Laylalanai Gocobachi of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe Named 2025-26 UNITY Earth Ambassador
UNITY is proud to announce Laylalanai Gocobachi, a 19-year-old student from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona, as a newly awarded 2025 UNITY Earth Ambassador representing the Western Region. A second-year Environmental Science student at the University of Arizona, Laylalanai brings an inspiring commitment to blending traditional ecological knowledge with sustainability science, ensuring that Indigenous values remain central to protecting the Earth.
“Bwiam Ania Noktotohame is the title of an Earth Ambassador in Yoem Noki,” Laylalanai explained. “Bwiam Ania means the Earth—the land both our ancestors and ourselves live on. As Indigenous women, we are taught to protect everything in nature as she has nourished us for generations.”
Laylalanai’s environmental advocacy is deeply rooted in cultural teachings and lived experience. Inspired by her grandfather, former Chairman Robert Valencia—who fought for Indigenous water rights—she has developed a strong voice for environmental justice. She currently focuses her studies on soil, air, and water systems with the goal of protecting cultural resources and restoring balance to Indigenous lands.
“The Earth does not communicate verbally as you or I do,” she shared. “Rather, she speaks in her way—a way my elders taught me to understand. She turns the plants from green to brown to prepare us for winter. She sends snakes to the trees when the rains are near. We must listen.”
Her listening has already led to bold action. From organizing sacred-site community cleanups with the Yoeme Youth Council to advocating for clean water access and land rights, Laylalanai has consistently mobilized her community to protect sacred resources. She also completed a research fellowship in Belize, working alongside Indigenous Maya communities to incorporate their traditional knowledge into modern conservation frameworks.
“Pollution has significantly impacted our resources,” she said. “The Yaqui River is more than just water—it is a life source. There is a Yoeme saying: Ba’a Ba’ata Wike—‘Water Calls Water.’ When the water is polluted, she cannot call to the rain, nor give life to the land. This is why I advocate—for my people, for our rivers, and for our future.”
As a 2025 UNITY Earth Ambassador, Laylalanai will lead a new initiative that braids together cultural teachings, language revitalization, and environmental action. Her project will guide tribal youth and elders to traditional plant-growing sites within and around the Pascua Yaqui community. There, participants will learn the names of plants in Hiak Noki (Yaqui Language), discuss their traditional uses, and harvest them using sustainable, leave-no-waste practices.
“Participants will use the plants as our elders did,” she explained. “They will create a traditional meal, remedy, or cultural item like a prayer mat or Wahe (gourd rattle)—each essential to our ceremonies. This project will strengthen intergenerational learning, resilience, and environmental stewardship.”
Her nominators, including Tribal Secretary Rosa S. Alvarez and Tribal Chairman Julian Hernandez, lauded her visionary leadership and cultural grounding. “She embodies the values of sustainability, community engagement, and responsibility,” wrote Alvarez. “Laylalanai will be a powerful voice for change.”
Chairman Hernandez echoed that sentiment: “She is uniquely positioned to merge Western science and Indigenous knowledge—exactly the kind of leadership Indian Country needs in addressing the climate crisis.”
Now joining a growing legacy of UNITY Earth Ambassadors, Laylalanai Gocobachi will serve alongside fellow Native youth leaders who are forging a path forward for their people and the planet. Together, they carry a mission to defend sacred lands, restore ancestral practices, and ensure that Indigenous knowledge guides the environmental future.
“Being an Earth Ambassador means serving our environment and communities with reciprocity, leadership, and tolerance,” Laylalanai said. “It’s about listening to the Earth and responding—not just for ourselves, but for all those who will come after us.”