The North Carolina Native American Youth Organization (NCNAYO) partnered with the Southeastern American Indian Cancer Health Equity Partnership (SAICEP) for a powerful youth-centered initiative aimed at advancing physical wellness and community awareness. Held in Raleigh, the gathering involved five Indigenous youth leaders from NCNAYO in a project that blended culture, health education, and youth empowerment.
SAICEP, a collaborative effort between the community outreach teams of Duke Cancer Institute, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, was created to address cancer-related health disparities impacting American Indian communities across the Southeast. As part of this effort, SAICEP launched a photovoice project in collaboration with NCNAYO to give Indigenous youth a platform to visually document and share their lived experiences, cultural identity, and health concerns affecting their communities.
Through a series of training sessions, NCNAYO youth participants learned how to use photography and narrative storytelling as tools for advocacy and reflection. Their work highlighted community strengths, cultural values, and health-related challenges, serving as a starting point for broader conversations among youth and adult stakeholders alike.
NCNAYO played a key role in shaping the project by recruiting youth, offering leadership and cultural mentorship, and ensuring that the initiative remained youth-led from start to finish. The integration of traditional practices and personal storytelling helped create a supportive environment that celebrated identity while promoting wellness.
By showcasing the photovoice outcomes at events and conferences, the partnership elevated youth voices and contributed to ongoing efforts to inform culturally competent health education, research, and community programming. This collaboration not only advanced health equity but also affirmed the importance of Indigenous youth leadership in addressing social and wellness issues in Native communities.