CNAY Empowers Young Indigenous Women and Femme Leaders to Raise Awareness and Advocate for Change

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
May 22, 2024

CONTACT: Harper Estey, Harper@NUNAConsultGroup.com 

Center for Native American Youth Empowers Young Indigenous Women and Femme Leaders to Raise Awareness and Advocate for Change

WASHINGTON – The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) is proud to announce the 2024 cohort of the Remembering Our Sisters Fellowship, a virtual storytelling and digital arts program that supports individuals with a demonstrated commitment to raise awareness about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2S+) epidemic.

The Remembering Our Sisters Fellowship equips Fellows with tools, resources, and a platform to advocate for increased visibility and action to end the MMIWG2S+ crisis and advance policies to end violence against Indigenous women and girls. Through this six-month program, Fellows create digital art and digital storytelling projects that bring attention and awareness to this critical issue.

“We are honored to welcome the 2024 Remembering Our Sisters Fellows into our CNAY family,” said Cheyenne Brady, Associate Director of Youth Programs. “By uplifting their voices through the arts, these young leaders are fueling the powerful and relentless movement that is working to protect our Indigenous sisters, daughters, and relatives.”

The 2024 Remembering Our Sisters Fellows are:

  • Sage Chief (Oglala Lakota and Diné)
  • McKaylin Peters (Menominee Nation)
  • Linaly Miyamoto (Coast Salish Cowichan)
  • MarLynn Cloud (Apsáalooke Nation)
  • Christina Kaltsukis (Yakama)
  • Summer Wildbill (Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation)

The Fellowship kicked off with the 2024 Remember Our Sisters Week, where the new cohort came together virtually to discuss their goals, learn from one another, and hear from influential women working to address the MMIWG2S+ epidemic. 

Speakers included former North Dakota State Representative Ruth Buffalo (Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation), Executive Producer of the short film “Not Afraid” Jen Murphey (Chippewa Cree Tribes), ReeCreeations owner Agnes Woodward-Yellowbear (Kawacatoose First Nation), 3rd year PhD Candidate Jamie Yellowtail (Apsáalooke), and award-winning investigative journalist Connie Walker (Cree).

Throughout the Fellowship, participants receive stipends, technical assistance, mentorship, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and a platform to share their projects. By amplifying the voices and stories of these young leaders, CNAY aims to drive meaningful change and honor the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals affected by this ongoing crisis.

For more information about the Remembering Our Sisters Fellowship and the Center for Native American Youth, please visit www.cnay.org.

Members of the media interested in learning more about the program or setting up an interview should contact Harper Estey at Harper@NUNAConsultGroup.com. 

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The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute is a national organization that works alongside Native youth – ages 24 and under – on reservations, in rural villages and urban spaces across the country to improve their health, safety, and overall well- being. Rooted in culture, our vision is for all Native American youth to lead full and healthy lives, be honored for the leaders they are, and have the resources and agency to create the world Native youth are worthy of and deserve.