The sound of jingles echoed through the Woodland Bowl as Menominee Earth Ambassador McKaylin Peters stepped out in her new regalia—dresses she had sewn herself with care. Dancing old style jingle at her tribe’s powwow, she felt grounded in tradition and proud of the work of her own hands. Her family’s drum, the Smokeytown Singers, carried the songs as she sang backup for her uncles and grandfather. “It felt great to sing back up for my uncles and grandpa,” she said, a moment that tied family, culture, and leadership together in one circle.
The month carried her far beyond the powwow grounds. Representing Tribal Storm, the softball nonprofit she coaches for, McKaylin joined the Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes Golf Outing. Networking with chairmen and leaders from across the region, her team placed second in the B Flight. The event reminded her that leadership also lives in relationships built across nations and through community-centered organizations.
Her travels then took her to New York City, where she closed out Interwoven Futures: Indigenous Youth, Land Stewardship and Community Wellbeing, hosted at the Doris Duke Foundation. Standing before a room of peers and leaders, McKaylin left the gathering with words that will echo for years: “We need to invest in Indigenous communities long-term. When you invest in Native youth, you’re not just funding programs or initiatives – you’re fueling nations, healing generations, and building future generations.” She described the moment simply: “It felt good to be in community with everyone.”
From New York, she flew directly to Michigan for the Midwest Regional Earth Ambassador Gathering. In just four days, she built bonds with peers and elders alike. One highlight was connecting with Tom Peters, an elder from Michigan, who invited her to sing Smokeytown’s traveling song with him on the last day.
“This meant so much to me as it was my family’s song…to know my family’s song just goes to show how strong the connection is within Indian Country.” She also cherished connecting with fellow ambassadors Marla and Néepa, sharing, “They’re like little sisters to me but yet I learn so much from them. My fellow ambassadors teach me how to lead with heart.”
August ended with a personal milestone: starting graduate school at Johns Hopkins University. Enrolled in a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, McKaylin reflected on the joy of returning to education after her first break from school since kindergarten. “It felt weird being away, so it feels good to be back,” she admitted with a smile.
Her platform as an Earth Ambassador centers on uplifting youth through cultural connection, leadership development, and intergenerational learning. By blending powwow dancing, national speaking, and higher education, McKaylin shows how servant leadership can inspire Native youth ages 14–24 to join climate change discussions, build cultural pride, and create meaningful community projects. As part of the UNITY Earth Ambassador cohort, she reminds us that leading with heart means carrying both tradition and vision forward for the next generations.
