The VA250 Commission, the Virginia Tribal Nations Leadership Advisory Council, and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, in partnership with the United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund, are inviting Native youth artists and writers to participate in the Visionary Sovereign Voices Competition.
This special opportunity is part of VA250’s upcoming event, “Our Inherently Sovereign Status & Existence as Tribal Nations: Exploring and Understanding a Unique, Complicated, and Intertwined Diplomatic Relationship with the United States,” taking place April 24–25, 2026, in Williamsburg, Virginia.
The event will center the true history, lived experiences, and continued sovereignty of Tribal Nations who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial, long before the Declaration of Independence. It will bring together Tribal leaders, youth voices, scholars, advocates, and distinguished guests to reflect on the relationship between Tribal Nations and the United States.
The Visionary Sovereign Voices Competition invites Native youth writers and artists to respond to the following prompt:
What does the American 250th Semiquincentennial mean to you as a dual citizen Indigenous person? What is your dream and vision as we move forward to a more appropriate and respectful sovereign-to-sovereign relationship?
Five selected youth will be invited to read or perform their work during the event. Submissions may include poetry, essays, songs, interpretive dance, or other artistic expressions. Each winner will receive a $500 award, and airfare and lodging will be covered for winners to attend the event in person.
The April 25 signature event will include a Grand Entry Procession of Tribal Nations and posting of flags, an Indigenous spiritual and prayer offering, youth artistic presentations, and panel discussions on important topics such as Tribal sovereignty before foreign contact, the influence of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy on American democracy, federal trust and treaty obligations, the evolution of federal Indian policy, and the future of Tribal Nation–United States relations.
The event will also feature a keynote address by Justice Neil Gorsuch on respecting the inherent sovereignty of Tribal Nations and honoring the United States’ promises and obligations to Indian Country.
Eligible applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 24 years old by the application deadline and must be an enrolled Native American Indigenous youth or a descendant of an enrolled citizen.
Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted or considered.
The Visionary Sovereign Voices Competition is an opportunity for Native youth to speak truth, share creativity, and help shape the conversation about sovereignty, history, and the future. As the nation reflects on 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, this competition ensures that Indigenous voices are not only included, but centered.