Okmulgee, Okla. –  The Mvskoke March 2016 is a youth led initiative focused on bringing awareness to Teen Dating Violence. The Mvskoke March was held July 18-21, 2016.

The event kicked off at 12:00 pm at the historic Muscogee (Creek) Nation Council House on July 18th, 2016 and ended 110 miles later at the Oklahoma State Capitol at 12:00 pm where a Teen Dating Violence awareness rally was held.

Read the rest of the story HERE on Tribal Town Radio – Information from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

The following article was provided by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Youth Services Coordinator.

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – The Tribal Youth Council 20 Year Anniversary Mini Conference & Celebration held September 18 and 19, 2015 at the Kewadin Casino & Convention Center was a huge success with approximately 50 youth attending from across the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians service area. The conference started with the heartbeat of our mother earth played by the Sturgeon Bay Singers offering the grand entry. The Youth Staff and Flags carried in by tribal youth council volunteers, the POW MIA Flag carried in by Staff Sergeant A.J. Mclarahmore of the 1437th Army National Guard Engineer Company. The opening and welcome offered by Chairman Aaron Payment, providing tribal youth council words of encouragement to never give up. Chairman Payment with the assistance of Unit II YEA Coordinator Lisa Burnside led the attendee’s in a two –step.

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The following story, which was written and produced by Dyani Brown of the Shinnecock Nation, was provided by the Shinnecock Youth Council.

Youth leaders from Shinnecock Nation received a warm welcome at the 20th Annual International Young Leaders Assembly (IYLA) held at the United Nations on August 18th. Among the nearly 200 countries that participated, Shinnecock represented as the only American Indian community in attendance.

“We simply responded to an invitation for an opportunity that was afforded to us,” said Preston Brown, a volunteer advisor for Shinnecock Nation Youth Council.

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The following story was published August 9, 2015 on the Peninsula Clarion website.

After spending 10 days in Washington, D.C., touring the city and participating in a conference with approximately 1,800 other Native American youth, the 11 members of the Kenaitze Indian Tribe’s Youth Council have returned to the Kenai Peninsula with plans for the future.

Kami Wright, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe’s acting director of tribal government affairs, said she decided to revive the previously-existing but inactive Youth Council in April because of a presidential challenge.

Read the rest of the story HERE on the Peninsula Clarion website.

On Friday January 23rd, UNITY youth from 15 youth councils attended the 2015 NFL Pro Bowl Practice Sessions at Scottsdale Community College.  Some youth and their advisors traveled for more than four hours to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Pro Bowl features elite players from each of the teams in the National Football League.  The practice consisted of two sessions, lasting approximately one hour each.  Team Irvin took the field first in their fluorescent orange colored gear and ran offensive and defensive drills.  A number of players then took time to sign autographs for fans.

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Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, AZ – On November 15, UNITY Youth Councils gathered to participate in the 33rd Anniversary of the Orme Dam Victory Days Parade, an annual celebration of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Representing UNITY were Mesa Strength Youth Council, Mountain View Native American Club, AK Chin Youth Council, San Carlos Apache Youth Council, and Yavapai Apache Youth Council.

The Orm Dam was proposed project in the 1970’s that would have flooded the Fort McDowell Yavapai reservation and forced the community from what remained of its ancestral homeland.

Individuals from the community spearheaded an opposition movement that rallied the support of fellow tribal members. By referendum in 1976, the community members voted 144 to 57 against selling their land to the federal government for the dam site. Then on November 12, 1981, after consulting with the Fort McDowell Tribal Council and the Governor’s Advisory Committee, Interior Secretary James Watt announced that Orme Dam would not be built. Each year a tribal fair, parade, rodeo and other events are held to commemorate the tribe’s victory.

Source: Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Website

St. Paul Island, AK  – – UNITY welcomes its newest affiliate, the Aleut UNITY Youth Tribal Council, representing  the Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island, one of five volcanic islands located in the Bering Sea.

The group joined UNITY last September after the resolution was unanimously passed by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Tribal Government to establish this new youth council. The council will support the youth by providing leadership training, guidance, and experience opportunities to better prepare them for the important roles as the tribe’s future leaders.

The youth council Bylaws outlines its objectives, which are to:

• provide a collective voice and represent the tribal youth in all matters that concern them
• serve as a means of mobilizing and coordinating the actions of youth, other community members and organizations toward positive goals 
• promote the development of future tribal leaders
• help solve problems facing tribal youth
• coordinate school and community service projects, and
• provide opportunities for the youth to interact for fun and fellowship. Read More

Phoenix—UNITY welcomes its newest affiliate – the Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD)!  The group recently held a UNITY Youth Council Training to learn about the organization and receive assistance in starting its youth council. Nearly 40 people attended the training, which was sponsored by the PUHSD Native American Education Program, including students, parents, advisors, and UNITY staff.

The event began with ice-breakers and team-building activities provided by members of the Mesa Strength Youth Council and the Morning Star Leaders Youth Council.  Participants enjoyed a spaghetti dinner thanks to the PUHSD NEA Program. Lynnann Yazzie, Project Coordinator of UNITY’s Today’s Native Leaders project, provided guidance for establishing a UNITY youth council. The Morning Star Leaders Youth Council and Mesa Strength Youth Council shared information regarding meetings, activities, and community involvement.

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The White Mountain Apache Youth Council held its annual inauguration of newly elected officers on September 4 at Hon-Dah Resort & Casino.

The inauguration event included the swearing in of fourteen (14) new officers including Co-Presidents Rashaan Stover and Mandy Dazen, Vice President Jade Cosay, Secretary/Treasurer D’Marco Slick, Public Relations Chance Hill, District I Reps Robinson Foster and AnDru Henry, District II Reps Shasta Dazen and Manuel Dazen, Jr., District III Reps Maria Walker and Shania Opah and District IV Reps Ignatius Lupe, Jr., Eric Mitchell, and Leona Tate.

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