{"id":262774,"date":"2025-10-20T00:01:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T05:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=262774"},"modified":"2025-10-20T10:38:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T15:38:46","slug":"chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-keeps-children-connected-to-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/10\/20\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-keeps-children-connected-to-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation keeps children connected to community"},"content":{"rendered":" <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/10\/20\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-keeps-children-connected-to-community\/cherokeenation-95\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-262787\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1350\" height=\"900\" data-attachment-id=\"262787\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/10\/20\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-keeps-children-connected-to-community\/cherokeenation-95\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20\/CherokeeNation-9.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1350,900\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1760462112&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cherokee Nation\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Cherokee Nation&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Cherokee Nation leaders and Indian Child Welfare team members gather to cut the ribbon on the new Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare office building in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on October 14, 2025. Photo: &lt;a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/cherokee-nation-celebrates-grand-opening-of-new-icw-office-in-tahlequah&gt;Anadisgoi \/ Cherokee Nation&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20\/CherokeeNation-9.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20\/CherokeeNation-9.jpg\" alt=\"Cherokee Nation\"  class=\"size-full wp-image-262787\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> Cherokee Nation leaders and Indian Child Welfare team members gather to cut the ribbon on the new Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare office building in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on October 14, 2025. Photo: <a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/cherokee-nation-celebrates-grand-opening-of-new-icw-office-in-tahlequah>Anadisgoi \/ Cherokee Nation<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">Building the Foundation Our Children Deserve<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Monday, October 20, 2025<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. <A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\"><I aria-hidden=true class=\"fab fa-twitter\"><\/I><\/A><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Cherokee Nation<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source-links\"><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/\">cherokee.org<\/A><\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nCherokee Nation remains deeply committed to protecting our culture, preserving our history and strengthening families for future generations. Across our reservation in northeast Oklahoma, we see both the resilience of Cherokee people and the challenges that still persist from generations of historical trauma. Among the most vulnerable are our children, who depend on us so that they feel supported and safe.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThat is why the <a href=\"https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/cherokee-nation-celebrates-grand-opening-of-new-icw-office-in-tahlequah\">recent dedication and ribbon cutting at our new Indian Child Welfare headquarters<\/a> marks such an important milestone for our Nation. For too long, this critical team of just over 100 dedicated professionals has carried out sacred work in spaces that were never built for it &#8212; offices too small for private conversations, too limited for safe family visitations, and without room for meaningful cultural programming. Yet, even in those conditions, they\u2019ve continued to respond to thousands of monthly notifications and care for more than a thousand children at any given time, guiding families through adoptions, fostering and healing.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe work of Cherokee Nation\u2019s ICW department restores hope, reunites families, and ensures that Cherokee children remain connected to their tribe.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe new Tahlequah ICW facility is more than just an office building: It\u2019s both a symbol of our sovereignty and a place filled with compassion. It will be a site where staff can collaborate closely, where caseworkers and therapists can meet face to face with families in comfort and privacy, and where children can play, learn and heal surrounded by reminders about what it means to be Cherokee.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTheCherokeeNation%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02xKUmBRN9mAYK3B6MVbftoD11KGC5i4pwPjubdwxcFmv1xZm9SS3gYMiGED8b4dvsl&#038;show_text=true&#038;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"790\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share\"><\/iframe><P><\/P>\r\nIt gives our team the space to carry out their vital mission with dignity and provides families a welcoming environment when they need it most. With more room and resources, our team can strengthen both their outreach and services &#8212; from prevention and reunification to foster support. When Cherokee citizens walk through its doors, they will see themselves reflected back &#8212; through art, language and a sense of belonging.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nYes, this expansion helps with the demand, but it is also an important act of self-determination. For generations, others decided what was best for our children. Today, we own that duty. It\u2019s sacred, and we know that there isn\u2019t an investment more important than nurturing the next generation. These are values that reflect who we are as Cherokee people.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nWe owe this to our elders who endured broken cycles and to our children who deserve a future of belonging. Together, we are building more than new offices \u2014 we are creating a sanctuary of hope and healing.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nLearn more about becoming a foster or adoptive parent by visiting the Indian Child Welfare website at <a href=\"https:\/\/icw.cherokee.org\/\">icw.cherokee.org<\/a>, calling 918-458-6900, or emailing <a href=\"mailto:homes4kids@cherokee.org\">homes4kids@cherokee.org<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<HR><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-3\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/23\/chuckhoskinavatar.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Hoskin Jr\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" class=\"rounded-circle\" \/><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-9\"><EM><A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\">Chuck Hoskin Jr.<\/A> \r\nis the 18th elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest Indian \r\ntribe in the United States. He is only the second elected Principal Chief of the \r\nCherokee Nation from Vinita, the first being Thomas Buffington, who served from \r\n1899-1903. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, Hoskin served as the tribe\u2019s \r\nSecretary of State. He also formerly served as a member of the Council of the \r\nCherokee Nation, representing District 11 for six years.<\/EM><\/div><\/div><HR>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cherokee Nation remains deeply committed to protecting our culture, preserving our history and strengthening families for future generations.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":262787,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[77,76,175,127,6849],"class_list":["post-262774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","tag-cherokee","tag-chuck-hoskin","tag-languages","tag-oklahoma","tag-youh","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20\/CherokeeNation-9.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-16mi","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=262774"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":262791,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262774\/revisions\/262791"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/262787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=262774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=262774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=262774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}