COT Attends the NYS Indigenous Nations Summit

On July 30, 2024, the Council of Trustees attended the first New York State Indigenous Nations Summit hosted by Governor Kathy Hochul at the Executive Mansion in Albany, NY. Shinnecock was joined by representatives from the Cayuga Nation, Oneida Nation, Onondaga Nation, Tonawanda Band of Seneca, Tuscarora Nation, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, and the Unkechaug Nation. This summit is part of Governor Hochul's commitment to supporting and strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples across the state.

At the summit, Governor Hochul appointed Elizabeth Rule as the first Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Nations. Elizabeth, pictured below, is an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and an Assistant Professor specializing in Native American Studies at American University.