Bringing Charging Spirit to Cohanzick Lenape Story Symposium
The Cohanzick Lenape Story Symposium at the Cohanzick Nature Reserve in Bridgeton, New Jersey, celebrated the cultural heritage of the Cohanzick Lenape people through panel presentations, arts experiences, and interdisciplinary dialogue.
A featured speaker was Wilmington University alumna Dr. June DePonte Sernak, whose Native American name is Charging Spirit. Dr. DePonte Sernak earned her Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and is now an adjunct, teaching Ethics, Organizational Citizenship, and Social Responsibility.
At the symposium, Dr. DePonte Sernak wove together themes of cultural preservation and leadership, emphasizing how Indigenous values of community, resilience, and shared responsibility can inform contemporary organizational practice. She urged participants to recognize the Lenape legacy not only as a historical legacy, but also as a living source of guidance for ethical decision-making and social change.
The name Charging Spirit reflects her own role as both educator and advocate, carrying forward stories that strengthen cultural identity while connecting them to modern contexts. Her presence underscored the symposium’s purpose: to honor the Cohanzick Lenape while inspiring new generations to learn from their traditions and apply those lessons to today’s challenges.
Photo courtesy of Alice Paul Institute.
