Cherokee, NC

Cherokee, North Carolina is home to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, a federally recognized Tribe in North Carolina. Nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina, Cherokee is subject to unusually varied climatic and temperature ranges which concentrates heat in low-lying areas.

This summer’s heat campaign was a partnership between the Center for Native Health, which is an organization that supports balanced wellbeing of southeastern Native communities through the preservation and respectful application of Native knowledge, and the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies. Partners worked closely with the Museum of Life and Science to conduct an indoor monitoring campaign focused on the impacts of indoor heat on manufactured housing, which is common in this area. The campaign expanded on existing outdoor air quality monitoring data and connected youth with elders.

In August 2025, CCHM staff had the opportunity to present preliminary findings to the Cherokee Air Care Collective.