Charles Robinson, a Native American, and founder of The Red Road, will be the chapel speaker at Hardin-Simmons University, Tuesday, October 2, 2012, in Behrens Auditorium, 9:30 a.m.
“To Native Americans, The Red Road is a term used frequently which means to live a traditional lifestyle: no addiction to drugs/alcohol, respect for others, respect for oneself, and respect for creation and to worship the Creator.”
About The Red Road Organization:
“The Red Road was developed in 1999 when Charles Robinson was asked to speak to an elementary school classroom regarding Native Americans. Dressed in his tribal regalia, the teacher introduced him as ‘a real live Indian.’” Charles discovered very serious misperceptions regarding Native Americans and has developed programs to reach students with historical facts about North America’s first inhabitants.
“Robinson began spending time on various reservations collecting information and items to share in classrooms when he recognized a level of hopelessness among the youth in these Native communities. “There exist many theories surrounding the birthing of this hopelessness: the most prominent being the erosion of the traditional Native American family due to the forced assimilation into Euro-American cultures.
“No longer were families able to hunt, dance, live their lives and raise their children in the same manner they had done for thousands of years. This hopelessness has manifested itself in abuses (drugs, alcohol, physical, mental, sexual, emotional), dropping out of school, obesity, and a general disregard for traditional values,” according to The Red Road website: http://www.theredroad.org/about/
The Mission of The Red Road:
“In an effort to bring hope back to the young people on the reservations, The Red Road works with other tribes, organizations and ministries to provide educational material and opportunities for them. Returning to traditional Native values (through ceremonies, languages, artwork, music, dancing, powwows, etc.) is viewed as the key to giving Native youth hope for their future.
“The Red Road is also devoted to the teaching of God’s love for Native Americans by showing how He was at work in North American long before the arrival of the Europeans.
According to the website, “We want to see our First Nations people (regardless of their “degree of Indian blood”) rise up on reservations, in First Nations communities, throughout North America and around the world to share the love of Jesus with everyone within their sphere of influence.”
Robinson will speak to Hardin-Simmons University students at 9:30 a.m. next Tuesday, October 2, 2012, Behrens Auditorium, during the university’s weekly chapel service.
The public is invited to attend.