UNITY

Earth Ambassador Calls on Youth From Across Oregon Declare A Climate Emergency

UNITY Earth Ambassador, and President of the Siletz Tribal Youth Council Jeidah DeZurney, 21, spoke at a youth climate action rally Feb. 6, 2020 in Portland. She called on leaders to act now and create climate policy that will mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. “My people have self-sustained by traditional foods our entire history. It hasn’t […]

Rewarding Experience for the O’odham Soul: Earth Ambassador Reflections

Article submitted by UNITY Earth Ambassador, Samuel Lopez: “I was the coordinator of a workshop titled “Tohono O’odham Hunting/Traditional Foods” at our annual Tohono O’odham Nation Youth Conference. The goal of this workshop was to teach youth the importance of Tohono O’odham traditional food in our physical, social, spiritual, and mental well-being as a people. The […]

Earth Ambassador Mentor: Frank Weaver

Frank Weaver is a mentor to the UNITY Earth Ambassadors. He is an Environmental Activist and Filmmaker. Frank grew up in Paraguay and now lives in Orlando Florida. He won “Planet Inspired” a National Geographic award for inspiring people, and is the founder of the Solar Map Project. His passion is to preserve and restore the […]

UNITY Earth Ambassador’s determination for change

UNITY Earth Ambassador, Kaylene Nevaquaya, launched her environmental project in early September. She began with a letter to her tribe’s (Comanche Nation) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to place recycling bins around the community. The head director of the EPA, Lynn Schonchin, responded positively and has offered to help her with other projects.

Earth Ambassador creates “How to Compost” video

UNITY Earth Ambassador, Zunneh-Bah Martin (Diné), produced a How to Compost YOUTUBE video. Her message is a call to action to encourage people to take steps with the simple things in everyday life to make a positive imprint on the environment. She also is living the “Zero Waste” way.  Watch for future HOW-TO videos from Zunneh-Bah, Earth […]

UNITY Earth Ambassador thrives in Social Justice Fellowship

There are more than 500 abandoned uranium mines on and near the Navajo Nation, most of which have not been cleaned up, and UNITY Earth Ambassador Zunneh-bah Martin, Diné and Modoc’, New Mexico, plans to do something about this.  Martin shares that she is “having a great experience with the Indigenous Lifeways Social Justice Fellowship. […]

UNITY Leader finds Resiliency in Storytelling

UNITY youth leaders have taken center stage across the U.S. this Native American Heritage Month. UNITY Peer Guide and Earth Ambassador, Angela Noah, White Mountain Apache,  presented at the Oregon Students of Color Conference at Lane Community College representing the University of Oregon’s Native American Student Union. Her workshop, “Resiliency in Storytelling,” about the importance […]

UNITY youth in action: RHS Student thanked Mayor & Council for Proclamation

UNITY 25 Under 25 Awardee and former Earth Ambassador Jazmine Wildcat continues her legacy of leadership within her community. A Riverton High School Student appeared before the Riverton City Council this past Tuesday to thank the Mayor and Council for the proclamation the city issued for Native American Heritage Month. Jazmine Wildcat’s comments, in their […]

Southeastern Earth Ambassador Spotlight

UNITY Earth Ambassador Hope Long, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, shares her community involvement:  October was busy for Hope Long. She is an active member of the of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Youth Council (CYC) and serves as Chairman the Junaluska Leadership Council (JLC). These youth council programs are sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee […]

Returning Home: Siletz Tribal Youth Development Program

This summer our Youth Development and Healthy Traditions Program chaperoned a group of Siletz youth on a four-day adventure down to Southern Oregon. Our first destination was a land-restoration conservation site called Vesper Meadows located east of Ashland in the higher elevations of the Southern Cascade Mountains. This was a special place to visit for […]