UNITY Peer Guide Savanna Rilatos, Confederated Tribes of Siletz, OR, shared how she was able to give back to her community in a meaningful way: “Serving as Miss Siletz was such a rewarding experience, I represented my people, my community, my family, my culture, and my traditions. I was able to travel around the United States representing my tribe with two of the most inspiring and courageous girls I know, Junior Miss Jocelyn Hernandez and my Little Miss Sahaylee Mason. Holding this title was something I dreamed of growing up, and I am proud of myself for having the courage to go after it.”
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Last Updated: January 17, 2020
Three Resolutions for the National UNITY Council to Consider
Your UNITY youth leaders have been busy! On behalf of your elected Executive Committee representatives, we are eager to share the following proposed initiatives sponsored by various Programs within the UNITY Network. Each Program focuses on a different aspect of the social, mental, spiritual and physical development. As you may know the members of each UNITY-affiliated youth council appoint two individuals (one young woman, one young man) to serve as their representatives on the National UNITY Council (NUC). Read More
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Last Updated: January 15, 2020
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 participants sorted two types of Ba:wi (Tepary Beans), Weg ck Tota (Red and White), the only two of about thirty two types that survived through WWII. This is a very calm and peaceful process, so a lot of youth found comfort in this. Read More
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Last Updated: January 12, 2020
Tulalip Board of Directors celebrate 2020 youth leaders
Tulalip News shares “The future is bright! Congratulations to the Tulalip Senior and Junior Youth Council members who were officially sworn into office by the Tulalip Board of Directors this morning!” These 14 future leaders were elected by their peers to guide them through 2020 and ensure their collective voice is heard on important community-wide issues, and also that the youth are properly represented at local gatherings.
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Last Updated: December 13, 2019
Final Wellness Warrior poster released
UNITY Wellness Warriors has released its final wellness campaign posters, part of an ongoing series featuring Native American youth. Featured is Truman Pipestem, a citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee and descendant of the Osage Nation and the Otoe-Missouria Tribe. Truman is a freshman at Yale University. Truman is in the Directed Studies Program, serves as the Freshman class liaison to the Native American Cultural Center (NACC), a member of ANAAY (Association of Native Americans at Yale), and is a member of the Yale Native drum group. Truman is also a member of Lux Improvitas, a long-form Yale improv group specializing in full-length improvised plays. The posters feature Native youth from communities across the country, representing the lifestyles they live as they express their culture, daily habits, and hobbies that allow them to live positive and healthy lifestyles.
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Last Updated: November 25, 2019
UNITY Advisory Cohort empowers Native youth voice
Get to know the newest UNITY Peer Guide Cohort and learn more about their passion for advocating for “non-traditional” Native youth leadership. UNITY has recruited this diverse group of youth mentors, to design and facilitate six regional trainings across the nation. These trainings will empower Native youth to speak out about critical aspects of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention efforts within their home communities.
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Last Updated: November 25, 2019
UNITY Earth Ambassador thrives in Social Justice Fellowship
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Last Updated: November 22, 2019
Dancing with my Siletz Sisters
UNITY Peer Guide Savanna Rilatos, Confederated Tribes of Siletz, OR, shared how she was able to give back to her community in a meaningful way: “Serving as Miss Siletz was such a rewarding experience, I represented my people, my community, my family, my culture, and my traditions. I was able to travel around the United States representing my tribe with two of the most inspiring and courageous girls I know, Junior Miss Jocelyn Hernandez and my Little Miss Sahaylee Mason. Holding this title was something I dreamed of growing up, and I am proud of myself for having the courage to go after it.”
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Last Updated: November 25, 2019
Coastal Salish Canoe Teachings with Rocky Mountain Regional Representative
National UNITY Council (NUC) Rocky Mountain regional representative ArriAnna Henry-Matt, Bitterroot Salish, shared her experiences building a salishan sturgeon nose canoe to join her relatives on the Qlispé canoe journey. This was a historic event, as it has been over a hundred years since the upper Seliš have been paddling with their relatives. The UNITY Executive Committee member helped share the traditional teachings behind canoe making with her community members. This traditional art holds deep significance and cultural roots that are being revitalized locally. Read More
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Last Updated: November 7, 2019
UNITY Alumni Spotlight: Colleen Medicine
Meet UNITY Alumni, Waabshkaa Asinikwe – Colleen Medicine, she is of The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, from Bahweting (place of the rapids) also known as Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Colleen took part in UNITY conferences in Phoenix 2004, Buffalo 2005, Oklahoma City 2007 and Reno 2008, with her Tribal Youth Council, the Waaniiniigaanzijig (those who will lead). Read More
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Last Updated: October 15, 2019
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 several reasons: (1) We were restoring our indigenous relationship with a land that we hadn’t gathered on in for over 150 years and (2) We were connecting our youth with one of our most well-spoken and travelled tribal elders, Grandma Aggie Pilgrim. Our second destination was to gather yampah seeds at a meadow near the base of Table Rock, which was the site of our original reservation and where we signed the Rogue River Treaty was signed. Read More
UPCOMING EVENTS
2020 UNITY Midyear Conference
2020 National UNITY Conference
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Midyear Conference QUICK LINKS
Event Page
Draft Agenda
Attendee, Exhibitor and Artist Registration
Host Hotel (DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix Tempe)
UNITY News Communications Camp
Speed Workshop Submission
Frequently Asked Questions
National Conference QUICK LINKS
Event Page
Attendee, Exhibitor, and Artist Registration
Host Hotel (Marriott at Wardman Park)
UNITY Commemorative Pendleton Blanket
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