Home and healing: Growing and giving back to your community

Evie Jacobs is a member of the Lumbee tribe and a recent graduate of UNC. She graduated with a bachelor’s in medical anthropology and double-minored in Conflict Management and Medicine, Literature, and Culture.

Home for her is with her parents in Graham, North Carolina and in Greensboro with the Indigenous community from her father’s side. Her father was the first in his family to go to college, and his pursuit of education was passed on to her. Her family has given her support and motivation to continue her education. One reason she chose Carolina was her family’s connection to the University. Both her parents work for UNC Health. She was even born at the UNC Hospital. The other was the Indigenous community at UNC. During COVID, her family from Greensboro would come to Graham. Her aunt’s beading lessons allowed her to explore her connection to her Lumbee identity. She wanted to seek out more of these experiences in college. She attended Carolina Indian Circle (CIC) powwow her senior year in high school. Her cousin, who was enrolled at UNC, put her in contact with Native people at UNC, including CIC members. This made her decision to come to UNC clear.

As a freshman, she wanted to go to medical school but found the course load overwhelming and wanted time to explore other passions and aspects of her identity. She initially enrolled in the Medical Anthropology minor after her Medicine, Literature, and Culture class. She fell in love with every class she took and decided to enroll in the major. She values understanding different cultures’ interpretations of medicine. She views this background as strengthening her capabilities as a nurse.

Her extracurricular activities included her involvement in both Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Incorporated (APiO) and CIC. She served as the historian, social director, vice president, and judicial chair for APiO. She has been involved in CIC since she was a freshman and has been the vice president and president.
She jokes that her self-care includes “touching grass” but walks around campus and nature are a part of her routine. She describes how the sensation of the sun and nature grounds her and allows her to relax.

She is taking a gap year to decompress after a rigorous four years. She is continuing her work as a lifeguard this summer, as she has been working for the past four years. In the fall, she will take more shifts at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) while taking prerequisites courses for nursing school. Her long-term goals are to get into nurse management and take on organizational work with on-the-ground experience as a nurse. She eventually would like to do research related to Native babies in the NICU. She has noticed how disproportionate the number of Native babies that come to NICU is, particularly for prematurity to maternal health complications. This issue is particularly important to her as a Native woman, and she wants to research the factors and what can be done to solve this issue.

One of her favorite memories at UNC is the annual CIC powwow as she gets to be surrounded by her community for an entire day. Her parents are also vendors, so it is a chance for her to be united with her family. Another is the woodworking class she took last year. Her father has a woodworking business, so it allowed her to connect with him through a hobby they both enjoy. Her final project was making a structure that houses another, so she made an open book with a worm coming out of it. She fondly recalled the process of choosing the wood and textures of her project. The class’s final projects were displayed at Hanes Art Center. The project allowed her to artistically explore and showcase her work, as her beadwork is either for herself or gifts.

Her biggest goal for this year is to prepare for nursing school and get accepted. Another important goal for her is dancing at powwows. It hasn’t been something she has been able to do at Carolina due to how big a time investment it is. For her, it is an opportunity to connect with her ancestors. Her aunt and cousins are eager to help make her regalia, as they had for her sister’s Guilford Native American Association (GNAA) pageant.

The biggest accomplishment of her life is being the eldest daughter. She described how hard it was for her to get through junior year, but having her sister at UNC gave her the support she needed to graduate. She described fondly how her sister had made her last year at UNC fun and memorable. To her, being the eldest daughter means paving the way for your siblings. Even if they don’t take your advice or learn from your mistakes. Learning and growing with her sister has been the most formative experience of her life.

Her sister has also recently joined APiO. She helped her sister go through the process, and they’re now sisters in every way. It was a full-circle moment as it felt as if she was looking at a reflection of herself through her sister.

Her personal motto is “always trust your intuition”, because only you know what you can handle.

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COMMUNITY BASED COMMUNICATIONS: AMPLIFYING VOICES WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS

Catherine Oxendine is a member of the Lumbee tribe and a senior majoring in Media and Journalism (MEJO) with a focus on Advertising and Public Relations. She was born in Richmond, Virginia, and was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She likes to say home is where her dog is (who is currently in Fayetteville), but she has been able to find home and community wherever she is, including Chapel Hill.  

Her Nana is the daughter of a sharecropper, and she made sure all of her kids were educated. Her family stressed that education is something that can never be taken away. It’sdependent on your ability to learn and grow. Catherine has continued her family’s legacy as a Tarheel, as both her father and uncle have attended UNC. A monumental accomplishment for the family, as her grandfather was rejected from the University for being Lumbee.  

She was initially unsure about her career path at UNC, but MEJO has strengthened her public speaking skills and allowed her to be creative in a way she never experienced. Skills in communication are crucial at this moment due to the rise of AI. These skills are important to her as they allow you to transcend boundaries between people. Catherine recently had an internship at French Wess Bon, where she learned the basics of working with clients’ public relations. She is also proud of her performance in her Crisis Communications class, where she had to hold a press conference.  

Post-grad, she plans to work in political or corporate communications. She will be moving to Orlando after graduation for the Disney College Program. From there, she hopes to get an internship and eventually a job in Disney’s entertainment or hospitality space. Her goal is to work at a high-level company or political campaign to gain skills to return to her community. Being Native in a non-Native space allows you to bring a diverse perspective, and she wants to open this door for others.  

Her roles go beyond being a student. She is a devoted member of Carolina Indian Circle, having been a member since she was a freshman. She has served many roles within her sorority of Alpha Pi Omega, including Vice President, Treasurer, Historian, and Social Director. She deeply values her work as a Resident Assistant (RA) at UNC because it has allowed her to share her culture with others as well as learn about the cultures of her residents. She describes the biggest accomplishment of her life as the community she was able to foster at UNC. 

She has two favorite memories at Carolina. The first being the UNC vs Duke game on February 7th, 2026. She and her friend were about to leave the stadium, when Seth Trimble made the 3-pointer with .4 seconds on the clock. Instead of somberly returning to their dorms, they excitedly rushed to Franklin Street. For the second memory, she fondly recalls her sophomore year, when she would pack in with her friends for days to watch movies in her dorm. It was during these days that she built the strongest relationships.  

Her motto, “You got this,” was inherited from her mother, who told her that every day before school. Catherine carries it with her to this day, as it reminds her, she can do anything. 

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Ayasha Lowery (she/her), a member of the Lumbee Tribe, is currently a senior at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in Human Development and Family Science with a minor in Education. “I was born and raised in Wakulla. It’s a small community between Maxton and Red Springs. I was even two minutes down the road from my elementary school.”  

When describing why Ayasha values higher education, she described, “My grandpa wanted to become a math teacher, but he never learned how to read. He wasn’t able to attend Pembroke State at the time. In turn, he had to work on the family farm. He always told us this story to instill in us how important education is and to pursue your dreams.” 

At first, Aysha was torn between pursuing a career in education or healthcare. While taking an anatomy and physiology class, she realized that she was not passionate about that type ofmaterial. She realized that students in tribal territories have limited advocates for them in higher education. She envisions herself going back to Robeson County to work in the school system, helping students.  

Ayasha was inspired to pursue Human Development and Family Science because she has seen many Native students go through the program and thoroughly enjoy it. Many students have returned to their communities and impacted the students. “I also love the School of Education; they are very supportive of Native students and communities.” 

After obtaining her degree, Ayasha plans to work at Lumberton High school, located in Robeson County, with the Carolina Advising Corp. She plans to eventually work in Tribalgovernment and with the Robeson County Democratic party. Within 1-2 years, she would like to take the LSAT to apply to law school. She is particularly interested in Tribal law or education and family law. 

When asked how Native people and communities will benefit from her work, she responded, “I grew up in a low-income rural family in Robeson County, and I have cousins who have missed over 100 days of school. Nobody attempted to investigate their truancy, when schools should value accountability and advocacy. Kids should be able to enjoy education again and learn to advocate for themselves. I want to help in this process and emphasize its importance.” 

Ayasha loves to engage in self-care by taking her dog on a hike, the Eno River being their favorite place. She enjoys baking dishes that incorporate healthy recipes. She has taught her parents how to make food from scratch. Reading is another hobby, with her favorite genre being fantasy or romance. Her favorite book series is either the Hunger Games or the Color of Law. In her free time, she volunteers with the Triangle Autism Society and with Dalton Lockler, a recent UNC graduate, in his classroom teaching kids’ math.  

The biggest accomplishment Ayasha achieved was getting to this particular point in her life. She is about to graduate, receive her degree, and ready to help others achieve the same goal.  

Carolina was at Ayasha’s dream school. Her Aunt Victoria was enrolled at UNC. Ayasha was able to see the connections her aunt had with people in the Carolina Indian Circle (CIC) and with other Native students. She wanted to continue this legacy and be a part of the UNC Native community. Her favorite memory at Carolina has been rushing to Franklin Street for the first time. She mentions the first Indigenous People’s Day celebration hosted by CIC. “I felt connected with everyone and I enjoyed handing out tobacco ties.” Ayasha recently crossed into the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Incorporate.  

Ayasha’s motto is “one day at a time.”  

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Jalyn Oxendine a member of the Lumbee tribe and UNC senior in Nursing and AIIS (American Indian and Indigenous Studies) double major. She is from Fairmont, Robeson County. Some defining characteristics of her hometown are its pine trees and swamps. Her family has been there for as long as she can remember. Her family roots are what make her feel that no matter where she ends up, Fairmont will always be her home.  

Jalyn is a first-generation college student. She’s always had high expectations of herself, including graduating from high school and college. Her desire to persevere came from wanting to prove that she was much more capable than what people thought. Her school did not have college application assistance, so she had to figure out the process herself. She didn’t know she was capable until she got an acceptance letter and a full ride to UNC.  

She decided to apply to Carolina because she participated in the Carolina Horizons Program in 2019. She was interested because of UNC’s resources for Native students, including Carolina Indian Circle (CIC) and the American Indian Center (AIC). It was intimidating for her to be separated from her culture, but after Carolina Horizons, she felt that UNC was her home away from home. Other schools did not have the resources for Native students as UNC does. 

Her favorite memory at Carolina has been joining Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Incorporated (APiO) as it is the first and largest Native sorority and was founded in Chapel Hill September 1, 1994. She is currently the historian and Intercultural Greek Council representative for APiO. She is also a member of other organizations including being secretary for the Minority Nursing Student Association (MNSA), CIC, Association of Nursing Students (ANS), and Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health. She is working as a student ambassador at the AIC, coming full circle to all the things she felt connected to at Carolina. She is also in a cohort for EMPOWER scholars, which is a program for students interested in midwifery to work in health equity across the state.  

Although UNC is far from home, she did want to spend some time out of her community to grow and have a college experience. She chose American Indian and Indigenous Studies (AIIS) because of the diverse class options, including Indian law and Cherokee language. She also wants to tie this into her nursing major by focusing on health disparities in marginalized communities. She’s seen how these disparities in care have affected her family and herself. As nurses are on the frontline of care, she wants to make a change in any way she can. She knows that there’s a lot of change that must occur for these gaps to close.  

Healthcare has always interested her, as biology fascinates Jalyn. After graduating, she hopes to work in a hospital for a couple of years before going to graduate school. She’s particularly interested in maternal, prenatal, and newborn/fetal care. These fields are inextricably linked to health disparities as people of color and rural areas suffer the most from discrimination and misconduct. She believes these fields are improving and moving away from male-centered practices but still have work to do to lower the maternal and fetal death rate. She is also considering being a midwife or women’s health nurse practitioner. She eventually wants to bring these experiences to tribal nations and get enrolled into Indian Health Services. Providing culturally competent care that incorporates mind, body, and spirit for marginalized communities.  

To decompress from her busy schedule, she loves going to the gym, reading, and listening to music. She can’t escape her passion for the medical field though as she loves binge watching medical shows. She watched all 21 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy in less than a year. 

She believes her biggest accomplishment has been beating all the stereotypes that were forced on her since she was a child. She was able to graduate from high school, enroll into college, and secure a job early. There was a point where she did not believe this was possible as people believed she would succumb to the socioeconomic conditions designed to keep her out of these spaces. This process was not easy, but she’s seeing the success of all her hard work. She loves going home and hearing people say, “I’ve never seen someone from Robeson County doing the things you’re doing.” She feels blessed with the things she has now.  

Her personal motto is “you make time for the things you want to make time for,” as she believes that if you’re passionate about something, you will make time for it even if you’re busy. 

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Carrying Health and Legacy – The recipient of the Faith Danielle Hedgepeth Award  

“It’s an honor and privilege to be the recipient of this year’s Faith Dnaielle Hedgepeth Award. It’s not just a financial blessing but it’s also a way to continue on the name and legacy of Faith herself. This is a way to illuminate her life and presence here at UNC and in all Native communities. I hope to raise awareness for the many MMIW” 

Shania Hunt (she/her), a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe, is a current sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill where she is on the pre public health track. “Lumberton is home for me because that’s where I grew up…I was raised there. My family lives there and I’m surrounded by my Lumbee community.”  

Working in the public health field became Shania’s desire given her long love for healthcare and the potential to educate others. She mentions Robeson County and how it’s widely known as a healthcare desert. This population also faces high rates of healthcare disparities. Because of this, Shania hopes to create initiatives and programs that will help educate people on self-care and wellness and focus on preventative measures for generations moving forward.  

Carolina has always been the dream school for Shania to attend. She shared that she has been a Tar Heel fan since she was a little girl. Her favorite memories on campus have been watching the Carolina vs. Duke games, even if there was a loss.  

After obtaining her degree, Shania hopes to pursue a career in Optometry to teach and discuss preventative measures for eye diseases, especially related to diabetes mellitus. When asked what sparked her passion, she stated “My grandma has diabetes and is now having to go through dialysis because of the progression. Our communities have high rates of comorbiditiessuch as diabetes and heart disease. I want to improve the health and lives of our current and future generations.”  

To relieve stress, Shania loves to go to sporting events, go on walks around campus, and spend time with her friends. “I also love to read my Bible to help me stay grounded.” This past summer, she was able to get her certified nurse assistant license from Robeson Community College. She also traveled to California and attended a Chris Stapelton concert.  

When asked what her greatest accomplishment was, Shania replied, “making a difference within Native communities and educating others about Lumbee people along with other tribes in North Carolina. I like to educate people and make them aware that we are still here and we still exist.”  

Shania is currently active in her campus community. She is currently serving as banquet co-chair for the Carolina Indian Circle (CIC). She is also working at the UNC American Indian Center (AIC) as a Native Health intern where he assists with the Healthy Native North Carolinians (HNNC) program managed by Ryan Dial.  

Written by Jalyn Oxendine 

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Jackson Locklear (he/him), a member of the Lumbee Tribe, is a current sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill where he is majoring in Environmental Science with a minor in Food Studies. He recently joined the American Indian Center (AIC) team as an intern for the American Indian Cultural Garden (AICG).  Home for Jackson is Pinehurst, NC after previously living in Georgia and Texas.  

Jackson’s dedication to environmental science stemmed from an advanced placement (AP) class he took in high school. There, he watched a documentary that gave statistics on the importance of soil. Jackson remembers being awestruck at the process of soil carbon sequestration, how carbon manifests itself in the world, but intrigued at how we’re losing carbon in soil. “That’s how we get fed, it enables life.” Because of this, he learned more about food security, and how it’s an underlying cause of many problems in the world. Food security is a complex issue. Food security is tied back to famines, food shortages, even climate and environmental issues. “Everyone should have access to food. That is the power we need, and that’s how I want to help people.” 

Many Indigenous communities face extreme poverty and have inadequate access to food. Some members in tribal communities rely on different resources such as farming, or government-assisted programs like SNAP to provide meals for their families. Jackson mentions he wants to give people from his tribe, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, the resources and opportunities to combat the food insecurity issues faced in Robeson County.  

Jackson’s passion for higher education was inevitable as he comes from a long line of teachers. His mother is a teacher and knew how to motivate him. “I took a lot of pride in my education. I wanted to succeed and be the best I knew I could be. I have a palpable passion for learning, whether that be in classes or learning about the world.”  

Carolina was top on the list when picking a place to continue Jackson’s journey in higher education. Carolina is his home state, close to family, and he knew it was tethered to his identity. He knew this campus would be the perfect place for him. When asked what makes Carolina so special, he replied “definitely the people.” By far, his favorite memory has been going to the basketball game against Kansas with his best friend.  

After graduation, Jackson plans on obtaining a government job or working for a non-profit organization. His goal is to change the food system in society, to provide a variety of food for the public.  

For self-care, Jackson indulges in working out at the gym. He states, “It’s a good outlet for me. I feel safe, it’s good for me and helps take me out of the mode of studying.” He also loves to read and make art. His favorite book is ‘Johnny Got His Gun’ by Dalton Trumbo. This novel is about a soldier in World War I and explores his life after sustaining life-altering injuries. Jackson likes to explore different art forms such as color pencils and paint, being his favorite medium. His maternal grandmother was an art teacher from whom he learned a lot.  

Jackson is looking forward to growing the garden at the AIC. He recommends coming to the garden and going on the garden tour. Jackson mentioned that he previously was an assistant at the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) and greatly enjoyed his time there. His other extracurriculars include being the diversity and inclusion chair in Epsilon Eta, which is an environmental co-ed honor society. Jackson currently serves as the co-director of marketing for the Chapel Hill Alternative Protein Project, which helps create more sustainable food pathways.  

Jackson’s favorite motto is by Anne Frank, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”  

Written by Jalyn Oxendine 

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Mackenzie Cullinan of the Muscogee Creek Nation is a senior double majoring in Public Policy and American Indian and Indigenous Studies (AIIS). Her family is from Eastern Oklahoma, but they moved to Orange County, California three generations ago. Her parents’ teaching careers fueled her passion for learning.

Her biggest accomplishment thus far has been moving across the country by herself. She came to UNC after discovering it was one of the only colleges on the east coast that had both Public Policy and an AIIS program. This aligns with her career goals of giving back to her community through law.

For her Summer Undergrad Research Fellowship, she was able to travel back to her community and stay long term. She toured tribal facilities and did research on how the tribe engages citizens who live off the reservation. She also had a Native Public Health internship as a part of the CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program, which examines minority public issues. Her internship delved into how history, federal policy, and culture have impacted health in Indian Country. She received a distinguished scholar award in Oklahoma City when she presented her research on how culture influences the health outcomes of urban Native Americans. Her senior thesis in Public Policy is expanding on this research and how to improve the health of Muscogee citizens living off the reservation. She is also doing a senior thesis in AIIS on how Oklahoma v McGirt and Oklahoma v Castro Huerta reshaped Oklahoma’s legal jurisdiction.

This year she’s trying to balance her professional goals and being a student at UNC. Some self-care things she does include hanging out with friends, beading, and attending the powwows this season. She is also very involved in Carolina Sporting events and nearly attends every game of every sport. Her favorite memory at UNC is beating Duke in football and basketball and seeing the Carolina community come together to celebrate.

Post graduation she hopes to take a gap year before going into law school. She wants to continue research with her nation to help off reservation citizens. She also wants to get a language certificate in Muscogee.

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Hi! I’m Eva, and I’m a senior at UNC majoring in Germanic Studies and Linguistics and minoring in Creative Writing. This is my first semester at the AIC, and I love it here! It’s very exciting to learn about the different opportunities that the AIC is creating for Native students. I look forward to helping plan AIC programs and getting to meet everyone who comes to events at the Center!

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Meet Mackenzie Cullinan of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
Mackenzie is a double major in Public Policy and American Indian and Indigenous Studies.

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