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 […]
Mahiya Ramirez Inspires Awareness in Her Community When Muscogee (Creek) Earth Ambassador Mahiya Ramirez stepped into her final semester at the University of Central Oklahoma, she did more than open textbooks—she opened hearts and minds. Her exhibit, Saltwater Sovereignty, now on display on campus, bridges art and activism, reminding viewers that water is not just […]
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 […]
Bosho — Hello, my name is Victor Organista, and I am honored to represent the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Mayetta, Kansas, as the Southern Plains Area Representative for the 2025–2026 National UNITY Council Executive Committee. Currently a sophomore at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, Victor is pursuing a degree in Media Communications. […]
Featuring Earth Ambassador: Mahiya Ramirez (Muscogee – Southern Plains Region) This past month, Mahiya Ramirez stood on the sands of La Jolla Shores, camera in hand, heart wide open. As part of UNITY’s Earth Ambassador Pre-Conference Training and the 2025 National UNITY Conference in San Diego, Mahiya joined fellow Indigenous youth in a cultural exchange […]
This summer, UNITY Earth Ambassador Codie Horse-Topetchy, Kiowa, Comanche, and Otoe-Missouria, was honored to join the Indigenous Kinship Circle for Climate Futures research program at the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (SCCASC) in Norman, Oklahoma. Alongside other college students from the University of Oklahoma and the University of New Mexico, she began a two-year […]
For Victor Organista (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), service isn’t just a duty — it’s a way of life. As a Program Assistant at the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Victor spent his summer investing in the next generation, from guiding elementary school field trips to creating spaces for community […]
Anselmo Valenzuela, 20 Tribe: Southern Cheyenne Youth Council: Cheyenne and Arapaho Youth Council Memo, a proud member of the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes, traces the beginning of his journey to UNITY 2018. At just 14 years old, he arrived unsure about advocacy, politics, or what to expect. Inspired by the film Black Panther, he joined his […]
Victor Organista, 19 Tribe: Prairie Band Potawatomi Youth Council: Haskell Indian Nations University Unity Club Victor Organista, a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, is currently a sophomore at Haskell Indian Nations University studying media communications. His academic focus is on merging media with Native storytelling, aiming to create a platform that honors Indigenous […]
Ryan Murdock, 17 Tribe: Quechan Youth Council: Wahzhazhe youth council Ryan Murdock is a proud member of the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe, currently residing on the Osage Nation reservation in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Growing up, Ryan experienced firsthand the challenges faced by many Indigenous communities, surrounded by the struggles of drugs and alcohol alongside the enduring […]
