Focal Point

The path to federal recognition is long and complicated. But it can offer important administrative and financial benefits. It is also an important symbol of acceptance for Indigenous tribes whose existence has been denied by Virginia’s racial integrity laws.

Rising water caused by climate change is putting Jamestown at risk. Some estimates say parts of the site could be underwater within the decade.

Casino gambling has come to Virginia. Some of the projects include Indigenous people as owners. In Danville, ownership is 49.5% each Caesar’s Virginia and the Eastern Band Cherokee Indians with 1% of the ownership local to Danville.

Language is one way we connect to our family, our culture and our traditions. Across the nation, Indigenous communities are reclaiming their native tongues. In Virginia, three women are working to bring back their ancestral language – Algonquian. Their language revitalization efforts are just beginning but they are weaving together the past and the present to restore their linguistic heritage.

Archaeologist and UVA Professor Emeritus Jeffrey Hantman speaks about the role archaeology plays in protecting Virginia’s Indigenous tribes.

Virginia tribal members seeking more control over artifacts.

A school for deaf and blind students takes extra steps to prepare their pupils for life after graduation.

Justin Spurlock has thrown more than a half dozen fundraisers to help others with disabilities. And now, his community is giving back to him.

Nearly one in every 36 children in the U.S. has received an autism diagnosis. And advancements in technology are helping those who suffer from neurodevelopmental challenges connect with others.

Virginia’s School for the Deaf and the Blind has been providing a community for students for nearly two centuries. Meet the teachers and teens who make this community unique.