25 Under 25 Leadership Award – Page 5

The UNITY 25 Under 25 is a national youth leadership recognition program. The awards program is designed to celebrate the achievements of Native American and Alaskan Native youth ages 14 to 24 who embody UNITY’s core mission and exude living a balanced life developing their spiritual, mental, physical, and social well-being.

This program is brought to you in part by the generous support of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. Through their ongoing partnership, Native youth are able to travel to the National Recognition awards ceremony and attend vital leadership training during the Native youths’ term.

The 2022 class of 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders are:

Ajah-Rain Yellowhair, 17, Navajo, NM
Alexis Large-Cooley, 17, Confederated Tribes of Siletz, OR
Ally Gee, 22, Navajo, CO
Bella Nayquonabe, 17, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, MN
Candice Joe, 19, Navajo, AZ
Charles Mason, 18, Mvskoke (Creek) Nation, OK
Chelbie Turtle, 21, Cherokee Nation, OK
Elijah Cota, 20, Pascua Yaqui, AZ
Elizabeth Bryant, 20, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, OR
Jasmine Lamas. 18, Gila River Indian Community, AZ
Jonathan Arakawa, 22, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, WA
Jovi J. Williams, 17, White Mountain Apache Tribe, AZ
Kanyen Mousseaux Begay, 17, Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe, SD
Karri Montero, 21, Ketchikan Indian Community, AK
Kiera Toya, 21, Pueblo of Jemez, NM
Lourdes Pereira, 21, Hia-Ced O’odham/Tohono O’odham, AZ
Maci Schott, 22, Ponca Tribe, NE
Morgan Messimore, 18, Delaware Tribe of Indians, OK
Nathan Solorio, 15, Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation, PA
Lilly Painter, 20, Winnebago/Kiowa Tribe, OK
Leticia Cervantes, 20, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, OK
Samuel Lopez, 19, Tohono O’odham Nation, AZ
Samuel Uuyavuk Schimmel, 22, Kenaitze Indian Tribe /Native Village of Gambell, AK
Shanell Lavallie, 23, Aanih and Nakoda, MT
Truman Pipestem, 20, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, OK

Honorees are recognized during the UNITY National Conference, with each receiving a hand-made beaded “25 Under 25” medallion. In addition to being recognized, each awardee will receive special training by UNITY over the period of one year that is designed to build on their individual achievements. The class is recognized as UNITY ambassadors, serving as stellar examples of Native youth leadership in Indian Country today.

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By UNITY staff