On July 6, 2017, OJJDP Acting Administrator Eileen M. Garry addressed approximately 300 youth gathered for the Today’s Native Leaders (TNL) National Summit in Denver, CO. OJJDP sponsored this United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY) preconference event through its Today’s Native Leadership initiative. The initiative provides peer-led training to help tribal youth nationwide create action plans to address issues affecting their communities.
The summit brought together training recipients and showcased community service projects that the youth could celebrate, learn from, and possibly replicate in their own communities. Groups that shared projects are:
—OJJDP Acting Administrator Eileen M. Garry
UNITY has partnered with OJJDP on the Today’s Native Leaders project since 2013. To date, TNL has conducted 11 training sessions nationwide for 760 American Indian and Alaska Native youth, and 9 webinars that averaged 80 participants each. Community service projects implemented as a result of the trainings have emphasized improving family and community relationships, sharing and strengthening culture, beautifying communities, and educating youth and families.
The summit occurred 1 day before UNITY’s 2017 National UNITY Conference, which drew more than 2,000 tribal youth from across the country to Denver. This year’s theme was “Finding Wellness and Healing Within Our Cultures.” Workshops covered a range of topics, including human trafficking awareness, addressing substance abuse, and cultural and historic preservation. The conference also featured traditional elements, such as the lighting of the UNITY fire, blessings, and a presentation from an Indigenous youth delegation from Taiwan.
“Working toward meaningful change is hard, for young people and adults alike,” Ms. Garry said. “[B]ut please understand that you have people at UNITY and OJJDP who care about you and your communities. The work you have done to date is both encouraging and impressive.”
UNITY is a national organization with 160 affiliated youth councils operating in 36 states and Canada that represent thousands of Native youth. UNITY’s mission is to foster comprehensive development of American Indian and Alaska Native youth, and involve them in building and unifying a self-reliant Native America.
Resources:
More information on OJJDP’s tribal youth programs and services is available online.
OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center offers additional resources, including no-cost virtual training.