At the 2025 UNITY Midyear Conference during the bi-annual Business Meeting, Native youth leaders from across the country came together to pass a powerful resolution as the National UNITY Council—Resolution 02-02-25-2: “Inspiring HOPE (Heart-to-Heart Conversations, Open-Minded Dialogue, Promoting Resources, Encouragement).” This initiative is a national call to action for the 300+ Native youth councils affiliated with UNITY to take the lead in addressing suicide prevention and substance abuse in their communities.
Now through February 2026, youth councils will host community service projects, healing circles, resource mapping, town halls, and open conversations designed to create safe spaces for Native youth to seek help, find support, and build resilience together. This collective effort will unite Native youth under a shared mission—to inspire hope, strengthen community bonds, and drive meaningful change from the inside out.
A National Movement Led by Native Youth
The passage of the Inspiring HOPE Initiative helps Native youth take collective action with more than 300 youth councils in 36 states joining forces to create a nationwide network of healing, empowerment, and action.
Imagine the impact:
- Youth councils across the country organize local service projects that uplift and support their peers, providing direct aid and meaningful connections.
- Communities coming together for town halls that map out local resources, ensuring that every Native youth knows where to turn for help.
- Spaces are being created where youth feel safe to share their stories in Healing Circles, breaking the silence surrounding suicide prevention and substance abuse.
- Conversations that once felt impossible are now becoming open, ongoing discussions led by young people determined to change the way their communities address mental health.
- Tribal prevention programs, cultural mentors, and young leaders working side by side, building stronger, more resilient support systems.
This is not just an initiative—it is a movement fueled by the passion, commitment, and leadership of Native youth stepping up to create real and lasting change in their communities.
A Call to Action: The Power of Purposeful Intentions
At the core of the Inspiring HOPE Initiative is an opportunity for Native youth councils to take an active role in strengthening their communities. Over the next year, councils are encouraged to develop projects that create safe spaces for open conversation, connect youth with support networks, and foster meaningful discussions on mental health and substance abuse prevention.
By organizing town halls, mentorship programs, and resource mapping efforts, youth councils can ensure that their peers have access to the guidance, encouragement, and cultural support they need. Through these initiatives, Native youth will play a direct role in shaping stronger, healthier communities where open dialogue and shared experiences help break down stigma and build pathways toward healing.
Each youth council is invited to contribute in a way that aligns with the unique needs of their community, whether through educational workshops, peer-led support groups, or partnerships with local tribal programs. The collective impact of these efforts will create a national movement, demonstrating the power of Native youth leadership in addressing challenges from within—by listening, supporting, and taking action with intention.
UNITY’s Executive Committee has laid out a clear framework for youth councils to follow:
- Host community-wide conversations about suicide prevention and substance abuse.
- Create and promote safe spaces where youth can openly talk about mental health and seek support.
- Organize resource mapping town halls to connect youth with tribal prevention programs, local counselors, and cultural mentors.
- Foster collaboration with tribal leaders, health professionals, and community programs to strengthen local prevention efforts.
- Encourage peer-to-peer mentorship; hearing from another young person who understands can be the most powerful source of hope.
This movement is about being proactive, not reactive. Rather than waiting for tragedy to strike, UNITY youth councils are taking a solution-based approach, leading with action, compassion, and purpose.
The Strength of Collective Action
One youth council working alone can make an impact, but when 300+ councils unite under a shared mission, they create a wave of change across Indigenous communities nationwide.
The Inspiring HOPE Initiative is proof that when Native youth lead with intention, they can redefine the narrative, dismantle stigma, and build stronger, healthier communities. This grassroots movement puts the power in the hands of young leaders—those who understand firsthand the challenges facing their peers and who are ready to take action for a better future.
As the resolution takes effect, youth councils will begin launching their own local projects, each contributing to the larger goal of breaking the cycle of loss and replacing it with a cycle of healing, connection, and HOPE.
Together, We Inspire HOPE
The 2025 UNITY Midyear Conference highlighted ways that Native youth can use digital storytelling to amplify prevention efforts through the PSAs they created. With the Inspiring HOPE Initiative, youth councils are proving that they are not just the future—they are the changemakers of today.
From now until February 2026, UNITY youth councils will host community service projects, engage in healing conversations, and build networks of support that will continue long after this initiative ends. Email your National UNITY Representatives with any questions at nucec@unityinc.org