National Conference – Unity, Inc.

Registration and hotel reservations are now open for UNITY’s 2021 National Conference happening July 2-6, 2021, in Dallas, Texas!

UNITY is dedicated to providing a safe environment for attendees participating in the in-person 2021 National UNITY Conference. With this in mind, UNITY is reducing the number of attendees by more than 50% of the venue capacity. This means that registration spots are limited, and once capacity is reached, the registration portal will close. Also, there will NOT be on-site registration this year; all registrations must be completed on-line and before the conference start date.

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA! (UPDATED) CLICK HERE

2021 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION RATES
February Special: $250
March 1 – April 15: $300
April 16 – June 6th: $350
June 7 – June 18: $400
NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION

SAVE THE DATES: Opportunities for Native youth and their advocates

Thurs. July 1st: LIVE from Dallas! At the National UNITY Conference – Virtual option
(If you can’t attend in person) Join on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm PST // 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST
Free Webinar: Making A Difference: Creating Awareness Campaigns
- Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0od-CprzkjHddesoTVyWNgQrB56UNKiEH_
  learn more at: https://unityinc.org/spring-webinar-series-join-the-peer-guides-every-thursday-in-june/
July 2 – 6: The 2021 National UNITY Conference in Dallas, Texas at the downtown Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center.
The conference theme will be ‘45 Years of Building Resilient Leaders and Lifelong Connections.’
Register here: https://events.american-tradeshow.com/UNITY2021

WORKSHOPS on SUNDAY & MONDAY:

“Join the UNITY Executive Committee to learn how youth can raise awareness suicide prevention and mental health. The Executive Committee will help guide participants through the steps of creating awareness and to connect youth with community resources. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will join the Executive Committee to encourage youth to recognize and engage in increasing public awareness. 2. Participants will gain tools to create safeTALK and effective messaging. 3. Participants will learn how to create campaigns to empower their communities to address their challenges and needs.”

Come learn about Southern Plain singing. From Kiowa flag song, Kiowa memorial song, youth prayer song, Kiowa 49 war party song, buffalo song, and inter-tribal war dance with Michael Stumbling Bear Tongkeamha. The circle of life continues with traditional Native American song and explanation. This four (4) part workshop will also focus on teaching an easy-to-follow round dance song.

“UNITY Peer Guides will share the results of the Regional Town Halls and discuss how youth can hold their own Town Halls to identify community priorities. Youth Councils will explore ways to host community conversations around difficult topics to create community safety. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will learn and discuss the suggested solutions Native youth have offered to increase public safety from the virtual Town Halls findings. 2. Participants will explore ways to host community conversations around difficult topics to increase community safety. 3. Participants will engage in peer to peer dialogue regarding community resources that may support Native youth empowerment.”

Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) was first developed in the early 1990’s by native wellness leaders and is recognized as an effective cultural Native community prevention engagement tool to help mobilize change in tribal communities. We’ll discuss the GONA, provide some activities, pass out information, and answer questions for you to share with your youth leadership and community change agents in your community.

“This workshop will show how youth can address local needs by identifying the root cause of an issue while encouraging local native youth empowerment. UNITY Peer Guides will share tools for creating localized needs assessments through the 2021 Native American Youth Experience Survey. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will learn how to identify the root cause of a community challenge to enhance safety. 2. Participants will discuss regional Comparison of the top Issues facing Native Youth 3. Peer Guides will share their plans for the Native American Youth Experience Survey (NAYES) to further gather community input and ensure future youth informed programming.”

Presenter will share his experience and journey to law school. He will talk about a pathway to achieving access to law school, considerations to be mindful of, and options when completing this journey.

Bowman Performance Consulting (BPC) is partnering with UNITY to share an opportunity for Native straight and LGBTQ2S+ youth to be involved, heard, and seen within a national Native and gender minority study. Come learn about how to let your voice be heard with gift card incentives.

Enhancing our Mental & Spiritual Health by honoring our mind and spirit we will discuss ways to embrace our identity by being more cognizant about our thoughts and words. We will discuss the importance of self care thru meditation, positive affirmations, dance, prayer, laughter/play

A practical conversation of how to build healthy money habits.Learn how to build strong personal, professional, and virtual networks.

Come and learn about the history of the Unity drum and all powwow drums. We will be giving instructions on etiquette and we will even learn the UNITY song! All are welcome!

Native Youth Olympics is a sport from Alaska that tests skills of strength, agility, balance, endurance and focus. Join us to learn these games based on hunting and survival skills that allowed the indigenous people of Arctic to thrive in the harshest conditions for millennia.

“Have you ever thought about how the things you say to yourself could affect your health? We know that our thoughts and actions constantly influence our behavior and personality, but our thoughts can also influence our views of ourselves. When this perception begins to negatively impact the way we love ourselves, we must consider reframing our thinking to allow in the healing energy our minds, bodies, and spirits need to promote a healthier reality. This workshop will focus on the power we have to cultivate self-love through conscious thought. We will discuss the ability we each have to shift our thinking into full awareness of our overall well-being, and to begin to shape the beautiful present and future that our ancestors hoped to see us live. “

For many Native students, college can seem like an entirely different world that we don’t always see ourselves fitting into. Often, we struggle just to survive. This presentation provides best practices and strategies to help new and continuing college students thrive and navigate college in ways that will support them through graduation and beyond.

As Native People we are powerful beyond words. Our words can be so fragile where, we can move a life. We are powerful where sometimes, we over look our roots, especially in behavior health. In this workshop, participants will be empowered culturally, spiritually and mentally to take action. Participants will be energized to take action to THINK, SPEAK, MOVE, & RISE.

Exploitation is real, and it may impact you everyday. Fake profiles can contact you via social media. You may think it is from friends and family. In-person interaction is made in public places such as parks and in front of and in schools. After attending this training, attendees will have acquired the knowledge base to apply to safe and responsible use of technology and their social media. Know the signs of what to watch for. Empower yourself and help keep your friends safe.

For over 50 years Idyllwild Arts has been a hub for creative people all over the world. Since the beginning, Native American Arts have always been at the forefront of celebrating the arts in a global setting. Some of Indian Country’s most esteemed artists have taught, performed and learned at Idyllwild Arts. In this workshop we want you to let your creative juices flow and learn about amazing opportunities to grow in the arts in either our summer program or academy! Now more than ever we need the arts to help solve many of today’s current issues!

UNITY Peer Guides explore cultural and holistic approaches to building resiliency for Native youth who have experienced trauma. The Peer Guides will explore resources available to help advocates overcome their past traumas in order to better serve the community in the future. Learning Objectives: 1. Peer Guides will share their stories of resilience to empower others. 2. Participants will explore cultural and holistic approaches to building resiliency for Native youth who have experienced trauma. 3. Participants will share resources available to help advocates overcome their past traumas in order to better serve the community in the future

High School Students from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation will share their unique perspective of going to school online for most of the year and then returning to in-person school in March. Students will share their challenges and what helped them succeed in the face of many obstacles.

Join UNITY Peer Guides to identify personal strengths and resources to create community safety and support those impacted by crime. Asset mapping is an important tool for any youth who wishes to address community concerns.Webinar Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will gain tools needed to engage in asset mapping to address community concerns. 2. Participants will identify personal strengths and resources to create community safety and support those impacted by crime. 3. Participants will engage in peer to peer dialogue regarding community resources that may support Native youth empowerment.

How to protect our waterways and our traditional seeds. A seed and a water drop are small, but they are magical as they make the miracle of creating life possible. Join the UNITY Earth Ambassadors as we explore ways to protect our water and traditional seeds.

In our workshop students will learn about the crisis that is MMIW, what we as an organization do to help families and missing relatives and have a chance to ask questions. As well they will have an activity that pulls the students in to talk and share about themselves in order to understand why they as individuals are important. It is an interactive space discussing self worth, acknowledging things you like about yourself, and understanding that because MMIW deals with silence and disappearances we are not invisible and deserve respect, help, & resources.

Being Native and Black is a beautiful thing, but it’s also complex af. Navigating personal identity, awareness of cross-cultural current issues, and understanding our histories are just a few of the intricacies of growing up mixed. Join our talking circle to candidly discuss how you define and celebrate Afro Indigeneity.

Corn has sustained many Indigenous tribes since times of immemorial. Learn the basics to how corn is planted, nourished, harvested, and prepared for traditional foods and cultural practices. Also learn how Winslow Residential Hall uniquely started its first traditional corn field.

2021 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION RATES

February Special: $250
March 1 – April 15: $300
April 16 – May 31: $350
June 1 – June 18: $400
NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION

Book your hotel reservations now! Limited rooms are available at a special UNITY rate! CLICK HERE.

Rate: $164.00 (Average nightly rate + taxes & fees)

DEPOSIT REQUIRED: One Night Room & Tax deposit required at the time of booking, for each reservation booked. A credit card will be charged within 72 hours after the reservation has been booked.
CANCELLATION POLICY: You may cancel your reservation with no penalty before 11:59 PM local hotel time 3 days before arrival date. Please note that the 1-night room and tax deposit will be forfeited if you cancel after this deadline or if you do not show on the first arrival date booked.