The New Face of NABI!

Posted byTraci L. MorrisPosted inEvents

CONTACT:  GinaMarie Scarpa 480-446-7052

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  December 1, 2010

NEW FACE OF NABI -NABI MORE THAN BASKETBALL!!!

The NABI Foundation has received its 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status and the Foundation has officially been launched. The NABI Foundation, funded through a generous donation from Ak-Chin Indian Community, will now organize the events that were once under Pod Productions, creators of the NABI tournaments, along with creating and implementing new ones! The NABI Foundation, governed by President Tex G. Hall, Vice-President Ernie Stevens Jr. and a dedicated Board of Directors, including NABI Co-founder Mark West, is committed to bringing quality programs to our Native American youth. The Foundation’s new website www.nabifoundation.org has been launched and we are hitting the ground running!!!  Be sure to log on and see all the exciting programs and events the Foundation has planned, to include:

• February 2011  NABI “Goes Primal” Youth Physical Education Program:

This exciting program, in partnership with AMENZONE, brings a basic exercise program that utilizes outdoor and natural surroundings to encourage our youth to adopt the importance of constant movement to stay active and healthy, with the hopes of combating childhood obesity and diabetes. This program will be part of the NABI Foundations mission to bring “free” programs to Native lands for youth ages 8-14. Presented by Ak-Chin Indian Community.

• March 2011  NABI Night with the Phoenix Coyotes:

This award program is designed for the youth who participate in the “Youth Physical Education Program”. The NABI Foundation will host the youth to a Phoenix Coyotes game, which includes an opportunity for all the kids to go on the ice and shoot a puck into the net!  Presented by Ak-Chin Indian Community.

• July 5-9, 2011  NABI Basketball:

The 9th Annual Native American Basketball Invitational, in partnership with the Phoenix Suns & Phoenix Mercury and presented by Nike, N7, Ak-Chin Indian Community & Grand Canyon University, will once again take place in Phoenix; attracting teams from reservations all over the US and Canada, for ages 13-19. This year, to serve more youth, NABI will not be seeking NCAA certification and will be adding “Gold & Silver” divisions. This new format will allow more teams to compete, as well as add more games. Both the “Gold & Silver” division championship games will be played at the US Airways Center, home of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. Team fees have also been reduced to only $500 per team!  Team fees include entry fee and team uniforms. For ages 13-19, register early-we are expecting our biggest turn out yet!

• July 2011 NABI Baseball:

The 4th  Annual Native American Baseball & Softball Invitational, in partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks, is coming back in July! This exciting event takes place during the Arizona Diamondbacks Native American Recognition Game week, with all teams getting an opportunity to participate in the “parade of teams” as part of the opening ceremonies before the Diamondbacks game and receive a free ticket to the game too!

• Nov  2011 NABI “Chasing the Sun” 10k & Health Fair:

The 3rd Annual Chasing the Sun 10K & Health Fair, presented by Nike, N7, Ak-Chin Indian Community, Grand Canyon University and MERCK will once again attract runners from all over. This Native themed community event is created to inspire a healthy lifestyle to all that attend.  Proceeds from the 10K benefit the NABI Foundation Scholarship Fund. Event opened to the general public.

• Nov  2011 NABI “Chasing the Sun” Pow Wow & Indian Market:

The 3rd Annual Chasing the Pow Wow & Indian Market, in partnership with Ak-Chin Indian Community & Arizona Native Scene, presented by Grand Canyon University will take place in conjunction with the “Chasing the Sun” 10K and Health Fair. It will consist of a social Pow Wow that celebrates Native American music, dance and culture. The Indian Market will host Native American arts & crafts, music and food vendors. This is a free event opened to the general public.

• 2012 Future programs- Adult Basketball Tournament (18 & over), Native American Baseball Training Camp (ages 14-19) & Summer Overnight Youth Camp (ages 10-14)

These are just a few of the many exciting programs and events the NABI Foundation will be hosting in 2011 and plan for 2012. Be sure to log on to the NABI Foundations official website for information at www.nabifoundation.org. All information about how to make a donation, Foundation programs & events, Board of Directors and staff are posted on  the NABI Foundation’s official website. All proceeds benefit the NABI Foundation.

NABI Foundation

Published by Traci L. Morris

Dr. Morris, the Director of the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University is a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. Under her leadership, the AIPI has grown and diversified its service to Indian Country via an MOU formalizing a long-standing partnership with the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA) and forming the Tribal Economic Leadership Program offering training in Tribal Economic Governance and Tribal Financial Management; access to Entrepreneurship training and tribal business support through Inno-Nations; and Economic Development Consulting; and, the formalization of the Institute via by-laws and an advisory board comprised of both internal ASU leadership and external tribal and non-tribal leadership. In her work at both ASU and prior, Morris has worked with Native American tribes; Tribal businesses; Native American non-profits; Native media makers, artists, and galleries; written a college-accredited curriculum in Native American new media; and has advocated for digital inclusion at the Federal Communications Commission and on Capitol Hill. Morris’s research and publications on Native American media and the digital divide is focused on Internet use, digital inclusion, network neutrality, digital and new media curriculums, digital inclusion and development of broadband networks in Indian Country. Her book, Native American Voices: A Reader, continues to be a primary teaching tool in colleges throughout the country. Dr. Morris is Affiliated Faculty at ASU's School for the Future of Innovation in Society, an Affiliate of ASU's Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology, a Senior Sustainability Scholar at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, President of the Board of the Phoenix Indian Center, Board member of the Arizona American Indian Chamber of Commerce, and on the Advisory Council of the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums. Formerly, Morris served member of the Advisory Board for the Department of Labor's Native American Employment and Training Council and served a two-year appointment (2014-2016 and 2010-2012) on the Federal Communications Commission's Consumer Advisory Committee. As an entrepreneur prior to her ASU appointment, Morris founded Homahota Consulting LLC, a national Native American woman-owned professional services firm working in policy analysis, telecommunications, education, and research assisting tribes in their nation-building efforts and working with Native Nations, tribal businesses and those businesses working with tribes. Morris has an M. A. and Ph.D. from the University of Arizona’s American Indian Studies, in addition to a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Colorado State University.

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