Watch for more information, details coming soon!

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We:so Nya:wëh to the team members who rode in the “Ride For Roswell” last weekend, Saturday, June 24th at University at Buffalo North campus! Team Wheel Strong was lead by Team Captains Eliot Jimerson, Seneca Nation Councillor; Kortney Keyes, Director, Visitor Economy Management Office; and Geneva Locke, Seneca Gaming Corporation Board of Directors.

This is the third year that Team Wheel Strong has particpated in the annual bicycling fundraiser. Kick-off for Ride for Roswell weekend started at Roswell Park Cancer Center. Team Wheel Strong is honored to have had two riders participate in the Peloton send off: Matthew Pagels and Kortney Keyes. Matt and Kortney rode 12 miles in the bicycle procession with a police escort from Roswell Park to University of Buffalo North Campus into the Celebration of Hope. Treasurer Pagels shared “It’s humbling being apart of such a strong, unified, amazingly awesome family. Nya:wëh for setting the example and leading with passion. Keep breaking records and achieving milestones like you do! Thank you all for the support, time, donations and of course raffles.”

Ride for Roswell is one of the nation’s largest charity cycling events that brings a community of people together to celebrate cancer survivors, pay tribute to those we’ve lost and share in the passion that connects us all: finding cures for cancer.

Learn more about Team Wheel Strong in the article below.

Team Wheel Strong’s Mission to Spread Hope Through the Ride

rideforroswell.org

Team Wheel Strong is a fundraising powerhouse for Ride for Roswell. In 2023 alone, the efforts of more than 50 riders helped to surpass the team’s fundraising goal of $45,000.

Reflecting on Wheel Strong’s growth since the team was started only three years ago, co-captain Eliot Jimerson became emotional.

“This was not in my plans,” he said with tears in his eyes. “People suffer, and I don’t like to see that. That’s why we ride.”

How Team Wheel Strong Began

Eliot felt the same helplessness so many of us do when someone close to him lost a loved one to cancer. He explained, “I just didn’t have any words, so I said to my daughter, “It feels like I should do more. What could we do?’”

Geneva Locke, Eliot’s daughter, came up with the idea to register for the Ride.

“We decided together as a father and a daughter that we were going to participate in the Ride, and we never knew at that time the overwhelming amount of hope and support there is around Roswell Park,” said Geneva.

Eliot added, “Everybody kept saying, ‘I want to ride,’ and it turned into a team.” From family, to friends, to community, Team Wheel Strong became a welcome space for anyone motivated to fight back against cancer.

Community at the Center

“Our team is made up largely of our community, and our home base is on the Seneca Nation Territory, but our team also branches out with other Native Nations,” said Geneva.

With riders from several other indigenous communities joining the movement, Team Wheel Strong’s efforts to raise awareness for Roswell Park spread far beyond Ride Weekend.

“It started out as community involvement. We had a lot of pop-up rides that first year because our kids wanted to get on their bikes. We would advertise these pop-up rides and charge a small fee for families,” Geneva explained. “It was more or less to provide a safe place for our community members to ride with their families on territory because we don’t have sidewalks and the roads are very busy. We would use our community center, and everybody was just so supportive.”

The more they got involved, the more they came across other people who had been affected by cancer. Those personal connections are what the team captains believe have helped Wheel Strong gain so much momentum.

“If you count all the support around us, it’s around 65 people. There are people who are involved and don’t ride, but they do a lot of the work and they’re the ones who deserve a lot of recognition,” said Eliot.

The significance of the Wheel Strong logo

It’s easy to spot a Team Wheel Strong rider because their jerseys are so unique and prominent. Coming up with a design was no easy feat.

Geneva, who was the mastermind behind the logo, explained the inspiration. “My grandpa, who suffered from cancer, used to be able to ride a unicycle. He also had a single wheel that he would push around with this wire cord and run behind it, and the kids always thought it was a great time. So, it was important to me to include a wheel,” she exclaimed with a smile. “We knew we wanted to have some sort of cultural touch to it and that’s where we decided to put the Hiawatha Belt, which represents the Haudenosaunee and signifies the unity of our people as well as our team.”

Designating Funds From The Ride

Riders have the option to designate their fundraising dollars to a specific area of need. Several riders on Team Wheel Strong, including Geneva, are choosing to designate their funds to Roswell Park’s Center of Indigenous Cancer Research.

“If you can have something that you can identify with, that warms your heart, feels like home, especially when you’re walking into a scary situation like a cancer diagnosis, that’s what the Indigenous Center can grow to do for many of our community members that have to turn to Roswell Park every year,” said Geneva.

Looking forward to Ride Weekend

Ride Weekend is a multi-generational celebration for Eliot and Geneva’s family. “Crossing the finish line, I think of my team. I think of my grandkids,” said Eliot. “I have my grandson who I ride with. He’s a little guy, but he does 30 miles.”

And despite the heaviness and sadness around cancer, they try to keep the atmosphere for their team one of positivity and unity. “All I ever wanted Wheel Strong to do was provide hope for those who fight the fight. Hopefully one day we’re all just cheering for the end of cancer,” Geneva explained.

Eliot added, “There’s so much hatred in the world it seems sometimes, but when you come together for a cause and put all your differences aside, I believe that’s when miracles can happen. And that’s what I see with the Ride.”

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Native comrades across Turtle Island! We are looking for posters, flyers, stickers, and paper ephemera to wallpaper a wood structure for a future project. Physical or digital media welcome.

Submissions might include… posters for your band! Pow-wows! Community events! Infographics, protest signs (on paper), university and tribal events, art show announcements, museum and gallery exhibits!

Participants will receive a small token in exchange for their contribution.

Please send no later than July 7, 2023.

Mail your paper ephemera to Marie Watt Studio at the following address: Marie Watt Studio, ATTN: Turtle Island, 4701 SE 24th Avenue, #2L, Portland, Oregon 97202 OR visit https://msha.ke/mariewattstudio to upload your digital file.

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Many members of the community have been hard at work developing the Allegany Territory into an arts hub. The Native Artists Gallery held their grand opening on June 16, 2023! Several CRNY artists are featured in this new gallery. Stop down and visit the space to support our local artists and become a part of this good medicine. Located at 75 Main St., Salamanca, NY 14779. Open: Fridays from 11am-6pm and Saturdays from 11am-3pm. Ja:göh!

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On Friday, June 23, 2023, Salamanca City Central School District held their commemorative graduation ceremony for this year’s graduates. Students pictured below rocking their traditional regalia. Ja:göh and congratulations!

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Submitted by Clevon Wofford

Congratulations are in order for Alivia G. Wofford (Seneca, Turtle Clan) as we recognize her recent academic and athletic accomplishments. On the academic front, she was named “Student of the Year” this year for the Junior Class at Jamestown High School in Jamestown, NY. She was also inducted into the National Honor Society on May 17, 2023, with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 97.6. Alivia also excelled athletically this year. She was a section VI qualifier in shot put and discus amongst the Track and Field program with JHS Red Raiders this season and was named Team MVP! She plans to attend Ohio State University after high school and major in Aerospace Engineering, with her sights set on becoming a Pilot. Ja:göh!

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Roswell Park’s Center for Indigenous Cancer Research was awarded a grant to adapt the National Cancer Institute’s Screen to Save Colorectal Program for Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ+ Populations. Dr. Haring shared “Honored to lead a pilot program with Josie Raphaelito, MPH, Corinne Abrams, MPH and others. Collaborating across the country and with local partnership in NYC, the project adapted colorectal cancer screening curriculum (S2S) with and for Two-Spirit and Native American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual (Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ+) urban populations.” Visit CICR social media (Facebook)and join the CICR newsletter and mailing list for findings to be released soon!

#pride #twospirit #indigenous #cancer #screening #colorectal

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Clarissa John (Seneca, Allegany Territory) graduated from Walsh Academy/Southern Tier Catholic School (STCS) earlier this month on June 2nd, 2023 at the St. Bonaventure Quick Center. That day capped off her Walsh/STCS career from 1st Grade through High School graduation.

Clarissa was involved in soccer and the yearbook committee, and earned a regents diploma.

About her experience at Walsh/STCS, Clarissa found “Small class sizes were perfect because you could go up to a teacher for assistance – they are very accessible and helpful. Teachers form a relationship with you and that difference at Walsh/STCS played a major role in helping me make progress academically.”

Additionally, Clarisa mentioned, “My math skills really improved at STCS/Walsh, especially with Mrs. Crawford, and I don’t think I would have made that progress in a large classroom environment. The school draws students from multiple areas in the region, provides outreach opportunities for Seneca Nation students to communities outside of Salamanca including Olean, Bradford, and that was important to me, as well.”

Clarisa will attend Alfred State for large animal Veterinary science. As for her dream job, “Ultimately, I would like to open my own Emergency Room for large animals,” she said.

The Walsh/STCS students and faculty have enjoyed working closely with the SNI community, and many SNI students have been a part of the Walsh/STCS student body over the years. Next year, Walsh/STCS is focusing on Montessori through 8th grade at the new St. John’s location in North Olean.

To inquire about enrolling students for the ’23/’24 school year, please contact Colleen Taggerty at colleen.taggerty@walshstcs.org or call (716) 372-8122. Financial aid is available, and most SNI students attend Walsh/STCS at no cost.

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Submitted by Amy Mohawk, Intervention Math & Reading Teacher/MB-NAP Grant Coord, GCS

The My Brother’s Keeper Indigenous Education Grant Program of Gowanda Central School District recently participated in a dynamic, hands-on, civic education program for students in Washington, DC.

New and interesting ways to provide extra challenges and opportunities to enhance Native students’ educational experiences is one of MBK-IEG’s goals. Six high school students spent five days at the Close Up – Tribal Youth Summit and had a learning experience of a lifetime between April 30-May 5, 2023.
Students lived and learned with peers from around the country while engaging in seminars with policymakers and exploring historical sites and government offices. The Close Up lesson plans and interactive teaching methods inspired and empowered students to meet the challenges of governing themselves and their nation through:

• Discussions of key domestic and international issues with members of Congress and their staff, Washington insiders, and other leading policy experts;
• Comprehensive study visits to the significant historical sites and cultural neighborhoods of our nation’s capital;
• Daily small-group workshops that encouraged students to connect what they see in DC with what they are learning in the classroom back home; and
• Self-directed time with their teachers to explore the nation’s capital.

Student participants were: Juniors Gracie Carpenter, Layla Gamble; sophomores Ellarose LeBeau and Karice John; and freshmen Marcus Gamble, Cashis Montour.

MBK-IEG director Amy Mohawk and GMS teaching assistant Ray Logan attended as well.

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In a show of support and gratitude, the community came together on Thursday, June 1st at the Seneca Allegany Administration Building (SAAB) to bid farewell to Dr. Michael Kalsman after 15 years of dedicated service within the Seneca Nation Health System to our people.

The community and Dr. Kalsman enjoyed a potluck dinner and social through out the evening. Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong, Sr,. and Councillors Tina Abrams and Odie Porter honored him and presented him with a Pendleton blanket and gifts. Shout out to Andrea Spako who was instrumental in organizing this special farewell event. Nya:wëh Dr. Kalsman, we wish you all the best!

Dr. Kalsman shared “After 15 plus years, my wife and I are transitioning to South Carolina. I have had what I consider the pinnacle of my career while serving the people of the Seneca Nation.“

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