This month, Jizelle Juan (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community) demonstrated how culture, service, and community wellness are deeply intertwined in her leadership journey as an Earth Ambassador. From cultural practices to civic engagement, she continues to embody stewardship of both the land and her people.
“Every Saturday throughout the month, I continued to gather willow and cattail while learning to harvest, clean, and prepare the plants for weaving in the winter,” Jizelle shared. Joined by respected women from her community, she visited the river to gather materials for O’odham basketry, a practice that connects her to ancestral knowledge and women’s traditional roles.
On the same day, she and her Youth Council led a river cleanup, removing trash and invasive apple snails and eggs. “With my Youth Council, I attended an executive meeting and a general meeting where we discussed recent work, upcoming projects, and shared announcements,” she explained. Their teamwork reflects the importance of young leaders taking an active role in environmental protection and governance.
The Youth Council also strengthened cultural identity through sports and language. They held toka (women’s game) and songivil (men’s game) practices, as well as an O’odham language class. “We talked about the orthography and practiced pronunciation, then our introductions,” Jizelle noted, emphasizing how language preservation is key to cultural resilience. The council also presented at District Council Member Fulwilder’s meeting, sharing “how we use culture and tradition as a form of healing and a coping mechanism for our community’s mental and cultural wellbeing.”
Beyond her community’s borders, Jizelle participated in ceremonies with sister tribes. She attended a ceremony in the Tohono O’odham Nation and later joined a Sunrise Ceremony in San Carlos, strengthening intertribal bonds.
Her cultural involvement also extended into performance and healing. “I danced with my dance group — Bird singing and dancing by the river — at the opening of our community’s Journey to Recovery Center,” she shared. She also attended bird dancing practices, where the group reflected on the importance of Piipaash bird singing traditions and practiced social songs together.
These experiences tie directly into her Earth Ambassador project, which focuses on native plant restoration and traditional ecological knowledge. The same willow, cattail, and plants she gathers for basketry are the very resources she plans to highlight in her workshops, ensuring that youth learn both their cultural and ecological value. “During my time as an Earth Ambassador, I want to inspire Native youth to reconnect with the land and understand how environmental stewardship is part of who we are as Indigenous people,” she reflected. By blending cultural revitalization with hands-on environmental stewardship, Jizelle is ensuring that future generations inherit both healthy lands and the traditions that make them sacred.