UNITY Youth Highlight
Jalen Harvey’s third Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day brought a new responsibility: helping UNITY with a youth workshop while continuing to build relationships with tribal leaders. The January 10, 2024 gathering in Arizona connected her regional youth leadership role with conversations about the future of her community.
Harvey, who identifies as Navajo, Hopi, and Acoma Pueblo, served as Western Representative in UNITY’s 2023–2024 National UNITY Council Executive Committee cohort. The cohort connects regional councils and individual members, represents Native youth perspectives, and supports leadership through cooperation and service.
Her earlier Legislative Day experiences had included speaking about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and youth advocacy. Returning to help with a workshop added another way to contribute: supporting a setting where young people could participate and learn.
Harvey reported meeting leaders from Arizona’s 22 tribes and being invited to walk with Hopi Chairman Timothy L. Nuvangyaoma and Vice-Chairman Craig Andrews during the House of Representatives’ Joint Protocol Session. That experience connected her participation with leaders from her own community.
“I was given the opportunity to communicate my ideas for what I would like to do in the future for our community, and build a network for their support!” Harvey wrote.
The opportunity to share ideas matters alongside the ceremonial experience. A young representative could speak about future service and begin relationships with people who might offer guidance and support. Her report emphasized gratitude for meeting inspiring individuals from across Arizona.
January also included preparation for UNITY’s 2024 Midyear Conference in Phoenix. Harvey described working with fellow executive committee members to get ready for the gathering, linking her public-facing experience at Legislative Day with the planning responsibilities of her cohort.
Together, those activities show several dimensions of leadership: speaking about community concerns, supporting youth learning, building relationships with tribal leaders, and preparing opportunities for peers. They connect with UNITY’s focus on youth voice and the social and cultural relationships that sustain service.
Harvey’s reflection looks ahead to the second half of her term with appreciation for the Western Region’s trust. Her account shows that trust taking practical form through participation, preparation, and a willingness to bring her own ideas into conversations about the community’s future.
