The Phoenix Indian Center held its annual inauguration of newly elected officers of the Future Inspired Native American Leaders (FINAL) Youth Council on August 15, 2019 at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix, Arizona. In attendance for the inauguration were the following UNITY Youth Councils: Tohono O’odham Nation Youth Council, Young River Peoples Council, Akimel O’odham/Pee-Posh Youth Council, Ak-Chin Indian Community Youth Council. UNITY Western Region Representative Tyloria Antone and UNITY Southern Plains Region Representative Colby WhiteThunder.

UNITY appreciates the invitation to attend this joyous event every year and we look forward to the continued success and growth of the FINAL Youth Council and the Phoenix Indian Center. Long time UNITY advocate, Alumni and current Board Member, Governor Gregory Mendoza serves as the council’s Advisor and mentor. Future Inspired Native American Leaders is a program designed for American Indian high school students in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

The purpose of the Youth program is two-fold. First, to provide interventions focused on dropout prevention and increasing high school graduation rates. Second, to promote career training initiatives that empower students to be college and career ready. If you would like more information about the Phoenix Indian Center and the FINAL Youth Program visit www.phxindcenter.org. 

The 2019-2020 Future Inspired Native American Leaders (FINAL) Youth Council Executive Committee were elected by their peers at the Youth Council Orientation held on August 8^th at the Phoenix Indian Center. 

The FINAL Youth Council is made up of a President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Youth Council members representing 14 area high schools and 6 tribes within Maricopa County and serve as the representative youth voice of the Phoenix Indian Center and American Indian Urban Community. The Youth Development Program staff congratulates the newly elected leadership and looks forward to a productive year working with the Youth Council. The new officers are:

Executive Officers:

• Sareya Taylor (White Mountain Apache/Navajo), President, Senior, Perry High School
• Amiyah Begay (Navajo), Vice President, Junior, Thunderbird High School
• Yessamyne Al-Asadi (Navajo), Recording Secretary, Senior, Central High School
• Candice Joe (Navajo), Corresponding Secretary, Senior, Sierra Linda High School
• Abriana Poola (Hopi), Treasurer, Senior, Betty FairFax High School

Members:

• Damian Albano (Gila River – Akimel O’odham), Junior, Youngker High School
• Kyeisha Begay (Navajo), Junior, Washington High School
• Tristan Craig (White Mountain Apache), Senior, New School for the Arts and Academics
• Sage Durrani (Gila River – Akimel O’odham), Senior, Arizona Lutheran Academy
• Jalen Harvey (Navajo), Freshman, Sunnyslope High School
• Marcus Jerome (Ojibway), Junior, Deer Valley High School
• Jasmyne Joe (Navajo), Junior, Sierra Linda High School
• Cole Logg (Navajo), Junior, Brophy College Preparatory
• Logan Logg (Navajo), Junior, Brophy College Preparatory
• Samuel Redbird (Tohono O’odham/Hopi), Sophomore, Tolleson High School
• Sophia Ricci (Ojibway), Sophomore, Deer Valley High School
• Riley Tsosie (Navajo), Senior, Washington High School
• Jaymz Wallen (Navajo), Junior, Brophy College Preparatory 
• Hannah Williams (Navajo), Freshman, Greenway High School
• Peter Zaback (Gila River – Akimel O’odham), Junior, Perry High School

New officers and members were officially sworn into office by Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Acting Chief Judge Darayne Achin at an inauguration ceremony on August 15^th, which will help guide decisions affecting the center’s young people.