25 Under 25 Leadership Award

This page is dedicated to the program and a resource where those interested may learn about the application process, program activities, and upcoming events, and meet the current/incoming class of 25 Under 25 Leaders.

The 25 Under 25 Legacy: Years of Youth Leaders

The 2024-25 Class of 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders

The 2024 Youth Leaders are:

Alyssa Mosley, 23, Nanticoke Lenni Lenape of New Jersey
Anagali Duncan, 21, Cherokee of Oklahoma
Carmella Bear, 17, Penobscot of Maine
Dasia Peters, 22, Mashpee Wampanoag of Massachusetts
Derek Capitan, 24, Laguna Pueblo/Navajo of New Mexico
Evelyn Enos, 19, Akimel O’odham/Tohono O’odham of Arizona
Elise Lamas, 19, Tohono O’odham of Arizona
Faith Iukes, 14, Tulalip of Washington
Gabriel Jurado, 19, Siletz of Oregon
Gabriella Nakai, 17, Choctaw/Navajo of Arizona
Georgia Harjo, 17, Muscogee (Creek) of Oklahoma
Ian Teller, 23, Navajo of Arizona
Jenna Makes Good, 22, Dakota Sioux of Kansas
Jori Cowley, 23, Cherokee/Delaware of Oklahoma
Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon, 23, Mohegan of Connecticut
Laney Marie Lupe, 23, White Mountain Apache of Arizona
Mariah Hernandez-Fitch, 23, Houma of Louisiana
Natallie Battiest, 21, Choctaw of California
Nizhoni Deschene, 16, Navajo of Maryland
Precious Vicente, 24, Akimel O’odham/Hopi of Arizona
Racquel Jean Oliver-Britton, 22, Yuki of California
Samantha Eddy, 22, Navajo of Arizona
Sophia Turning Robe, 21, Spokane/Siksika of Washington
Steve Harvey, 22, San Carlos Apache of Arizona
Talon Watchman, 17, Navajo of Arizona

The 2022-23 Class of 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders

The 2022 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

The 2020-21 Class of 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders

The 2020 Native Youth Leaders are:

Adrien Pochel, Wuskwi Sipihk First Nations Cree, Illinois
Alayna Harkreader, Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
Alysia Coriz, Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico
Angela Noah, White Mountain Apache, Oregon
Anthony Tamez, Wuskwi Sipihk First Nations Cree & Sicangu Lakota, Illinois
Autumn Adams, Yakama Nation, Washington
Bianca Hernandez, Gila River Indian Community, Arizona
Brook Thompson, Yurok & Karuk, Oregon
Caleb Dash, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, Arizona
Claudia McHenry, MvSkoke, Oklahoma
Dylan Baca, White Mountain Apache, Arizona
Frankie Pedersen, Listuguj Mi.gmaq First Nations, Illinois
Kaitlyn Pinkerton, Cherokee, Oklahoma
Kennise McGertt, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, Arizona
Kylie Hunts-In-Winter, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Arizona
Logan Monroe, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Minnesota
Marco Ovando, Shoshone Paiute, Idaho
Nadira Mitchell, Navajo, Arizona
Niagra Rockbridge, Navajo, Arizona
Owen Oliver, Quinault Indian Nation, Washington
Sareya Taylor, White Mountain Apache, Arizona
Shayla French, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan
Timothy Benally, Navajo, Arizona
Wyomee Cooke, Navajo, Arizona
Yasmine Quiroz, Gila River Indian Community, Arizona

The 2018-19 Class of 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders

The 2018 Native Youth Leaders are:

Asheligh Fixico, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma
Audriana Mitchell, Colorado River Indian Tribes, Arizona
David Warmack, Tohono O’odham Nation, Texas
Elwood McClellan Jr., Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
Faith Long, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina
Frederick Gipp, Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Kansas
Jasmine Wildcat, Northern Arapaho, Wyoming
Jayden Lim, Pomo, California
Katherine Carmain, Rosebud Sioux, Texas
Kellian Staggers, Navajo, New Mexico
Lance Sanchez, Tohono O’odham Nation, Arizona
Lauren Shelly Pina, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Arizona
Maddie Lamb, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma
Mariah Jordan Sharpe, Colorado River Indian Tribes, Arizona
Maritza Nuglene-Gomez, Inupiat, Alaska
Nancy Deere-Turney, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma
Sapphire Carter, Chippewa Cree, Montana
Savanna Rilatos, Confederated Tribes of Siletz, Oregon
Shasta Dazen, White Mountain Apache Tribe, Arizona
Sky Wildcat, Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
Tashoni Morales, Tachi-Yakut/Te-Moak W Shoshone, California
Tristan Joe, Navajo, New Mexico
Vonica LaPlante, MHA Nation, North Dakota
Xavier Medina, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Arizona

The 2016-17 Class of 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders

The 2016 Native Youth Leaders are:

Anissa Garcia, Akimel O’odham, Arizona
Birk Albert, Athabascan, New York
Brayden White, St. Regis Mohawk, New York
Caitlin Bordeaux, Rosebud Sioux, South Dakota
Christie Wildcat, Northern Arapaho, Wyoming
Cierra Fields, Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
Claullen Tillman, Eastern Shoshone, Wyoming
DeLesslin George-Warren, Catawba, DC
Dyami Thomas, Klamath/Leech Lake Ojibway, Washington
Eric Woody, Navajo, New Mexico
Hamilton Seymour, Nooksack, Washington
Jessica McCool, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, California
JoRee LaFrance, Crow Nation, Montana
Lakota Pochedley, Citizen Potawatomi, Oklahoma
Mariah Gladstone, Blackfeet, Montana
Michele Danner, Inupiaq, Alaska
Rebecca Kirk, Klamath, Washington
Rory Wheeler, Seneca Nation, New York
Sara DeHerrera, Choctaw Nation, California
Sarah Jones, Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma
Seth Cooper, Walker River Paiute/Assiniboine/Muscogee Creek, Arizona
Shandiin Gorman, Navajo, Arizona
Tatiana Ticknor, Dena’ina/Tlingit, Alaska
Vance Home Gun, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana
William Lucero, Lummi, Washington

The 2014-15 Class of 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders

The 2014 Native Youth Leaders are:

Alex Wesaw, Pokagon Band Potawatomi
Chelsea Wilson, Cherokee
Collin Church, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
Dahkota Brown, Wilton Rancheria
Dallas Pinkham, Yakama
Desirae Rambler, San Carlos Apache
Drew Phillips, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of The Potawatomi
Dyan Melvin, Hopi
Haley Trefon, Dena’ina Athabascan Indian
Jewel Honga, Hualapai
Kelly Charley, Navajo
Keturah Peters, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Lauren McLester-Davis, Oneida
Layha Spoonhunter, Eastern Shoshone, Northern Arapaho and Oglala Lakota
Leslie Locklear, Lumbee and Waccamaw Siouan
Maria Bartlett, Pascua Yaqui
Megan LaRose, Navajo
Nataanii Hatathlie, Navajo
Nathalie Tomasik, Cherokee
Sarah Jo Schilling, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Savannah Ingram, Confederasted Tribes of Grand Ronde
Susun Fisher, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
TaNeel Real Bird, White Clay Tribes/Ft. Belknap Nakoda and Apsaalooke
Taylor Ann Charlie, Navajo/Sandia Pueblo
Teressa Baldwin, Inupiaq Eskimo

United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY) is proud to announce the latest cohort of the 25 Under 25 National Native Youth Leaders, a prestigious recognition program celebrating the achievements of young Native American and Alaskan Native leaders. Launched in 2014, this biennial initiative honors 25 outstanding youths under the age of 25 who exemplify UNITY’s core values and strive for holistic well-being in their lives.

Supported by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Illuminative, this program provides Native youth with the opportunity to travel to the National Recognition Awards ceremony and engage in essential leadership training during their term.

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

2024 UNITY 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leadership Awards Program

Learn More about 25 Under 25 Native Youth Community Impact:

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The 2023 class of Earth Ambassadors will attend training sessions and informational workshops to increase their knowledge of environmental issues affecting Native America, learn to serve as an ambassador to increase awareness of the issues affecting the environmental quality on Native lands and promote efforts to address environmental concerns within the nation’s Native communities.

Community projects range from “the return of planting foods using native seed banks and traditional seeds as an exercise of Native sovereignty, and by growing it exercises an act of environmental sovereignty” says Earth Ambassador Gabriella Nakai (Choctaw/Navajo) from Phoenix to creating “business sustainability within her tribal community through the promotion of greener businesses, less waste, recyclable products, recycling, and making the San Carlos Apache Tribe a greener mindset” explains Earth Ambassador Lauren Pino (San Carlos Apache), a recent graduate of Penn State University.