UNITED NATIVES TRIBAL YOUTH COUNCIL

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Nu’ Amber Means yun pahan mahtsiwa. Nu’ Tawasimana yun Hopi mahtsiwa. Nu’

pakapwungwa. Nu’ walnoq sinom.

Eyá lé mitákuyepi, tóna yahípi kin iyúha chanté wastéya napé chiyúzape kstó.

Wasícuiya Amber Means emáciyapi nahán Lakhól micháze kin WoOhiye Yuha Gli Win

emáciyapi kstó. Hopi na Oglala Lakota emátanhan, na lehánl Mesa él wathi ye.

Hello all my relatives. My government name is Amber Means and my Hopi name is

“Sun Flower Girl”. I am a member of the Bamboo Clan from Walpi of the Hopi people.

My Lakota name is “She Returns Home Victorious” and I am a member of the Oglala

and Ihanktowan people.

I currently study at Mesa Community College in the Pathways Program, where I will

transfer in the fall of 2023 to Arizona State University and pursue a Bachelor's degree in

Social Work. I also serve as the President of the Inter-Tribal Student Organization for the academic year 2022-2023.

Currently, I am passionate about helping the Native community, we need services that are directed toward mental health, substance abuse, trauma, suicide, and sexual abuse. I want to bring hope, healing, tradition, and strength back to our people with my own story. I hope throughout my educational journey I can bring these resources back to the reservations, where we can build a strong community, with healing and change within ourselves. 

Askwulii/Pilamaye (Thank you) 

Ya’a’teeh my name is Erin Johns. I am from the Navajo reservation. My clans are the tobacco

people, born for the folded arms people, my maternal grandparents are the cliff dwelling people,

and my paternal grandparents are the red house clan. I am 22 years, and a junior at the University of New Mexico.

Currently I am a Pre-Med student majoring in medical laboratory science and planning to go into dermatology or cardiology as profession. As a youth with a whole future ahead of me, I plan to go get another degree in Native American studies. Being in Pre-Med I plan to go to medical school or do my residency at University of Michigan or UCLA. I also serve on the United Natives youth council and an intern for the University of New Mexico’s Biomedical Research program. Being active in these projects with many more to come, I believe they will help me on my academic journey and far more internships to come.

Yá’át’ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é, shí éí Tommey Jodie yinishyé. Tótsohnii nishłį́, Tó'aheedlíinii bashishchiin, Áshįįhi dashicheii, Ma’ii Deeshgiizhnii éí dashinalí, Ákót’éego éí diné asdzáán nishłį́.

Hello, my name is Tommey Jodie. I am Diné (Navajo), I am from Teesto, Arizona but I grew up in Winslow, Arizona. I am currently a third year at the University of Arizona. I am dual majoring in Food & Nutrition Systems and Food Studies as well as minoring in Native Studies. I grew up on the outskirts of the Navajo Nation, where food insecurity and food deserts weren’t as prevalent. Still, I spent countless summers with my cousins on the Navajo reservation, where the fridge was always empty, and the convenience/grocery store prices were always high. As I got into high school, the concepts of (food) colonialism and assimilation were introduced in my Navajo government class. Which is where I developed interest in food and social justice. I would like to become an advocate for Native food security, sovereignty and foodways. I plan on working within the Navajo Nation and with local Native community leaders to develop long-term/permanent strategies to ensure Native food security. Through foodways, Indigenous people can engage in a recovery from historical trauma and promote indigenous healing and self-determination. I am a part of this cohort because I want to be the representation for Native youth, showing them that there are spaces in and out of our communities for us to occupy and use. That we have the resilience of our ancestors and people to help guide us to those spaces.

Yá’át’ééh my name is Cheyanne Begay. My clans are Kin ł ichinii (The red house people) born for Táchiinii (Red Running into the Water people), my maternal grandparents are the Naaneeshtézhi Táchiinii (The Charcoal Streak People ) and my paternal grandparents are Bit'ahnii (Within His Cover). I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and raised in Window Rock, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation. I graduated from Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington, New Mexico. I am 20 years old and I have obtained an Associates of Arts Degree from Chandler-Gilbert Community College where I played Women’s College Basketball. I am currently a senior at Northern Arizona University where I am pursuing a Bachelor Degree of Interdisciplinary Studies of Justice Studies. I do plan on furthering my education with attending the University of Oregon to obtain a Master’s degree. I serve on the United Native Youth Council to share the importance of becoming a role model for Indigenous Youth.

Yá’át’ééh (Hello). Shí éí Brooke Betsuie yinishyé. Naasht'ézhi Tábąąhá nishłį́.  Kinłichii'nii bashishchiin. Kinyaa'áanii dashicheii. Tó'aheedlíinii dashinalí. Ákót’éego Diné asdzáán nishłį́. Hello, my name is Brooke Betsuie. I am from the Zuni Edge Water clan and born for the Red House People. I come from my maternal grandfather’s clan, Towering house clan, and my paternal grandfather’s clan, Water Comes Together clan. I grew up in rural parts of the Navajo reservation called Tse’ Łigai Haasti’, meaning white rock that sticks out. My family and I called this White Mesa, our home. I am an incoming senior attending Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona with a major in Public Health and minor in Applied Indigenous Studies. I applied to be an intern to be a part of the resolution in helping Indigenous communities as well as advocating for these people. I also would like to learn from this experience and gain public speaking skills and interpersonal relationship skills. This internship will also aid in my experiences within the field of public and help in my knowledge of prevention and intervention research within my academic career.