The Virginia Indian Tribal Alliance for Life (VITAL) is an independent 501(C4) organization, Tax ID 54-2037243, that was established in May 2001 to support Virginia Indian initiatives in a bipartisan manner in the Virginia General Assembly and in the United States Congress. Our mission is to:
- support the needs of the Virginia Indians in education, health care and economic development.
- provide wider understanding and appreciation of the ideas and knowledge of indigenous peoples.
- make the public aware of the social, economic and political realities of the American Indians of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- foster a better understanding between people through the publication and distribution of literature written by leading scholars of Virginia Indian history as well as tribal historians.
- assist the Tribes with their rights and concerns as sovereign Nations in the Commonwealth of Virginia, especially the inherent right to exercise sovereign powers over their members and territory.
- recognize the right of Indian tribes to self-government and support tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
Members of the Board of Directors reflect the diversity of the people and their cultures. They are leaders of their Indian communities, American Indian activists, academics and political activists contributing to the survival and development of the American Indians of Virginia:
Wayne Adkins, President (Chickahominy Indian Tribe)
Dean Branham, Vice President (Monacan Indian Nation)
Reeva Tilley, Secretary (Rappahannock Indian Tribe)
Gene W. Adkins, Treasurer (Eastern Division, Chickahominy Indian Tribe)
Ken Adams (Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe)
Keith Smith (Nansemond Indian Tribe)