UNITY Youth Highlight
An internship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Tribal Operations Program gave Truman Pipestem an opportunity to learn how tribal government serves people through both legislation and everyday relationships. During October 2022, he answered calls, helped members of the public, and supported an office responsible for making current and requested legislation accessible.
Pipestem was part of UNITY’s 25 Under 25 cohort, a national recognition program honoring young Native leaders whose work contributes to their communities and reflects spiritual, mental, physical, and social development. His internship connected that recognition with the patient, practical responsibilities of public service.
The Tribal Operations Program supports the EBCI Tribal Council and assists people seeking information. For a young leader, that work required more than becoming familiar with an office: it meant responding to people’s needs and learning how to be useful within a community he considered home.
“For the first time in my life, I am living day-by-day in a place I have always called home,” Pipestem wrote. His reflection conveys the personal importance of building relationships through regular presence rather than a single visit.
One memorable opportunity came on Halloween, when he joined Tribal Operations staff and other offices at Cherokee Central Schools. The group distributed treats to elementary school students gathered in the gym. When Tribal Council representatives needed to leave, Pipestem stepped in to continue handing out candy and juice.
His Gru costume became a point of connection with the younger students. He returned their excitement with high-fives and compliments about their costumes, helping make the interaction friendly and personal. The experience linked the public-facing work of tribal government with a school community celebration.
That combination illustrates how leadership skills develop through service: noticing a need, taking responsibility when someone else must step away, and treating young community members with attention and care. It also connects with UNITY’s emphasis on social development and citizenship through active participation in community life.
“While becoming acquainted with a small community takes hard, patient work, I will gladly do whatever it takes,” Pipestem shared. “Helping out with trick-or-treating is just a start.”
His update presents the internship as a beginning. The office responsibilities and Halloween gathering offered different lessons in the same commitment—learning how to contribute, building trust over time, and finding meaningful ways to serve the place he calls home.
