2016 Summer Edition

Declared by State of Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin as “UNITY National Conference Days,” the United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (better known as UNITY) held its annual national conference July 22-26, returning to its birthplace, Oklahoma City, to celebrate 40 years of supporting and embracing Native youth leadership. UNITY founder and former director, J.R. Cook, was on-hand, interacting with more than 1,700 registered attendees during the 5-day national conference. The agenda featured popular keynote speakers, more than 40 workshops, a youth roundtable led by the National Education Association and ESSA, fitness activities, the UNITY fire, the UNITY drum, more than 50 exhibitors, a college and career expo presented by the University of Oklahoma (OU), a cultural exchange, talent night, and the UNITY 40th anniversary celebration and awards gala.

Keynote speakers featured Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills (Oglala Lakota), Actor Arthur Redcloud (Navajo), Actor/Rapper/Entrepreneur and CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, Gary “Litefoot” Davis (Cherokee), youth leadership advocate and trainer, Howard Rainer (Taos Pueblo), along with an all-star leadership training team led by Juanita Toledo (Jemez Pueblo), Beatrice “Aunt Bea” Shawanda (Wilkemikong First Nations), Chance Rush (Three Affiliated Tribes - Hidatsa), and Marcus “Emcee One” Guinn (Osage/Potowatami).

Read the full article at WWW.UNITYINC.ORG

NatioNal CoNfereNCe Celebrates 40 Years of UNitYMore than 1,700 registered attendees from Tribal and Indigenous communities across the Nation and Canada gather in Oklahoma City

UPCoMiNG UNitY eVeNts

SEPT. 5-11, 2016

NationalSuicide Prevention

Week

SEPT. 10, 2016

World Suicide Prevention DayUNITY Fire Event

Mesa, Arizona

SEPT. 30 - OCT. 2, 2016

Today’s Native Leaders Youth

Training Anchorage, Alaska

DEC. 2 - 4, 2016

Today’s Native Leaders Youth

Training Palm Springs, California

FEB. 17 - 20, 2017

UNITY MidyearConference

Tempe, Arizona

www.unityinc.org

Email: EvEnts@unityinc.org

UNITY, Inc. 1 N. MacDonald Drive, Suite 212Mesa, AZ 85201

Office (480) 718-9793Fax (480) 773-6369

TODAY’S NATIVE LEADERS TRAINING HEADS TO ALASKA

UNITY’s Today’s Native Leaders Community Service Academy program is heading to Anchorage, Alaska from September 30 through October 2, 2016. The training, which will focus on designing community projects, includes: •Teambuildingactivities •Developingcommunityserviceprojects •Actionplanning&eventpromotion •HowtocreateaUNITYyouthcouncil •Plus,anopportunitytopresentatanationalconference

Native youth ages 14—24 years old are encouraged to apply. First-come, first-serve! The training will takeplaceattheAnchorageSheratonHotel&Spa.RegistrationisFREE—butspaceislimited!For questions and lodging scholarship information, contact Lynnann Yazzie at l.yazzie@unityinc.org or call (480) 718-9793.

UNITY founder, J.R. Cook, congratulates UNITY’s 25 Under 25 honorees.

Youth participate in cultural fitness workshop acitvities.

Youth enjoying the National UNITY Conference.

The 2016/2017 National UNITY Council Executive Committee (NUC EC) were elected by peer youth leaders at theannual NUC Business Meeting held during the 2016 National UNITY Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The NUC EC is made up of one male and one female who serve as co-Presidents, and 10 area representatives who represent UNITY youth councils and individual members in 10 regions. UNITY congratulates the newly elected leadership and looks forward to a productive year working with the NUC EC. The new officers are:

•NationalMaleCo-President–HamiltonSeymour(NooksackIndianTribe) •NationalFemaleCo-President–SarahScott(Lummi) Regional Representatives: •GreatPlains–JoshuaTufIronShell(RosebudSiouxTribe-SicanguLakota) •Midwest–EthanHunt(SaginawChippewaIndianTribe) •Northeast–BraydenSonnyWhite(St.RegisMohawk) •Northwest–SuSunFisher(ConfederatedTribesofSiletzIndians) •Pacific–LeticiaGonzales(BishopCaliforniaPaiute) •RockyMountain–VanceHomeGun(ConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribes) •Southeast–HalonaBenjamin(LumbeeTribeofNorthCarolina) •SouthernPlains–SophieTiger(ComancheNationofOklahoma) •Southwest–KenabaHatathlie(Navajo) •Western–LanceSanchez(TohonoO’odham)

NEW NUC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTED

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS PRESENTED AT NATIONAL CONFEREENCEAt the UNITY 40th anniversary gala held during the National UNITY Conference this summer, UNITY presented itsannual awards and scholarships. Congratulations to this year’s well-deserved recipients!

J.R. Cook Youth Advisor of the Year: Michael Preston (Gila River Indian Community)

Golda Cook $1,000 Memorial Scholarships: Kaleena Stone (Bishop Paiute) and Shante Slender (Navajo)

UNITY Youth Council of the Year:Muscogee (Creek) Nation Youth Council

Eddie Wadda Alumni of the Year: Marty Ybarra (Ho-Chunk)

“25 UNDer 25” YoUtH leaDers iN iNDiaN CoUNtrY aNNoUNCeD

UNITY has announced the second class of its “25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders” national recognition program that honors Native American and Alaska Native youth. The program, which launched in 2014 and is awarded every other year, recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Native youth leaders under the age of 25, who embody UNITY’s core mission and exudes living a balanced life developing their spiritual, mental, physical and social well-being.

The 2016 Class of “25 Under 25 Native Youth Leaders” are:

The honorees will receive hands-on learning experiences, provided by UNITY, over the period of nine months, designed to build on their individual achievements. Applicants were judged by an independent committee who scored applications based on strength of application, strength of nomination form, strength of resume, strength of supplemental information, and potential to impact Native America.

UNitY laUNCHes “fitNess 40” aPP

Exciting news! In celebration of UNITY’s 40th anniversary this year, and to promote healthy living, UNITY has launched a new program and app called “UNITY Fitness 40.”

The UNITY Fitness 40 program encourages and challenges individuals and communities to dedicate at least 40 minutes of activity, 4 times a week, to benefit personal health, and physical and mental well-being.

The new app will support the program by sending weekly motivational messages, health tips, exercise and activity suggestions, healthy recipes, video messages and more! You can sign-up for the app by searching for “UNITY Fitness 40” in the Apple App Store or Google Play store. Sign-up today and please share our app with your family, friends and community!

Birk Albert, 17, Athabascan - Lake Placid, New YorkCaitlin Bordeaux, 24, Rosebud Sioux - St. Francis, South DakotaSeth Cooper, 19, Walker River Paiute - Glendale, ArizonaMichele Danner, 18, Inupiaq - Anchorage, AlaskaSarah DeHerrera, 21, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma - Santa Clarita, CaliforniaCierra Fields, 16, Cherokee Nation - Fort Gibson, OklahomaAnissa Garcia, 21, Akimel O’odham - Sacaton, ArizonaMariah Gladstone, 22, Blackfeet - Kalispell, MontanaShandiin Gorman, 17, Navajo - Mesa, ArizonaVanceHomeGun,22,ConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribes - Arlee, MontanaSarah Jones, 22, Chickasaw Nation - Ada, OklahomaRebecca Kirk, 24, Klamath - Seattle, WashingtonJoRee LaFrance, 20, Crow Nation - Crow Agency, Montana

William Lucero, 19, Lummi - Ferndale, WashingtonJessica McCool, 18, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians - Solvang, CaliforniaLakota Pochedley, 24, Citizen Potawatomi - Shawnee, OklahomaHamilton Seymour, 16, Nooksack - Bellingham, WashingtonDyami Thomas, 22, Klamath/Leech Lake Ojibway - Seattle, WashingtonTatiana Ticknor, 17, Dena’ina/Tlingit - Anchorage, AlaskaClaullen Tillman, 20, Eastern Shoshone - Lander, WyomingDeLesslin George-Warren, 24, Catawba - Washington, DCRory Wheeler, 18, Seneca Nation - Irving, New YorkBrayden White, 21, St. Regis Mohawk - Hogansburg, New YorkChristie Wildcat, 17, Northern Arapaho - Riverton, WyomingEric Woody, 17, Navajo - Kirtland, New Mexico

COMMEMORATIVE UNITY PENDLETON NOW AVAILABLE

UNITY has unveiled its commemorative and limted-edition (only 250 produced) UNITY Pendleton blanket. Designed by Pendleton, the UNITY blanket incorporates elements that are significant to the organization including fire, the eagle, and eagle feathers.

For a donation to UNITY of $275, a Pendleton blanket will be shipped to you as a special thank you.

Forty blankets have been personally signed by UNITY founder, J.R. Cook. This special edition “Founder’s Blanket” is UNITY’s gift for any donation of $500 or more. Only 40 blankets are available for this special edition.

All proceeds benefit Native youth leadership development throughUNITY.VisitUNITY’swebsitewww.unityinc.orgor call the UNITY office at (480) 718-9793 to place your order today!

UNITY COMMEMORATIVEPENDLETON BLANKET

SAVE THE DATES

Please be sure to include several upcoming and important UNITY dates on your calendar! Stay connected with UNITY by visiting our website often and connecting with us on social media!September 2016•5-11:NationalSuicidePreventionWeek•10:WorldSuicidePreventionDay–UNITYFire(UNITYHeadquarters–Mesa,Arizona)•30-2:TNLAlaska(Anchorage,Alaska)

October 2016•1:MidyearConferenceRegistrationEARLY-BIRDREGISTRATION OPEN: $175 Member/$185 Non-Member (Tempe, Arizona)•8:NativeAmericanRecognitionsDayParade–UNITYfloat(Phoenix, Arizona)

December 2016•1:MidyearConferenceRegistrationPRE-REGISTRATIONRATE: $200 Member/$210 Non-Member (Tempe, Arizona)•2-4:TNLPalmSprings(PalmSprings,California)•3:APSLightParade–UNITYfloat(Phoenix,Arizona)•29:UNITYAnnualOpenHouse(Tentative)(Mesa,Arizona)

January 2017•15:PFChang’sRace–UNITYNativeRunnersGroup(Phoenix, Arizona)

February 2017•1:MidyearConferenceRegistrationFULLREGISTRATIONRATE (On-site only starting Feb 1: $225 Member/$235 Non-Member) (Tempe, Arizona)•17-20:UNITYMidyearConference(Tempe,Arizona)

•21:UNITYEarthAmbassadorApplicationsOpen(on-line)•21:NationalConferenceRegistrationPRE-EARLYBIRDREGISTRATION OPEN: $200 Member/$210 Non-Member (Denver, Colorado)

March 2017•TNLOklahoma(TBA)(OklahomaCity,Oklahoma)

April 2017•1:NationalConferenceRegistrationEARLY-BIRDREGISTRATION: $225 Member/$235 Non-Member (Denver, Colorado)•TNLBoston(TBD)(Boston,Massachusetts)•28:UNITYEarthAmbassadorAnnouncements

May 2017•5:UNITYGolfClassic(FortMcDowell,Arizona)•15:NationalConferenceRegistrationPRE-REGISTRATION:$275 Member/$285 Non-Member (Denver, Colorado)

June 2017:•15:NationalConferencePRE-REGISTRATIONDEADLINEOn-site ONLY after this date: $300 Member/$310 Non-Member)

July 2017•6:TNLSummit(Denver,Colorado)•7-11:2017NationalUNITYConference(Denver,Colorado)