Young citizen from Catawba Nation wins grant to revitalize language

Tuesday, May 9, 2017  

Catawba Language Project on Facebook: éé (EE - EE) crow

DeLesslin "Roo" George-Warren, a young citizen of the Catawba Nation, is working to revitalize his tribe's language.

George-Warren, 25, is part of the 2017 class of Dreamstarters. He started the Catawba Language Project and is developing a mobile application that will help his people learn their language.

"My dream is to cultivate a vibrant Catawba language using modern technology," George-Warren told NBC News. "I'm creating a learning app for the language and bringing Catawba words into material culture for the tribe."

The Dreamstarter program was established by Running Strong for American Indian Youth. Each year, 10 non-profits receive a $10,000 grant to mentor a young community member and help them develop their "dream" projects.

The Catawba Cultural Preservation Project is George-Warren's mentor. He receives $500 as part of the program.

The 2017 recipients are focused on the theme of education.

Read More on the Story:
Native American Two Spirit Fights to Keep Tribe’s Language Alive (NBC News 5/8)