Personal: Son of Thomas and Kathleen Mahala Thomas and Michael competed in baseball at the United States Naval Academy Patrick at Georgetown … William is committed baseball recruit at the University of Virginia … Mom played Field Hockey at Immaculata College and dad played Golf and Basketball at Wagner College … Majoring in Business & Technology … Picked Stevens for its excellent academic background along as well as it’s great location … Favorite book and movie are Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins and Gladiator … Favorite MLB team and player are the New York Yankees and Aaron Judge … Enjoys working out and reading in his spare time There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website Owned and operated by the Atchley family since 1920 we proudly serve the families of our community with care and professionalism.For generations the Atchley family and the staff have strived to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of the families we have had the honor to serve We are a family-owned funeral home with the 3rd and 4th generations working together to continue our tradition of serving our community Atchley Funeral Home also has the only crematory in the county ensuring that your loved one never leaves our care We hope you find our site helpful and informative and we also welcome your calls and visits if you would like further assistance.Atchley Funeral Home - a strong traditional heritage combined with contemporary ideas and modern facilities to enable us to provide the most caring service available Atchley Funeral Home - Seymour Memory Gardens Atchley's Smoky Mountain Chapel & Memory Gardens Your browser may not work with certain site. 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Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application A celebration of Mahala's life will be held at 11am at Bogue Banks Baptist Church in Atlantic Beach Those remaining to cherish her memory are her son and Denise Warbritton (David) of Morehead City NC and Leslie Anderton of Virginia; and several nieces and nephews and dear friends Mahala loved her friends and family dearly and she will be greatly missed by all Mahala was preceded in death by her father Wayne Anderton and Buddy Anderton; brother-in-law Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Alaska Dispatch News (Anchorage Daily News Archive) Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Rubenstein Rare Book & ManuscriptLibrary Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go Milford Borough resident Candace Mahala has formally announced plans to run for Milford’s mayoral position in the November election and a lifelong commitment to Milford Borough Mahala was raised on East Catharine Street After graduating Delaware Valley High School in 2002 she went on to earn a master’s degree in operations research from Northeastern University as well as advising their executive leadership “My Milford childhood was carefree and idyllic I cherish my memories of playing with other kids on our block running around on warm summer evenings catching fireflies and riding our bikes all around town safe and was fundamental to shaping the values I hold today we knew we wanted to raise her in a similar environment I feel so fortunate that the Milford of today isn’t much different than the Milford of my childhood I’m grateful to the civic and elected leaders who have worked to protect and enhance the best of Milford over the years.” Mahala’s campaign will be co-chaired by Tamara Chant and Thomas Luhrs Mahala serves as vice president of the Milford-Matamoras Rotary Club is a member of Milford Borough’s Planning Commission and helped establish a petition on pedestrian safety that led to her being named the spokesperson for the Maya Milford Memorial Fund for Public Safety It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Mahala Beth 2024 after a courageous battle with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer Mahala lived a vibrant and spirited life that touched everyone she encountered  Mahala graduated from Buena High School in Sociology and Criminology from California State University Northridge in 2001 Mahala was a free-spirited yoga instructor Known for her loud laughter and boisterous personality Mahala dedicated herself to holistic wellness sharing her knowledge and love for life with those around her She faced life with courage and fearlessness and her kindness and warmth will be missed by all who knew her  Mahala’s greatest joy was her son whom she called her “miracle baby.” Upon learning of her second diagnosis of cancer in early 2023 Mahala resided in Gulf Breeze with her mother Mahala was blessed with the unwavering support of Jude’s father Scott Sharp (& Heather Sharp) of Portland  A celebration of life for Mahala’s community will be held on November 14 Pensacola Beach for a cacao ceremony and dance circle where we invite friends and family to gather and share memories Your light will continue to shine in our hearts forever donations may be made to an educational fund established for her son Jude Please send all donations to Venmo (Geri-Dickinson-1) 2024 at the Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe 1954 in Fayette County to the late Delano R She was a graduate of Greenfield McClain High School Mahala worked as a nursing assistant at several different nursing homes in Washington CH and Sabina and was an avid Dallas Cowboys and Ohio State fan Mahala was preceded in death by her beloved canine companion Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law and a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date Arrangements have been entrusted to the Summers Funeral Home Online condolences may be sent to www.summersfuneralhome.com It is not enough to passively acknowledge history nor is history something that remains in the past.  Mahala’s thesis is: black theater companies help tell black history but they are also part of that history.  They are erasing the dominant narratives that have silenced the oppressed voices of the minorities and help those voices rise up with strength and pride contribute to it and show it to the world.  This resonated deeply with me.  Historians claim to write history down so that humanity does not make the same mistakes twice yet we seem to cycle through the same destructive behavior in different forms.  But what we sometimes forget is that history is also now the present day that we currently live in.  Time does not just pause in the present and what you do now does matter because it will become—or rather it is—history.  So instead of acknowledging what happened in the past and letting it remain there take a lesson from it all and make what contributions you can.   One of the other things that I enjoyed was Dr Mahala mentioned that one production of “Seven Guitars” by August Wilson was performed in Wilson’s very own backyard.  He wrote that play not with the intent of conjuring up a fictional world in a fictional setting but one that showed the reality of the silenced and oppressed – the reality he grew up in.  He wanted people to be aware of the problems of housing amongst African Americans both in fiction and in reality.   Wilson grew up in a poor neighborhood and to truly resonate with his intent behind writing the play where it was always supposed to be.  This is an example of what ecocriticism calls a “beauty-burden paradox.” Where the privileged hoist their burdens usually environmentally devastated lands that more often than not are destroyed for resources or experimentation purposes upon the oppressed and leave them to fend for themselves.  Using plays and other forms of expressive art artists use their imagination and vision to bring awareness to these vital issues in ways that academia cannot Stockton CAGrave Covell Hall - Smith Lounge Made with Squarespace Lifestyles The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m memorials may be made to the Marion County Humane Society Online condolences may be left at www.BertrandFuneralHomes.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices the Milford-Matamoras Rotary Club presented Bill Kerstetter with a plaque honoring him as the Rotarian of the Year for 2024 Kerstetter has been a Milford-Matamoras Rotary Club member since 1988 He has also been the club treasurer for the past 19 years the Rotary said Kerstetter “truly enjoys all the community service projects that Rotary has been involved with,” adding “The Rotary Club is very lucky to have him as a member.” the Rotary also presented Shaun Burger with a plaque honoring his 18 months serving as president of the club Burger then passed the torch to Jamie Dykstra who will serve as the Rotary’s new president Candace Mahala will serve as vice president “Our local Rotary club has grown significantly and has helped a lot of people and Shaun has shown true leadership and dedication,” The Rotary said Milford-Matamoras Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at 12:15 p.m Anyone interested in becoming a member can contact Jamie Dykstra at 201-388-7107 or come visit a meeting While two teenagers await trial for their alleged role in a Greene County shooting last month a GoFundMe page is raising money for the woman and her 2-year-old son who suffered gunshot wounds The fundraiser is organized by Mahala Yoak of Warren Alexis and Rashawn were shot July 13 while inside an apartment at Mountainview Gardens in Franklin Township who covered her child with her body to protect him Both were treated for their injuries at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown the shooting followed a dispute between Alexis Yoak and Jeremy Curry Wolfe was ordered to stand trial on several charges including five counts of attempted homicide Attempted homicide charges against Currey were dismissed but he will face trial on charges of conspiracy to commit attempted homicide and conspiracy for aggravated assault Mahala was home in Ohio when the shooting occurred she thought there was an innocent reason why she could not reach her family my sister is trying to sneak them to Ohio for my birthday,” Mahala said in an interview Monday She spent the next hour-and-a-half not knowing if her daughter and grandson were still alive I’ve been here with her since she got home from the hospital,” Mahala said her daughter protected Rashawn by lying on top of him my daughter took that bullet for that baby … She should know what she did is an amazing thing,” Mahala said When Rashawn was able to see his mother again after a few days That he was just shot through,” Mahala said I’ve seen grown men in wheelchairs from being shot needs to have her eye removed but will be required to wait to undergo the procedure until November after her child is born Her mother hopes the GoFundMe page can assist with medical bills I’m just trying to help her out financially … She has to get her prosthetic eye I’m hoping she raises enough for that too,” Mahala said the GoFundMe had raised $923 of the $3,000 goal The money will also go toward new furniture Mahala said Rashawn’s bed was struck by bullets on July 13 “She needs to get new furniture and a new bed for the baby,” Mahala said Both Wolfe and Jeremy Currey are scheduled to appear at the Greene County Courthouse for formal arraignment 1 p.m visit gofundme.com/f/support-alexis-and-her-son-after-tragic-shooting If you have an account and are registered for online access sign in with your email address and password below Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe Copyright © Observer-Reporter | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy She grew up in the American South and graduated from Tennessee's Fisk University in 1935 She earned a law degree in 1945 from Howard University School of Law in Washington one of the nation's most prestigious black universities.Dickerson returned to Alabama where she became the first black female lawyer in the state in 1948.She spent the next six decades in the legal profession and made a name for herself representing the people who faced discrimination.After spending three years practicing law in Alabama she became only the second black woman admitted to the bar in that state.A few years later Dickerson took a vacation to Alaska where she grew enamored with the landscape and natural beauty Dickerson decided to make the move north.Mahala filed a claim for a 160-acre homestead in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley near Wasilla in 1958 Dickerson was Alaska's first female black Homesteader.A few months later Dickerson passed the Alaska Bar exam and became the first black lawyer in Alaska.Dickerson faced discrimination in Alaska as she had elsewhere She nevertheless stayed and eventually opened law offices in Wasilla and Anchorage.She was known for her inspired defense of her clients."My zeal was often resented by opposing counsel I had no fear of the other attorney and often incurred his wrath," Dickerson once said.In one of her most notable trials Dickerson won a precedent-setting case for female faculty members at the University of Alaska The case illustrated that females received lower wages than their male counterparts.In addition she received many legal honors throughout her career She served as president of the National Association of Women Lawyers from 1983-84 In 1985 was awarded the Zeta Phi Beta Award for distinguished service in the field of law.In 1995 Dickerson received the Margaret Brent Award from the American Bar Association an honor recognizing the most outstanding American female lawyers Delayed Justice for Sale in 1998.Her accomplishments stand in Alaska's history and civil rights and women's activism.Further Reading on Mahala Ashley DickersonKenneth W Representing the Race: The Creation of the Civil Rights Lawyer Pioneer Alaska Lawyer Dickerson Dies at 94." Anchorage Daily News Source: www.ghanaweb.com « Prev Next » Comments (0) Listen to Article Players of Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak during a GPL match Mahala will be the Mets’ minor-league hitting coordinator, per the New York Post and is another hire by new president of baseball operations David Stearns who is hoping to improve the organization’s overall hitting at the minor league level That prospect development will be key to the Mets’ future at the plate. Eight of the team’s Top 10 prospects, per MLB.com including the three prospects they acquired in trades at the deadline — Luisangel Acuña That list also includes 2023 Mets minor league player of the year Jett Williams Gilbert and Clifford are three players that could be ready to join the Mets as soon as 2024 with Williams potentially a call-up in late 2024 or 2025 Mahala spent four seasons with the Phillies starting his tenure as a player information assistant before he was promoted to an offensive development analyst He became an upper-level hitting coordinator and development analyst for the Phillies a year ago he played two seasons of minor league baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization after he was an 18th round pick out of George Washington In two seasons of minor league baseball with the West Virginia Black Bears and the West Virginia Power he slashed .243/.319/.317/.636 with six home runs and 45 RBI He was also named a 2016 New York-Penn League All-Star he played three seasons of college baseball and hit .264 with seven home runs and 90 RBI MATTHEW POSTINSMatthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Houston Astros for Sports Illustrated/FanNation. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER LAFC today acquired $1,750,000 in General Allocation Money ($1,650,000 in 2023 GAM and $100,000 in 2024 GAM) from CF Montréal in exchange for forward Kwadwo ‘Mahala’ Opoku “Mahala has been an incredible story and an important player for us over the last few years,” LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington said “These decisions are never easy but are at times necessary It has been great to watch him grow and develop as a player on the field and a person off the pitch We are grateful for all of his contributions to LAFC and wish him the best of luck in his career.” LAFC also received a 2023 International Roster slot from Montreal in exchange for $100,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy in Ghana Mahala developed into a dangerous and reliable attacker for LAFC The 21-year-old appeared in all 34 games last season enroute to winning the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup scoring seven goals and registering three assists Mahala has played in 19 MLS matches (13 starts) scoring two goals and recording two assists Ghana native made an immediate impact for LAFC scoring the game-winning goal late in the second half of LAFC’s 2020 Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal win over Cruz Azul Mahala would go on to score two more goals in LAFC’s run to the 2023 Concacaf Champions League final appearing in eight CCL matches and leaving LAFC as the Club’s third-leading scorer in the competition Mahala appeared in 60 MLS regular season matches (35 starts) with LAFC scoring nine goals and registering seven assists in 3,256 total minutes and was ranked number nine on the MLS 2022 Under 22 list of the top 22 players in MLS under the age of 22 TRANSACTION: LAFC acquires $1,650,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money and $100,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money LAFC acquires a 2023 International Roster slot in exchange for $100,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money Secure tickets to see the stars of LAFC for the 2025 season and opportunities to get involved in the community atNCAA Championships Norris posted the sixth-fastest time in collegiate history during her championship-winning run New Texas A&M baseball head coach Michael Earley continues to fill out his first coaching staff He made two more additions this weekend to bolster the roster According to a report from TexAgs analyst Ryan Brauninger Earley added a duo of highly regarded personnel on Saturday Jace Hutchins received a promotion to the director of player development Jack Mahala was elevated to the director of video and analytics Earley lured a familiar face back to College Station on Saturday as well. After one season in the Bayou, Jeremy McMillan has returned as the Aggies head coach of strength and conditioning, a position he served in for 12 years before departing for LSU Mahala's former role was as the director of research and development. Hutchins previously served as a student assistant. During his redshirt sophomore year at Texas A&M in 2023 Hutchins received the Marion Pugh Spirit Award More coaching staff news for Texas A&M baseball: Jace Hutchins has been promoted to the Director of Player Development and Jack Mahala has been elevated to the Director of Video and Analytics Both guys are highly regarded among the players and coaches. pic.twitter.com/vY8DvJbzeO — Ryan Brauninger (@R_Brauninger) July 6, 2024 Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on X: @Shaun_Holkko LAFC announced today the signing of 19-year-old forward Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy in Ghana Mahala will occupy an international spot on the Club’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa “We are pleased to announce Mahala as our first signing from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy and we look forward to his continued growth as a professional,” said LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington “This move and partnership with the Academy demonstrates our ongoing commitment to our player development system and we are excited to provide young players from Ghana with the opportunity to train and develop at LAFC for years to come.” LAFC has acquired a total of eight players aged 21 or younger: Francisco Ginella LAFC’s roster is currently comprised of 28 first team players with an average age of 24 years 198 days, which ranks as the youngest roster in Major League Soccer Mahala tallied 29 goals in 64 matches for the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy Mahala has represented Ghana at the U-17 and U-20 levels including his participation at the 2017 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Gabon in which he appeared in two of the team’s group stage matches Led by former Ghanaian international Godwin Attram and former head coach and scout Piet De Visser the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy’s goal is to provide children in Ghana with a better education and hope for the future through the game of soccer the Academy boasts 10 players representing Ghana at the U-17 With eight games left in the regular season LAFC sits in 5th place in the Western Conference with a 6-6-3 record (21 points) Next up is a trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to face off against the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday TRANSACTION: Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) signs forward Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku The 19-year-old will occupy an international spot on the Club’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa Sociology While families of color make up 41 percent of homeschoolers in America, little is known about the racial dimensions of this alternate form of education. Stewart investigated why this percentage has grown exponentially in the past two decades. “Black and white homeschooling mothers’ decision-making highlights the significance of racial injustice that is embedded within school choice: the policies and practices that divest from traditional neighborhood public schools and encourage parents to select from a suite of schooling options including public, but also private, charter, and homeschools.” Stewart observed that, “Homeschooling serves as a canary in the coal mine: exposing the perils of school choice policies for reproducing, rather than correcting, long-standing inequalities.” Help us provide an accessible education, offer innovative resources and programs, and foster intellectual exploration. Mayor Erden Atić announced on his Facebook profile.Photo: Contact PlusHe pointed out that asphalting in this part of the city is taking place at an accelerated pace and that the neighborhood will soon get a completely new look "Asphalting of the roads in the Bosniak Mahala is taking place at an accelerated pace giving the neighborhood a completely new look Modern infrastructure that meets the needs of the community will soon be available to everyone," said Atić Bošnjačka Mahala is getting a more modern look thanks to the investments of the Municipality of North Mitrovica "Bosniak Mahala is getting a modernized look." The completion of the last investments of the North Mitrovica Municipality helped to improve living conditions and develop economic activities in the area," Atić wrote Although he wrote about the arrangement of these streets in North Mitrovica on his Facebook profile he told the Kontakt Plus journalists who recorded the works and who contacted him for more details that they should not call him on his personal number does not deal with asphalting and that there are other communication services for that When the journalist commented that these services often cannot be obtained or that the process is long *Downloading and publishing content from the Kontakt Plus radio portal is not allowed without citing the source 14: 19Radio Kontakt Plus was founded in April 2000 It is a media that respects the rights of every citizen to truth and objective information Thousands in Centre County Lose Power After Severe Storms Man Dies by Electrocution in State College After Severe Storm Damaged Power Lines Road Closures Continue in Centre County After Severe Storm the daughter of Ann Schrankler and Walter E They were happily married for fifty years.  Mahala and Howard met as they both attended the University of Minnesota Early in their marriage they moved to State College and returned full circle to Penn State where Howard worked in the College of Agriculture This time began their love affair with PennState football Mahala endeared herself to all with her gracious entertaining fun personality and culinary delights which she shared with all.  In 1967 the family took advantage of a two year opportunity to go to Argentina through a PSU grant Here Mahala yet again befriended and delighted the Argentine community with her kindness and generosity She traveled all over the world with friends and family; from the Rose Bowl to Machu Picchu to Italy and Australia and all parts in between!  Mahala’s enduring legacy is her love of family; her unending optimism and faith in the goodness of all people Over the years many international students and friends became part of the family and found a home within the Thoele household Carol Thoele Williams and her spouse Richard C and Janet Thoele Zuckerman and her husband Gary W Hans Thoele Zuckerman and Allison Michelle Little Mahala has six great grandchildren: Isabella Corinne Assenzo and Olivia Rose Assenzo Calvin Thoele Zuckerman and Mahala Elizabeth Little Blakely Rose Little and Brady O’Shay Little.  Mahala has maintained a loving relationship as matriarch of her nieces and nephews in Saint Paul and has always kept them close to her heart Visitation for Mahala will be at the Haky/Georgiana Centre County Funeral Home 1034 Benner Pike Inurnment will be private and at the convenience of the family The family would like to thank the wonderful donations may be made in her name to: Foxdale Village Training and Tuition Fund 500 East Maryland St An online guestbook may be signed and condolences left for the family at www.hakygeorgianafh.com  80% of consumers turn to directories with reviews to find a local business We offer the latest breaking news and videos straight from the Centre County region in Central PA Contact us: info@statecollege.com © Copyright 2000 –  2024 | StateCollege.com® | All Rights Reserved | State College PA – Centre County – Central Pennsylvania – Home of Penn State University This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. StateCollege.com Privacy Policy page MONTREAL – CF Montréal announced Monday the conclusion of a new contract with forward Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku The agreement is effective immediately until the end of the 2026 season and includes one option year in 2027 Opoku was acquired on July 5 from LAFC in return for 1,650,000$ in 2023 General Allocation Money and 100,000$ in 2024 General Allocation Money the Ghanaian forward has earned two starts logged 121 minutes and scored the winning goal in a 2-0 victory over Charlotte FC He also played 77 minutes against Pumas UNAM in the first game of the Leagues Cup In three and a half seasons with the Californian club the 21-year-old striker played 60 regular-season games while collecting nine goals and seven assists scoring in LAFC's 3-0 victory over Austin FC in the Western Conference final last October he scored 29 goals in 64 games with the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy he has represented Ghana at U-17 and U-20 levels notably taking part in the 2017 U-17 African Cup of Nations in Gabon where he played in two of the group stage matches Transaction: CF Montréal announced the conclusion of a new contract with forward Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku « Back Thanks for visiting the Kosovo police recorded a case of harassment of a woman in Bošnjačka Mahala in the northern part of Mitrovica.Photo: Contact PlusAccording to reports the woman reported that an unknown person posted disturbing content on social networks The prosecutor was informed about this case and the case qualified as "sexual harassment" is being investigated Other details from the police have not been released (Cinder Player | Special to The Tribune) Mahala Sutherland is the first Indigenous student to ever be named homecoming royalty at Southern Utah University Mahala Sutherland was still wearing her feather headband when the pageant judge placed the gold crown on her head she couldn’t help but smile at the combination: the eagle plumes collected from her tribal homeland and the shimmering red jewels It made her proud as the crowd chanted her name Sutherland, 22, never expected to win this year’s homecoming royalty contest at Southern Utah University. But she’s honored that she did — and that she became the first Indigenous student to claim the title in the school’s history “Just having that mixture of my regalia with the crown,” Sutherland said She entered the pageant to showcase her culture in quiet rebellion to a time when her parents could not Growing up in a small town in central Arizona Sutherland had been taught not to openly embrace being Diné Sutherland’s dad had been pressed to attend an Indigenous boarding school as a kid where it was against the rules to wear traditional clothing or speak his Native language; children that disobeyed were beaten And Sutherland’s mom had been bullied by her white classmates in traditional public schools whenever she displayed her heritage They hooted and hollered at her in the hallways her parents grew afraid to teach their children about where they came from So they didn’t tell her much about Navajo traditions “There’s this trauma among my people that we don’t talk about,” Sutherland added doesn’t talk about his experience at boarding school He didn’t really feel comfortable teaching us anything or talking in our language They taught each other what they were missing so Sutherland chose that for her talent at the homecoming pageant where other students sang opera or performed ventriloquism Sutherland passed up rhinestones for hand-beaded earrings And she wore a handmade jingle dress in place of an evening gown There’s a legend behind the jingle dress dance about a father trying to heal his daughter The father prayed to the Creator for a way to help her and he saw a vision of a dress covered in beautiful silver bells He started sewing it together and took her to a drum ceremony when it was complete The father carried the girl for the first rounds of the song she was able to stand with his help for the next round When Sutherland first learned the story of the dance at a club meeting of SUU’s Native American Student Association And she’s seen it as a way to heal her own family with the daughter in her version helping the father and her mother heal from a pain that has been carried for generations Sutherland walked out in the jingle dress that members of the club helped her make Three members — Jeremy Garcia and brothers Kyle and Justin Secakuku — also played the drums for her as she stepped up and down waving an eagle fan to cheers from the crowd The hundreds of bells sewn on her dress rang out across the auditorium. the first Indigenous student to be crowned homecoming royalty at Southern Utah University Sutherland was joined by drummers Jeremy Garcia Sutherland has found a community with the Native American Student Association where there are others like her who didn’t learn about their culture at home those with parents who went through similar experiences “We’re taking it upon ourselves to learn now from anybody who’s willing to teach us,” she said And they’re doing it with the added challenge of being in Cedar City, a predominantly white town, and at a predominantly white university where the Native American population is 1% of the student body who is Hopi and the current club president taught Sutherland the footwork for the jingle dress dance He has taught himself through online videos And he made her the red and orange and yellow beaded earrings that she wore; those took him four days to string together He wanted them to look like mountains at sunrise or sunset adding elements of turquoise in the Navajo tradition The members of the club say they’re trying to take back a heritage that was stolen from them by a country that has continued to hurt Indigenous people they say learning those restored traditions have been healing for them Sutherland blinked under the spotlight during the question and answer portion of the homecoming pageant The judge instructed her: “Define what courage means to you.” Then Sutherland fidgeted and hugged her fringed shawl tighter as she thought about how to respond even when you’re scared,” she said into the microphone The question made Sutherland think about how standing on that stage might be a start to addressing the wrongs that almost cost her an identity She points to her grandfather, a member of the Wiyot tribe in California taken from his parents and brought to a southern Utah boarding school The staff members would cut the kids’ hair rap their knuckles with rulers until they bled and wash their mouths with soap It was part of a cruel and violent effort to strip Native people of their culture. And the treatment caused her dad to shut down “A lot of my relatives struggle with mental health now,” Sutherland said When her parents divorced when she was a kid “He felt like he had to hide himself,” she said outside the Navajo reservation where Chee also struggled to connect Chee didn’t go to a boarding school but moved around the United States as a kid attending mostly white public schools while her father was stationed at different military bases It was difficult learning English after growing up speaking Navajo; and she was held back a year and mocked for it by her classmates she was told Natives once lived on the land but didn’t any more “I was scared that Mahala would bear a lot of what her dad and I went through Sutherland grew up speaking English — never Diné — and attending a school with few kids that looked like her When they’d sit together at the laundromat her mom would teach her only small pieces of her heritage Chee says she’s glad her daughter had the courage to show her that wasn’t enough Sutherland didn’t tell her parents that she was going to be in the pageant And she worried she would be talked out of trying because of fear Sutherland already had her own concerns when she submitted the application two minutes before the deadline “They’re going to pick someone who is white And I’m going to open myself up to more hate.” Of the 13,000 students at SUU this fall semester, there are 132 who are Native American. It’s the smallest of any racial or ethnic group there, even though the campus sits on Paiute land. Sutherland said even without learning about her culture there was no way for her parents to shield her from the remarks about the color of her skin She’s had people come up to her on campus and touch her long braided hair or pull on her beaded earrings She’s had other students question how she’s there at all saying they thought Native Americans were “supposed to be extinct.” That’s something she’s heard since elementary school and a taunt repeated from her mother’s childhood She’s had a professor at SUU openly disagree with the textbook definition of discrimination and declare: “I’m white We should be proud of our white privilege.” She reported it to the administration two American Indian students at the school were shot at with airsoft guns when a car of white men started chanting at them Sutherland and Secakuku helped them fill out a police report she received messages from students of color across SUU They told her what it meant to see another student like them on the stage They told her about their own experiences with racism and asked how they could address it A member of the Polynesian club sent her a long note that ended: “Just thank you so much for doing that.” There were more from the Latino student organization and the Asian American club The LGBTQ group also reached out, saying they were excited that Sutherland won the pageant the first year that it was gender neutral, using the term “homecoming royalty” instead of “Miss SUU” and “Mr was the first Indigenous student to be crowned homecoming royalty at Southern Utah University Secakuku said Sutherland made other students feel represented “Her winning the title is just the first time many of us have felt noticed on this campus and not just noticed for being other,” he said who was president of the Native American Student Association last year met with the president of the university then to discuss better recognizing Native students He agreed to hang flags from each of Utah’s tribal nations in the student commons of SUU where there are flags from around the world He also signed a statement acknowledging that SUU sits on Indigenous land “This position as SUU royalty,” said Daneka Souberbielle “will absolutely give her a microphone that is needed and will benefit the whole institution Sutherland is studying sociology with the hope of leading diversity efforts in higher education when she graduates She wants universities to have more students like her more faculty like her and more events where it’s not unusual for people like her to be on stage — or to win When Sutherland called her mom and told her that she was crowned in the pageant, her mom cried. Chee has been watching the recording over and over since. Sutherland has “taught me so much about myself,” Chee said. “I look up to her. Seeing her and seeing how she’s so into understanding her Indigenous identity and being a Native woman, it’s really made me remember my responsibilities to the community.” Since Sutherland was named homecoming royalty, Chee has started to teach her and her siblings to speak Diné. Sutherland’s dad is slowly beginning to talk more about what happened to him, and to dance, too. Sutherland wants to start teaching younger Navajo kids about their culture. She also plans to push for schools to talk about Native Americans in present tense and for history lessons to include an honest look at the brutality of Indigenous boarding schools, and how that can impact generations. When the pageant ended, she went to celebrate with Secakuku. As she stood in his living room, his 4-year-old niece ran out and saw Sutherland still in her crown and feather headband. The little girl shouted, “That’s so cool. I want to do that when I go to college.” And Sutherland placed the crown on top of her head. (Cinder Player | Special to The Tribune) Mahala Sutherland, photographed Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, is the first Indigenous student to ever be named homecoming royalty at Southern Utah University. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune This year’s Homecoming Celebration at Southern Utah University broke through multiple barriers in favor of inclusion Not only did the University adopt a gender-neutral Homecoming Royalty title but also had its first Native American student win the title Sutherland is Navajo and was inspired to compete for the title of Homecoming Royalty to increase representation for her Native culture and for those within the LGBTQIA+ community Sutherland's journey is certainly a heroic one she experienced many people expressing their doubts to her about her chances at the crown “I felt really discouraged,” said Sutherland “I had people telling me that this isn’t something that’s meant for us because we have our own pageant within our Native community and that the category I was running for has mostly been won by cisgender But I just told myself that I can do this.” Her resilience and perseverance paid off tenfold but for those within her community as well “My biggest thing was just inspiring other students that are within my field of focus to help them have that courage,” Sutherland said “Being able to do this is really significant in terms of where SUU is going to be heading in the future.” SUU houses a Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) on campus that offers resources to students of any race The CDI also offers allyship programs and clubs for students who identify with a minority or are part of the LGBTQIA+ community Sutherland believes that the CDI paired with her win is just the beginning to increasing representation on campus exponentially “It’s a good start,” said Sutherland “Obviously there’s a lot of work to be done Usually you get a lot of tokenism and false allyship but luckily through the Center of Diversity and Inclusion they’re going in the right direction.” Sutherland also believes that with the proper resources and funding the CDI can reach its full potential on campus “The Center for Diversity and Inclusion definitely needs more funding and more resources that we can make available to current and incoming students who are part of historically marginalized groups,” she continued “There are four staff members that are assigned to assist the nine of the diversity clubs in the center.” Sutherland plans to continue to advocate for herself and other students from diverse backgrounds through her position as a peer mentor Her win is another step forward to increase representation and diversity on SUU’s campus She intends to use her platform to draw more attention to the unaddressed issues surrounding prejudice against Native people in order to promote racial equality on campus and in society until wins like hers are considered the norm instead of a rarity.