President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Hosts One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration on September 7, 2024

Inaugural Event Honors America's First Games at the National Mall with Games, Nutrition Education, and Native Traditions

Washington, D.C. - The President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, The National Fitness Foundation, the National Park Service, and Councilmember Ben Jacobs announce One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration, an inaugural, one-day event on Saturday, September 7, 2024 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm ET. The event will celebrate America's rich cultural heritage through traditional Native American games, with a focus on the origins and modern impact of lacrosse and other native traditions on cultural identity and overall well-being.

This event will also commemorate the second anniversary of the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, showcasing how lacrosse and other traditional Native American games can promote physical activity. Supporting physical activity for all is one of the five pillars of the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, Health that President Biden announced as part of the Conference. In it, the President set a goal to end hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030 so fewer Americans experience diet-related diseases, while also reducing related health disparities.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth face significant health disparities in mental and physical well-being in areas such as suicide, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and substance abuse. Mental health-related morbidities are 1.7 to seven times higher among Native youth and adults for conditions including substance use, and posttraumatic stress disorders, and suicide.

Interventions rooted in indigenous traditions have been shown to improve health outcomes and mental health-related morbidities in AI/AN communities. Through the healing power of heritage, the event aims to support tribal practices and cultural traditions, which build resiliency and strengthen community and cultural connections for improved physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being within AI/AN communities, particularly among AI/AN youth.

"Improving our nation's health and well-being requires addressing the holistic needs of communities honoring traditional understandings and practices," said Admiral Rachel Levine. "People and Places Thriving is a vision and an operational roadmap to build connections and support people in all ways that matter to them. It is an evolution of the concepts we have often referred to as the social determinants of health, and it involves understanding and healing the whole person and communities so that they can reach their full potential for mental, physical, and spiritual well-being."

Caption: Justin Giles, Muskogee Creek Nation, and World Lacrosse Diversity and Opportunity Commission member, showcases Native stick games

Set against the iconic backdrop of the National Mall, this free community event welcomes participants and visitors to explore and experience the core principles of lacrosse and the healing power of culture: respect, strength, endurance, teamwork, and inclusivity. Spearheaded by Ben Jacobs (Osage), this event aims to uplift diverse cultures and enhance overall health and well-being while celebrating America's first games, first foods, and the meaningful intersection of cultural traditions and health.

"Our goal is to highlight the lasting importance of Native traditions, focusing on modern Indigenous perspectives while sharing culture, identity, and inclusion for all through sport and health," said Ben Jacobs, a member of the President's Council and Osage Nation. "In supporting the roots of lacrosse and traditional stick games, this event connects local D.C. youth lacrosse groups with national organizations to celebrate inclusivity and diversity."

Caption: Natives come together to enjoy Lacrosse, a game original to the Native American community.

"The One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration exemplifies the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition and the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to uplifting diverse cultures through sport and tradition" said Rayhaan Merani, Director of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. "By honoring America's first games, we preserve Native heritage while advancing the holistic health and well-being central to our mission. This event marks the second anniversary of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, which President Biden was the first in over 50 years to convene, reflecting the administration's dedication to building a healthier America. Thanks to his leadership, we continue to create inclusive spaces where health, history, and cultural identity converge for the betterment of all communities."

One Lacrosse Gathering will feature representation from federal leaders, Tribal communities across the United States, diverse non-profit stakeholders, social players and collegiate athletes, including the Howard Women's Lacrosse team helping to teach the game and empower youth attendees. The event, held on the JFK Hockey Fields on the National Mall in Washington, DC, will incorporate health and nutrition education, showcase Indigenous-based meal ingredients, culturally relevant practices to promote healthy lifestyles, and raise awareness of AI/AN cultural identity.

The one-day event will include youth lacrosse clinics, community games for all ages, skill-building sessions, Native hub educational areas, hands-on lacrosse, traditional stick game demos, and more.

To register, support, and learn more about the event, visit https://onelacrossegathering.com/Registration.

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About One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration
The President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition (Council) aims to promote healthy eating and physical activity for all people, regardless of background or ability. The Biden-Harris Administration's Council recognizes the importance of sports as a medium to bring together people of different backgrounds, to uplift different cultures, and to improve health and wellbeing. Traditional stick games have deep roots in Native traditions and cultures that carry through to the present day. The Council, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the National Park Service Office of Public Health, the National Fitness Foundation, and lacrosse leaders from across the country, is planning to host an event to honor the commitment to sharing America's first games, first foods, and the meaningful intersection of cultural traditions, food, and health through outreach and collaboration.

This inaugural event created and spearheaded by President's Council member Ben Jacobs, will showcase America's original games on the National Mall by sharing the traditional stick games of Native peoples centered around modern-day lacrosse, including similar games of the Plains and Southeastern tribes, stick ball. Having origins in Native communities of the Northeast, lacrosse has become the fastest growing sport in America-in youth communities throughout the U.S. and worldwide to the tune of eighty-five countries.

About the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition
Since 1956, the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition (PCSFN) has played an important role in educating Americans about the benefits of physical activity and healthy eating. The Council consists of athletes, physicians, fitness and nutrition professionals, and entrepreneurs who are appointed by the President and serve in an advisory capacity through the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

About the National Fitness Foundation
The National Fitness Foundation (NFF) is the only congressionally chartered nonprofit focused on health and fitness. The Foundation develops public and private partnerships to help expand youth physical activity in America. As the official nonprofit of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, NFF supports PCSFN initiatives in ensuring the promotion of physical activity, healthy eating, and mental wellness for all Americans.

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