Members of the Florida Local Planning committee met late December to further discuss how they wish to welcome as many as 2,000 Native youth and advisors to Seminole country for the 2019 National UNITY Conference. UNITY’s signature event will be held July 4 – 8, 2019 at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Florida. Those in attendance say they welcome tribes in the region to play a role in welcome events. Aside from planning a welcome event, discussions included the creation of a youth council for the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

UNITY’s Executive Director Mary Kim Titla, San Carlos Apache, attended the meeting to discuss the importance of a local planning committee and to answer questions. “We have a small staff of five full-time employees and one part-time employee. The efforts of a local planning committee are invaluable. We rely on local tribal involvement to help produce an experience Native youth will remember for the rest of their lives,” said Tita.

A big Thank you to Kyle Doney, Miss Seminole Tribe of Florida Cheyenne Kippenberger, Allison Osceola, LorenAshley Buford, Georgette Smith, and Melissa Billie for being part of the December meeting. UNITY is excited to have the support of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and the Native Learning Center with local planning efforts.  The group plans to meet through the spring to help plan conference activities.