Halito! I am Nancy Paxton Long from Ramona, California and I am honored to be a Board Member for Okla Chahta Clan of California, Inc.

I am a member of Oklahoma Choctaw Nation. I was born on Hopi Reservation and my father’s work took us to boarding schools and places across the country that included Oklahoma, Arizona, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

My father is Dr. S. Gabe Paxton, Jr. who worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Choctaw Nation, both at the Indian Hospital and as a Tribal Judge. I mention my father because he was a long-time advocate of both educating Indian children and helping our young people understand the importance of holding onto our heritage and culture. He passed away in Feb. 2007.

I graduated from high school in Oklahoma and went on to attend Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas in the mid-70s. During the summers I worked in Washington, D.C. at the Dept. of Labor and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. I spent several years working as a Graphic Artist for various magazines and publications; eventually settling into an Administrative Professional role in the semiconductor industry working for Western Digital & Motorola in southern California.

I have two teenagers – my son, Tanner Douglas River, is 14 years old; and my daughter, Chelsea Jo Feather, is 18 years old and is a Past Princess for Okla Chahta Clan of California. We live in the mountains just East of San Diego, California.

I first attended our California Choctaw Gathering in the 90s in Long Beach. The Gathering has grown so much both in content and in attendance. My whole family enjoys the weekend and we feel it is important and enriching for our children to join California Choctaws in gathering the embers.

I have great respect for Bill, Theresa, and Victoria Harrison; as well as our other Board Members. They are enthusiastic, patient, and have a genuine passion and drive for the mission that encircles The Gathering.

Sincerely,

Nancy Paxton Long