2017 State of Native Youth Report Release

On November 15, CNAY celebrated Native American Heritage Month by releasing its second annual State of Native Youth report, centered on the intersection of Native identities and civic engagement. 

Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute Releases Second Annual State of Native Youth Report

November 15, Washington, DC – Today at 12 PM Eastern Time, the Center for Native American Youth at The Aspen Institute (CNAY) will release its second annual State of Native Youth report and celebrate Native American Heritage Month with a panel event in Washington, DC. The report and event theme are centered on the intersections of Native American identities and civic engagement. The report also features a foreword by U.S. Senator Al Franken (MN), and 2017 CNAY Champion for Change, Nancy Deere-Turney, Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Featured Native youth panelists include Kayleigh Warren, Co-Chairwoman of the Santa Clara Pueblo Youth Tribal Council; Anthony Tamez, Co-President of Chi-Nations Youth Council; and Samuel Schimmel, 2017 CNAY Champion for Change. Joining the panel to provide perspectives as an indigenous community organizer is Chrissie Castro, Vice Chairwoman of the Los Angeles City-County Native American Indian Commission. Opening remarks will be provided by Sari Horwitz, a Pulitzer Prize winning Staff Writer for The Washington Post whose work to cover social injustices in Native communities has helped raise the profile of these issues in the national media.

The discussion will be co-moderated by CNAY Executive Director Erik Stegman and CNAY Founder Senator Byron Dorgan (ret.). In addition to raising awareness of the challenges facing Native youth in the U.S., the event seeks to elevate Native youth-led initiatives that capitalize on cultural strengths.

“Our State of Native Youth report combines survey data, research, program highlights, and the stories of Native youth to give us a clear picture of the resources our young people need,” says Stegman. “We strive to make this report a platform and roadmap for building opportunity for Native youth across the country.”

Each year, the State of Native Youth report highlights priorities shared by Native youth in roundtable meetings with CNAY and through virtual participation in the Gen-I Online Roundtable Survey. This year, survey participants identified culture and language, education, and employment as their top three priorities. In addition to sharing these findings, the report examines data indicators of Native youth success, as well as the policies that impact their lives.

Visit www.facebook.com/center4native to watch a recording of the event.

Click here to read the 2017 State of Native Youth report online.

Click here for a print-friendly version of the report.