Tribal Councilman Elected Vice-President of NCAI
Larry Townsend, who serves on the Lumbee Tribal Council, has been elected Area Vice President, Southeast United States to the National Congress of American Indians.
Townsend of Pembroke represents District 6 on the Tribal Council.
He was elected Vice President during the 72nd annual National Meeting in San Diego, Calif. which was held October 18-23.
The National Congress of American Indians is an organization founded in 1944 to be a unified voice for the American Indian people throughout the United States. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) works to protect the rights of its citizen tribes, housing, children, the health of tribal citizens, the environment and treaty-based relationships of tribal governments with the United States government.
While the NCAI provides opportunities to hear from federal government officials, tribal leaders and to provide workshops on various issues confronting American Indian people throughout the United States. This event is also critical toward ensuring goals are being reached and new challenges are being identified, established and prioritized for the future.
Townsend, as a Regional Vice President will bring a voice to the table to contribute regional issues, priorities, prospectives and work with the full NCAI Executive Committee Members to fulfill a variety of nationally and regionally responsibilities to ensure that NCAI remains a strong, stable organization that serve the broad and best interest of American Indians and Alaska Native tribal governments and communities throughout the United States.
Townsend will represent 29 American Indian tribes throughout the Southeast. His term is for two years.
“I consider it an honor and a privilege to be elected to serve our people wherever,” Townsend said. “I will do my best to represent all. If I have learned any one lesson during my tenure of serving our American Indian people it is that if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.”
“Working together, we can make a difference.”
