UNITY Launches Digital Storytelling Training in Portland, Oregon
New UNITY Talks curriculum connects Native youth with Indigenous media professionals and hands-on storytelling opportunities.
PORTLAND, OR. — United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY) launched its new UNITY Talks Digital Storytelling Training on October 16–18, 2026, in Portland, Oregon. The three-day pilot training brought together Native youth from the Northwest region to develop practical media production and communication skills. Through partnerships with Indigenous media organizations and professional storytellers, participants explored how digital media can be used to address issues affecting Native communities, share personal experiences, and encourage community action.
The training began with a visit to Underscore Native News, where Managing Editor Christine Trudeau and journalist Nika Bartoo-Smith discussed Indigenous journalism, news reporting, and the importance of accurate Native representation in the media. Activities continued at Portland State University’s Native American Student and Community Center, where participants selected topics based on the National UNITY Council’s Top Ten Issues and began developing stories focused on their communities.
Throughout the weekend, youth explored five digital storytelling formats: UNITY News, podcasts, vlogs, public talks, and creative media campaigns. UNITY Executive Director Mary Kim Titla, an award-winning journalist and former television news reporter, shared her professional experience and guided participants through youth journalism and news production. Representatives from We R Native presented strategies for incorporating public health messaging into digital storytelling, while Angela Noah of Young Elders Podcast introduced podcast production and interviewing techniques. Casey and Dimi of 80% Studios led creative storytelling activities using Indigenous art, comics, and visual media. Each session included hands-on opportunities for youth to plan, record, edit, and review their own media projects.
The new UNITY Talks curriculum emphasizes responsible storytelling, media literacy, cultural awareness, and practical communication skills. Participants learned how to identify an audience, develop a clear message, verify information, obtain consent, and select appropriate media platforms. Youth also received guidance from UNITY alumni and peer mentors Tokala Halsey American Bear, Evynn Richardson, Miguel Bravo, Susanna Osife, and Northwest National UNITY Council Representative Dean Smith, with technical production support from Racheal Mosley. The training concluded with participants reviewing their work, receiving feedback, and identifying opportunities to continue developing community media projects.
The UNITY Talks initiative is supported by a two-year grant from the Bezos Family Foundation and will expand through additional regional trainings, professional mentorship, and youth-led media projects. The program is designed to strengthen communication skills within Native youth councils and provide opportunities for youth-created media to be shared at regional and national events. UNITY will continue introducing the curriculum at the 2027 National UNITY Midyear Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, February 12–15, where participants will have opportunities to learn from Indigenous media professionals and practice the five storytelling formats.
Learn more and register: 2027 National UNITY Midyear Conference