Early August found Earth Ambassador Laylalanai Gocobachi at the UC Berkeley Indigenous Mini-Camp, where she joined peers and Mountain Maidu knowledge keepers to learn about Indigenous stewardship, LAND BACK, and TEK. The camp offered both lessons and community, reminding her of the strength of shared space and stories.
She also attended Native American Heritage Night with the San Francisco Giants, where dancers from across California filled the field in a powerful moment of visibility and pride. “It was beautiful seeing all the Indigenous nations in California come together,” she said.
Returning home to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in Arizona brought healing. Immersed in ceremonies, Laylalanai found joy in songs, dances, prayers, the smell of monsoon rain, and the taste of wakavaki. Soon after, she began her junior year at the University of Arizona, continuing her studies in environmental science with an emphasis on soil, air, and water.
Her platform as an Earth Ambassador is rooted in bridging culture with education, encouraging Native youth to see both traditions and academics as tools to address climate change. Through cultural renewal and peer leadership, she is empowering others to carry ancestral teachings forward into community action.
Through every experience—whether presenting a climate assessment, joining cultural gatherings, or uplifting food sovereignty—Laylalanai Gocobachi remains rooted in her Earth Ambassador platform: weaving cultural knowledge with environmental action. As part of the UNITY Earth Ambassador cohort, she stands alongside Native youth ages 14–24 who are sparking climate change discussions and community education across Indian Country. Together, they embody servant leadership, showing that healing the Earth and empowering the next generation go hand in hand.