NEWS

For immediate release

From The university of california, irvine

Contact: Cathy Lawhon

949-824-1151

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April 1, 2010

MEDIA ADVISORY

Indian gaming, its history and economic impact on tribal communities is subject of talk
Presentation is first of five in the UCI Distinguished American Indian Lecture Series

EVENT: Ernest L. Stevens Jr., chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association in Washington, D.C., will present the inaugural program in a series of “Conversations on Native American Sovereignty in the 21^st Century.” His lecture – “Economic Self-Sufficiency through Indian Gaming” – will touch on the history of American Indian wealth, the “capturing” of that wealth and resulting poverty, and how gaming offers one route to self-sufficiency.

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 5

WHERE: Crystal Cove Auditorium, UC Irvine Student Center (bldg. 113, grid E8 on campus map: http://today.uci.edu/pdf/UCI_09_map_campus_core.pdf)

INFORMATION: The event is free and open to the public. Media planning to attend should contact Cathy Lawhon at 949-824-1151 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Parking is available for $8 in the Student Center Parking Structure (SCPS) on the corner of W. Peltason and Pereira drives.

For more information or to view a detailed agenda, visit www.airp.uci.edu/series .

BACKGROUND: UCI’s American Indian Resource Program is sponsoring the Distinguished American Indian Lecture Series, which aims to enhance understanding and challenge common conceptions about contemporary Native American sovereignty. Directed by Nikishna Polequaptewa, AIRP provides academic support services for native students from K-Ph.D. and beyond, with the goal of increasing the number of American Indian students attending and graduating from institutions of higher education. “Helping students believe in and achieve their dreams is my greatest goal,” Polequaptewa says. Since its inception in 2007, the American Indian student population at UCI has grown to more than 100, representing a 200 percent increase in freshmen and a 300 percent increase in transfer students.

The lecture, made possible by sponsorships from campus departments and private foundations, will begin with a blessing by Anthony Rivera Jr., chairman of the Acjachemen tribe based in San Juan Capistrano.

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Last Updated on Thursday, 01 April 2010 22:13