ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain will build on its long-term partnership with the Vermont Abenaki community to improve interpretation and renew support for community priorities. Through evaluation and ongoing collaboration with Abenaki partners, ECHO will design an exhibit for its “Native Connections” gallery and provide staff with cultural competency training to improve their capacity to build and maintain healthy community partnerships. ECHO will also host a program series spearheaded by the Vermont Abenaki Alliance to address its need to cultivate the next generation of leaders, align cultural revitalization efforts, and build consensus among the four tribal bands. As a result, ECHO will appropriately interpret the Abenaki community story and honor its voice; the next generation of Abenaki leaders will feel a renewed connection to their cultural heritage; and a deeper understanding of the Abenaki experience will inform museum practices.