UNITY proudly recognizes another group of outstanding leaders in the 2026 UNITY 25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders class. These young leaders are working across fields including policy, health, education, justice, and community advocacy to support and uplift Native communities.
Gabriel Spinks (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation) is a Minneapolis-based political strategist and community organizer with experience in campaign management, policy advocacy, and grassroots organizing. He has led municipal and tribal electoral campaigns and advanced work in education reform, juvenile justice, youth economic equity, and public health policy across Minnesota. He is pursuing a Master of Arts in Advocacy and Political Leadership after earning his B.A. in Social Science from Metropolitan State University.
Gianni Lacey-Howard (Occaneechi-Saponi Tribe) is a Duke University graduate who earned a B.A. in Medical Sociology with a minor in Chemistry and Highest Distinction. She has held multiple leadership roles in Indigenous student and advocacy organizations and has continued her work through Native Americans in Philanthropy Youth Grantmaking, Native Voices Rising, and the National Council of Urban Indian Health Youth Advisory Council. Her research spans emergency medicine, epidemiology, and Indigenous health, and she plans to pursue medicine focused on culturally grounded care.
Grace Fox (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma) serves as a Tribal Healthcare Policy Analyst with the University of Oklahoma Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research. Through NIH-funded work, she analyzes federal policy impacts on Tribal health and translates research for communities and leaders. She holds degrees from Columbia University and the University of Oxford as an Eisenhower Global Scholar and has worked with federal agencies supporting Tribal health, education, and food sovereignty initiatives.
Jalen Harvey (Navajo Nation, Pueblo of Acoma, Hopi Tribe) is a student and youth leader who previously served on the National UNITY Council Executive Committee and held leadership roles with the F.I.N.A.L. Youth Council at the Phoenix Indian Center. She advocates for Native youth engagement in tribal governance and local leadership while remaining grounded in cultural teachings and ceremonies.
Keona Hosteen (Navajo Nation) is a graduate student in Clinical Speech-Language Pathology at Northern Arizona University and a research assistant focused on culturally responsive healthcare. Her work includes autism spectrum disorder, early intervention, and communication access for Native communities, and she is committed to advancing community-engaged research as a future clinician.
