Greetings National UNITY Council,
Your UNITY youth leaders have been busy! On behalf of your elected Executive Committee representatives, we are eager to share the following proposed initiatives sponsored by various Programs within the UNITY Network. Each Program focuses on a different aspect of the social, mental, spiritual and physical development. As you may know the members of each UNITY-affiliated youth council appoint two individuals (one young woman, one young man) to serve as their representatives on the National UNITY Council (NUC).
Per UNITY’s Constitution and Bylaws, the following three Resolutions are being sent out 30 days prior to the Business Meeting, being held during the 2020 UNITY Midyear Conference in Tempe, Arizona (February 14-17). Please share these documents with your Youth Council and discuss their national impact. Here is the 2020 NUC Midyear Business Meeting Agenda.
These Resolutions, if approved by your Youth Council, will set the tone for our entire network in 2020. UNITY’s strength is found within these youth driven national campaigns. Whenever a Resolution is passed, all of the Youth Councils with in the UNITY Network are encouraged to host local community service projects addressing these topics during that calendar year.
UNITY Members in good standing will vote on these proposed Resolutions at the upcoming Business Meeting. To learn more about the NUC and your Youth Council Representatives’ roles, please sign up your two representatives for this complimentary Pre-Conference training.
The Executive Committee is proud to announce their 2020 “Healing Starts Here” Initiative addressing strengthening Native youth Identity and sense of Belonging. We know that with your Council’s support, we can start a movement of healing that will sweep across the nation! The Executive Committee will give a special presentation at the Midyear Conference to explain this campaign further.
2020 Healing Starts Here EC Resolution
The UNITY Earth Ambassadors know that the time to address Climate Change is Now. Our people have always been earth protectors and caretakers. What better way to revitalize our cultural environmental teaching than on the 50th Anniversary or National Earth Day?! Your Earth Ambassadors are proposing a Resolution for the NUC each host a UNITY Day collectively celebrating Earth Day together this April 22, 2020!
2020 UNITY Earth Day Resolution
The UNITY Peer Guides are proposing a Resolution for the NUC to support their new “Healing Indigenous Lives Initiative.” This is the first time UNITY youth have designed a training specifically targeting “at-risk-youth” who may need additional support. With the support of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Peer Guide cohort will host six regional listening sessions to collect solutions to address youth incarceration, drop-out rates and other community challenges. We hope your Youth Council will support our efforts by attending one of these six free UNITY trainings.
2020-21 Healing Indigenous Lives Resolution
In efforts to build upon UNITY’s 2016“Our Sisters’ Voice” Initiative, the 2019-2020 EC has created the special task force “Protecting Our Sisters” Subcommittee, to develop tools and share resources with the NUC. This Subcommittee, led by NUC Female Co-President Brittany McKaine, will call upon youth to raise awareness of Violence against women and the current Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic. If interested, NUC representatives are encouraged to join this work group to help develop a tool kit for UNITY youth. More information on this subcommittee will be shared during the Business Meeting at the 2020 Midyear.
Join the Protecting Our Sisters Subcommittee
Your Voice Matters! Each of these initiatives were carefully crafted and designed by your elected youth leaders. Created for Native youth by Native youth. Now it’s your turn. Please add these Resolutions to your next Youth Council’s meeting Agenda for review. We look forward to hearing your feedback next month at the Mid-Year Business Meeting.
For more information, questions or concerns please email: nucec@unityinc.org