UNITY Youth Highlight Katy Johnston’s first UNITY conference as Female Co-President carried both a leadership milestone and a personal sense of connection. At the February 2024 Midyear Conference in Arizona, being surrounded by Native youth and the UNITY community was an important part of what she took from the gathering. Johnston, a member of the […]
Youth Councils in Action Marla Mesarina’s March work connected youth voice with tribal decision-making, environmental leadership, mental health, and cultural learning. Her Midwest update described a month of bringing young people into conversations about their communities while supporting opportunities for them to develop and share solutions. As Midwest Representative in UNITY’s 2023–2024 National UNITY Council […]
UNITY Youth Highlight Jalen Harvey’s third Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day brought a new responsibility: helping UNITY with a youth workshop while continuing to build relationships with tribal leaders. The January 10, 2024 gathering in Arizona connected her regional youth leadership role with conversations about the future of her community. Harvey, who identifies as […]
UNITY Youth Highlight Jonathan Arakawa’s report from the 2024 Reservation Economic Summit described a week of active participation for UNITY youth leaders: presenting their work, exploring organizational collaboration, and sharing leadership experiences alongside Executive Director Mary Kim Titla. Held March 11–14 in Las Vegas and organized by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, […]
Youth Councils in Action Marla Mesarina’s February leadership work linked conference responsibilities with council-building, language learning, and cultural exchange across the Midwest. Returning home from UNITY’s Midyear Conference, she continued supporting youth who wanted stronger connections with the organization while taking on a new local council role. Mesarina, who identifies as Leech Lake Ojibwe and […]
UNITY Youth Highlight Returning to Rocky Boy for a round dance gave Watson Whitford a grounding start to January before another semester at Montana State University. Despite freezing temperatures, time with family and community offered a chance to reconnect as he prepared for the responsibilities of school and regional youth leadership. Whitford, who identifies as […]
UNITY Youth Highlight Morning Star Powwow at The John Carroll School in Bel Air, Maryland, gave Nathan Solorio a chance to connect with Native youth councils through a community cultural gathering. In his January report, UNITY’s Northeast Representative described seeing members of both New Dawn Youth Council and LUNA Youth Council at the powwow. “It […]
Youth Councils in Action New Dawn Youth Council’s December 17, 2023 Christmas party in Bridgeton, New Jersey, offered a local example of youth creating a positive gathering for their community. Northeast Representative Nathan Solorio highlighted the celebration in his January report to UNITY, recognizing council service even though he was unable to attend. “Unfortunately I […]
UNITY Youth Highlight Nathan Solorio began his second term as UNITY’s Northeast Representative with a responsibility that extends beyond a title: staying connected to Native youth councils, helping young people find opportunities, and carrying their perspectives into a national network. A member of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Solorio was sworn in during the 2023 National […]
UNITY Youth Highlight Regional leadership often grows through the conversations that happen between formal meetings. For Nathan Solorio, an August 2023 powwow in Alexandria, Virginia, and a UNITY Connect gathering created two different ways to meet Native youth and strengthen relationships across regional boundaries. Solorio, of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, served as Northeast Representative in […]
