UNITED NATIVES TRIBAL YOUTH COUNCIL

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Hello, my name is Inez Gilson. I am 20 years old. I am from the San Carlos Apache tribe and Seneca Nation of Indians. I live in Salamanca, New York. I am a junior at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. I am an International Studies and English double major, and I am in the Law & Policy program. I am a member of the United Natives Youth Council. I decided to be apart of this youth group because their goals align with mine. I am personally aware of the problems that plague our community. Native Americans struggle to overcome drugs, alcohol, poverty, assimilation, and many other social issues. My generation has claimed the responsibility to improve the conditions within our fragmented communities. We have made an obligation to our ancestors to restore our language, culture, and environment. Our reservations are full of brilliant and passionate youth who are ready for change, but improving our communities is challenging when our youth don't have the funding, resources, or support. As a member of the United Natives Youth council my goals are to raise awareness of the problems within Indian country, to give the youth a platform to speak, to implement ideas that will help our communities, to guide or mentor fellow youth, and establish a group of likeminded individuals. I, as well as many other youth, want to end the cycle of suffering and create the foundations for a prosperous future. I am honored to represent my people and enthusiastic to start this journey of healing.         

Carson is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Currently, she is a candidate for the MPhil in Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford. While there, she co-founded the Oxford Indigenous Research and Discussion Group. In 2019, Carson graduated

with honors from Stanford University, where she received a BA in Political Science with a minor in Native American Studies. Carson is a member of the

Native American Rights Fund (NARF) Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative Advisory Committee, where she works with indigenous leaders around North America to collaborate on peacemaking initiatives. In

the past, Carson has been invited to present her work in various settings, including the Caux Forum on Just Governance and Human Security and Stanford University Law School. She has previous teaching experience at the Stanford University Design School. 

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 20 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.