Jammie was a regular on FidoNet's Indian Affairs Echo Message Conference, and then becoming a valued Member of Native Net, Native Computer Network. Veronica, who traces a branch of her family's lineage to Cherokee Indian background, had a nationally recognized online Computer BBS Service with a focus on Genealogy. For any who may not be familiar, Genealogy is the Study of a Family Tree, family members lineage, history of births and deaths back through an ancestral line. Veronica skill as a SysOp was evident as she knowledgeably built her Computer System and Programmed the Online BBS service, which contained an extensive Genealogy DataBase that was available to all who registered on her BBS. To conduct her ongoing Research in tracing Family Records of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Veronica frequently came to Washington, DC to visit the National Archives, the largest Repository of .Recorded documents and data, in the United States.

Often mistaken for Recording Artist Reeba Macintyre,
SysOp Jammie is just as strikingly lovely and talented

Michele and I seemed to "connect" right away, and after Our brief Introductions, We fell right into the Warmest Of Conversations, that Old Friends might have! To make a long story shorter ...

Michele was from the Magic Generation known as "The 60's". It was "Flower Power" and "The Generation Of Love and Change!" Michele was originally from The Bay Area in San Francisco, and had been there and been a part of all of that iconic Americana History! Much More ... Michele had first got her start working with Community Organizations, with Jesse James and The Mission Rebels,  A Member Organization of Y.O.U. - Youth Organizations United! * Y.O.U. is where I got My Start working with Community Organizations and Youth Groups!!

So, Michele had been working on The West Coast of the USA, with Y.O.U., while I had been working on The East Coast of the USA with the very same Y.O.U. ** The "Coincidence" was So Marvelous that the Positive Warm Feelings of Excitement stayed with me that entire Night!

Michele was to become a Close Beloved Friend & Colleague!

above, Michele in
a thoughtful
and pensive mood

I could Sing Michele's Praises for pages and pages, as Her Talents, Knowledge and Skills, were only topped by the People She had known and Worked with and the Events She had been a part of! For me it was almost like "Talking To A History Book!" Michele was one of the Very First People I knew, Who was Writing HTML Web Pages On The Internet. When most People across the USA and around the world, were only just begining to Discover the PC and Windows 3.1, and before most people ever heard of "The Internet" ... Michele was Coding Web Pages, creating A Website and most amazingly, doing it with a high level Computer called A Sun Sparc Workstation! These Sun Computers use the Unix Operating System, instead of the DOS Operating System that Microsoft's Windows is based on.

Michele was a True Computer Guru ... A Specialist ... long before many Women were on The Computer!  I felt that Michele could be A True Role Model for all of The ICUG Members Around the World, and Most Especially for All of the Women ICUG Members, who were considering Learning Computer Technology!

Michele had left The West Coast, where She headed to Colorado, to become One of The Founders of The Alpha Institute! The Alpha Institute was an Grass Roots Organization created with much the same Vision as ICUG, to "Pioneer The Future, using Technology for Humanistic Goals".  

Michele and I became close Online Colleagues, and Emailed each other every day or so. I looked forward to Learning a lot from Michele, as She had such a Wealth of Experience and a huge Network of Friends, Contacts and Associates, all around the world! She was not to disappoint me, in all that We Were to come to Share ~ I am Honored to consider Michele as a Treasured part of My Extended Family Circle!

In 1994, when The very first small group came to Washington, DC from all across the USA to hold "The Annual Prayer Vigil for All People", on the Washington, DC Mall ~ We, ICUG, was to meet all of the Sponsors and Native American Elders, Chiefs and Tribal Representatives. As if "concidence never stops" ... in talking with them We were to discover that Michele Lord was Their Computer Support Guru!! When I told them that Michele and I were friends, they asked if ICUG could help them with Their Computer Needs here in Washington, DC.

All of the rest is "history", as ICUG became one of the Sponsors of the Annual Prayer Vigil On The Mall, and the following year, Michele was to fly to Washington, DC from Alpha Institute in Colorado, and stay at our Home as a VIP Guest. Although Michele and I had really become close "Online Colleagues" ... it was the first time that We actually had the chance to finally Meet In Person!

Michele was to stay at Our Home for a month, visit my Office, and work on preparations for The upcoming Prayer Vigil event, which was expanded to include "The Healing Global Wounds Pow Wow", sponsored by Native Youth Alliance, which We at ICUG had also begun to work with on Native American Indian Issues, such as "The Walk For Justice". That year, Michele was also "Honored and Accepted into the Circle Of Elders of Native American Indians", for all of Her Tireless Work on behalf of Native People!

I can't fail to mention, that during The Prayer Vigil On The Mall, Michele was appointed to see that the Circle Of 13 Sacred Teepees, was erected successfully. Michele, single-handedly was there putting up the Teepee Poles from the very 1st Teepee until the last Teepee was erect and in place! WoW! Waht A Lady!!

While Michele was staying as a Guest at Our Home, Two other Online Colleagues were to make the drive  from Michigan to Washington, DC, and also Stay with us for a Month, as Our Guests. Below, are photos taken when Nancy Thomas and Bob Connors, both SysOps of an Online Network in Michigan, came to Visit. Nancy and Bob, were also close friends of Lauralou Bashlor in Michigan, and Maga Wisecarver! Our Circle of Colleagues was fast expanding, and it was a true pleasure to act as Hosts for Our VIP Guests!

Lauralou, Nancy & Bob Connors,
in Michigan before their Trip to DC

The Annual Prayer Vigil On The Mall in conjunction with The Healing Global Wounds Pow Wow was a great Success, bringing Native American Elders, Tribal Representatives and People Of All Colors ~ Together in Unity and Prayer - ICUG did all of the Computer Design and Printing for the Events, as well as having the honor of Escorting The Native Elders, during Their Stay in Washington, DC