National Indian Gaming Association to honor Faith keeper Oren Lyons with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Chairman’s Leadership Luncheon

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April 7, 2022


National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr., and Tododaho Sidney Hill of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy join Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation Oren Lyons in offering a eulogy at Muhammad Ali’s funeral services in 2016 in Louisville, KY.

Washington, D.C. – April 7, 2022 – Today, the National Indian Gaming Association announced that they would be honoring Oren Lyons with the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award at Chairman’s Leadership Lunch as part of the 2022 Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention in Anaheim, California.

Each year the award is presented to a Native American individual who has shown an exceptional representation in Indian country. National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. said: “We want to celebrate Oren Lyon’s outstanding contribution throughout Indian country. His leadership in Indian country has been recognized as a world-renowned leader and visionary for peace, justice, and sovereignty. He is a great mentor to many throughout Indian country.

Oren Lyons is a Faith keeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation in New York and has worked with Indigenous Peoples worldwide and the United Nations to recognize Indigenous rights. He has addressed the UN General Assembly and other gatherings of world leaders, is a member of the advisory committee for the UN Environment Program and continues to share the wisdom of the Haudenosaunee as a speaker, author, publisher, and board member of the Traditional Circle of Indian Elders and Youth as well as the Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development.

Lyons is the author of several books and a much-in-demand global lecturer. He is the subject of many documentaries and films. He is also a prominent member of the UN Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders and retired Professor Emeritus of American Indian Studies, SUNY Buffalo.

Lyons is a celebrated artist and painter, a member of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and a tireless activist for American Indian causes and humanity’s responsibilities to the earth and future generations.

Along with several other awards, he is a recipient of the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor, the United Nations NGO World Peace Prize, the Smithsonian’s award for Art and Cultural Achievement, and Sweden’s Prestigious Friend of the Children Award, along with a colleague, Nelson Mandela.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will take place on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at the Chairman’s Leadership Luncheon. Lyons will join other past distinguished recipients such as Native American Actor & Producer Wes Studi, Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, LaDonna Harris, Founder and President of Americans for Indian Opportunity and Steve Ortiz, Chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the late Stan Jones, Sr. former Chairman of the Tulalip Tribes, to name a few.

The Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, from April 19 – 22, 2022. It is the largest gathering of tribal leaders and casino executives in the country. The Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention is where the community gathers to learn, network, and exchange industry-specific ideas and a cultural celebration of success, strength, and self-reliance.

Entering its 35th year, the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention has established itself as the premier event for the Indian Gaming industry and the figurative heartbeat of Native American success.