This past week, UNITY Earth Ambassadors gathered in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, for a transformative experience that blended Traditional Ecological Knowledge with modern conservation science. Together, Native youth explored how Indigenous values and contemporary strategies can work hand-in-hand to guide the protection and restoration of our homelands. Opening Day – Platforms for Environmental Justice The gathering […]
When Liliana Mars (Narragansett, Navajo) steps into the circle, she is doing far more than moving to the beat of the drum—she is carrying generations of resilience and responsibility as both a cultural leader and the Northeast Regional Representative and Secretary of the National UNITY Council Executive Committee (NUCEC). This past August, her calendar was […]
Colorful floats, traditional songs, and community pride filled the streets of the White Mountain Apache Reservation as the annual Tribal Parade began. For Amaya Escalante (Pascua Yaqui Tribe), it was more than just a celebration—it was her first event serving as the Western Region Area Representative on the National UNITY Council Executive Committee. Invited by […]
For Watson Whitford (Chippewa Cree/Navajo), service and leadership are not just roles— they are a way of life. As one of the Co-Presidents of the National UNITY Council Executive Committee, Watson balances the demands of university life with the responsibility of representing Native youth on a national stage. This August, his journey carried him from […]
In Tesuque Pueblo, a group of young leaders gathered their community together in August to share stories from the National UNITY Conference. Among them was Jamie Crowe (Pueblo of Tesuque), a Southwest Regional Executive Committee Member, who saw the presentation as more than just a recap—it was an act of education, advocacy, and connection. “Being […]
When rivers flow free, so too do the songs, teachings, and celebrations of the people who call them home. This fall, UNITY Northwest Region Representative Tia Butler (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians) embraced a season of cultural renewal and community building. From paddling alongside Tribal Nations during Canoe Journey to digging camas and learning about […]
The sweetness of fresh berries and the wisdom of elders shaped a month of growth for Earth Ambassador Marla Mesarina of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. August became a season of firsts—her first time berry picking, her first teaching video, and her first regional gathering as part of the Earth […]
Laughter, music, and the smell of good food filled the air as youth and elders gathered for a circus-themed luncheon hosted by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Youth Council. At the heart of it all was Gabriel Loonsfoot, Midwest Regional Representative on the National UNITY Council Executive Committee, who sees leadership not as a title, […]
The early morning air was still and sacred in southern Colorado as the sun began to rise over the ancestral lands of the Kiowa and Southern Cheyenne people. For Earth Ambassador Codie Horse-Topetchy, camping out with relatives before a buffalo hunt was not just a return to tradition—it was a step into leadership grounded in […]
The sound of jingles echoed through the Woodland Bowl as Menominee Earth Ambassador McKaylin Peters stepped out in her new regalia—dresses she had sewn herself with care. Dancing old style jingle at her tribe’s powwow, she felt grounded in tradition and proud of the work of her own hands. Her family’s drum, the Smokeytown Singers, […]
