Official Newsletter
On March 4th, 2025, the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women hosted an event commemorating Women’s History Month, called “Celebrating Women Educating, Mentoring, & Inspiring Generations”. The event took place at the Buffalo History Museum in which eleven women total were honored broken up into two categories. Six of the women were women who make a difference in the community every day. The 5 honorees were part of the “Living Trailblazing Women”.
The Living Trailblazing Women exhibit is part of the larger “Trailblazing Women of WNY Monument Project” in which the mission is to elevate stories of the many contribution’s women from across Western New York have made in shaping our community. Of the five women honored with this award, two very admirable Seneca Enrolled women of the wolf clan were showcased, Dr. Lori V. Quigley, Ph. D. and Councilor Tina Abrams.
Dr. Lori V. Quigley has enjoyed a career in education and is a tenured professor and holds positions as an academic dean, provost, and president. Currently, she serves as a professor and department chair for the leadership and policy doctoral program at Niagara University and is an educational consultant and advisor to many school districts and colleges/universities, providing guidance on topics ranging from curriculum development to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications from St. Bonaventure University and a Master of Arts in Public Communications and Ph.D. in Language, Learning and Literacy from Fordham University.
Committed to giving back to the community, Lori received a U.S. Presidential appointment to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, and she completed two-term gubernatorial appointment on the NYS Minority Health Council and three years as a Chairwoman of the Board for the Seneca Gaming Corporation. Currently Lori is the Ombudsperson for the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) and a member of the WNY Alzheimer’s Association Board of Directors and the Trailblazing of WNY. Lori’s research interests include multi-generational trauma, Indigenous language reclamation, and culturally relevant pedagogy from an indigenous lens. Lori was awarded the prestigious State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Research and Scholarship; she received the Hackman Residency Award from the NYS Archives, enabling her to research the history of sociological impact of the Native American Residential Boarding Schools. Quigley was motivated in life by her mother Marlene, who she viewed as a role model. She was a survivor of the residential school era and did not want that to happen to any other human being. Quigley observed how her mother treated everyone with dignity and paved the way for those less fortunate. She believes that helped motivate her and many others to give back to the community. Lori was the first Native American woman in New York state to become a provost and University President. Lori would like for other people, young women especially to look at the Trailblazers and think “That can be me some day. There is potential for me”. She believes that is critically important for the future.
Tina Abrams has been a voice of leadership in the Seneca Nation for decades. She was first elected to the Seneca Nation Council in 2001, she was the first woman appointed as the Legislative body’s Co-Chair in 2012. As an elected representative of the Seneca People Tina plays a leadership role in the oversight of all Nation enterprises, maintains strong contacts with Native organizations across the United States, and monitors along with advocating for Federal and State Legislation and policies that impact Indian Country. Tina is a tireless volunteer in her community, serving as chairperson of the annual Seneca Veteran’s Powwow, and as a member of the Remember the Removal Committee. Her leadership extends beyond Seneca Territory, including roles on the Cattaraugus County Planning Board since 2003, the Niagara Falls Memorial medical Center Board of Directors since 2021. In 2019, Abrams was elected to serve as Northeast Region Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest and largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the interests of tribal governments and communities across the United States.
Tina Abrams inspiration and motivation to be actively engaged in serving the community is her family – Grandparents, mother, and father along with their political aspirations and historic work they did within the Seneca Nation. Abrams told a story of her grandfather, Morris Jimerson, as Tribal Councilor who advocated for Women’s Rights to Vote. In 1956, heat attempted to bring this issue fourth to the Council and was defeated. Abrams’ father, Walden Jimerson, in his role as a Tribal Councilor made a motion that the women would submit a petition to have their right to vote and it was then honored in 1964. Tina’s grandmother, Sybil Eels, was also the fourth woman to hold office. Abrams hopes that we can set a good example for our younger generations. As a grandmother, an aunt, a sister, and a great aunt she shares these stories with them in the hope that they can tell them and can share or be an advocate. There is a lot to advocate for and Tina believes story telling is important because it releases your thoughts and once your thoughts are released, you can start Trailblazing.
Ja:göh to our Trailblazers for setting the example for generations to come and continually breaking barriers for us as Seneca People.
Trailblazing Women of WNY Monument Project
GERALDINE “GAWO:SID-TAH” GREEN I Longhouse Leader and Faith keeper
Three trailblazing women statues of WNY are located at the Old Erie County Hall 100 Frankling Street, Buffalo, NY
The statue of Geraldine “Gawo:sid:tah” Green is one of the three statues; she was a dedicated educator of the Haudenosaunee traditions and a respected leader in the Newtown Longhouse. As one of the last fluent speakers of the Seneca Language, she shared her knowledge widely throughout the nations, regions and internationally.
Gawo:sid:tah served as the head women’s faithkeeper for the animal clan in the Newtown Longhouse. She was a nationally recognized advocate for women’s leadership in native cultures and in 1999 she was part of delegation of Iroquois clan mothers that met with the First Lady Hillary Clinton to discuss issues important to the Seneca Nation. Her contributions to preserving and promoting Haudenosaunee traditions are a legacy.
Please take the time to visit Geraldine “Gawo:sid:tah” Green’s statue in downtown Buffalo. Artist: Jiwoong Cheh.
