November was a month of culture, competition, and confidence-building for Weston (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara), Great Plains Regional Representative, as he supported youth leadership at home and elevated Native youth voices on a national stage. Back in White Shield High School, Weston helped lead his Youth Council’s annual Handgames Tournament, welcoming students from Twin Buttes and […]
October was a month of hands-on leadership and relationship-building for Victor Organista (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), Executive Committee Member for the Southern Plains. Across community spaces—from skateparks to powwow grounds—Victor focused on empowering Native youth with skills, confidence, and opportunities to lead. The month kicked off with a public skateboarding event at the PBPN Skatepark, […]
Weston Bird (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara), Great Plains Regional Representative on the National UNITY Council Executive Committee, witnessed the power of storytelling and culture as medicine within his community of White Shield, North Dakota. Though his month was quieter than usual, it was filled with deep reflection and learning — reminding him that healing and leadership […]
This fall, Weston (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara), Great Plains Regional Representative on the National UNITY Council Executive Committee, demonstrated what true leadership looks like — courage, community, and resilience in the face of challenge. Though the season brought both celebration and hardship, Weston continued to embody the UNITY mission by uplifting youth and honoring culture within […]
The drumbeats of powwow songs, the heat of a sweat lodge, and the clash of a football game all wove together into one powerful month of growth for Weston (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara), the Great Plains Regional Representative for the National UNITY Council. His experiences show how cultural tradition, family, and community service shape Native youth […]
Calling All Oklahoma Natives! Join UNITY for this free Healing Circle training for Native youth and the adults who serve them. Sign up today to attend the one-day training on October 17-18, 2025, at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City, OK. (659 First Americans Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73129) Registration is open to the first 50 Native youth & Advisors who […]
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 […]
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, […]
At the National UNITY Council (NUC) Business Meeting on June 30, 2025, during the National UNITY Conference in San Diego, California, more than 130 Native youth leaders representing over 60 affiliated youth councils across 23 states gathered to identify the most urgent challenges facing their peers and communities. Guided by both regional discussions and survey […]
