Graciela Broncheau, 19
Tribe: Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Youth Council: Nez Perce Tribe NAHOVA
My name is Graciela Broncheau, and I am a proud member of the Nez Perce Tribe from Lewiston, Idaho. I am a graduate of Clarkston High School and a successful completer of the Army National Guard Washington Youth Challenge Academy. This fall, I will begin college with a strong focus on becoming a Social Worker or working in Substance Use Prevention—fields that align with my deep commitment to serving and healing my community.
My passion for helping others has shaped my leadership journey. I served as Vice-President of the Nez Perce Tribe’s NAHOVA (Native America Hear Our Voice Arise) Youth Advisory Board, a group dedicated to suicide and substance abuse prevention since 2019. During my time with NAHOVA, I represented the youth board at the National UNITY Business Council meetings for two years and helped lead a team that was nationally recognized—NAHOVA was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Youth Prevention Group Award for the State of Idaho and the 2024 UNITY National Youth Council of the Year award.
Through my work, I’ve completed extensive training to strengthen my leadership and outreach efforts. These include Participatory Action Research, Photo Voice (a culturally relevant data tool), Suicide Prevention (LivingWorks START, ASIST, and QPR), Focus Group Facilitation, and Narcan training. I also became a certified facilitator through the Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) training—an event model that reflects Indigenous cultural values and helps communities address issues like historical trauma, bullying, and substance misuse.
As part of NAHOVA, I helped coordinate the first-ever GONA event for the Nez Perce Tribe—a powerful two-day experience rooted in community healing and resilience. I’ve also served as a mentor through the Students for Success peer-to-peer program and worked directly with Native youth as a Youth Assistant with the Nimiipuu Youth Adventures program, which is based on the Project Venture model. Recently, I helped create a Young Adult Support Group on our reservation to offer transition-age youth a safe space to seek help, find connection, and access resources.
When I’m not actively serving my community, I enjoy staying physically active, working out, fishing, and spending quality time with my family. I live each day with a drive to improve—not just for myself, but for those around me. I’m always seeking new challenges, and I believe that stepping into a leadership position will allow me to grow both personally and professionally.
More importantly, I hope that by stepping forward, I can inspire other youth on my reservation to believe in themselves and reach for their goals. I’ve been attending UNITY since 2021, and I’ve long aspired to become a representative. Now, I feel ready. I want to help make a positive impact and continue the legacy of great work done by those who came before me—uplifting voices, building bridges, and creating change.