Walking With Purpose: Reflections on the 2024 White House Tribal Youth Forum

As Indigenous youth, we walk this world with an important purpose. We are the bridge connecting past generations to the next. We are tasked with carrying the resilience and wisdom of our ancestors, while forging paths for the future. This responsibility was never clearer to me than during my experience at the 2024 White House Tribal Youth Forum, where I had the honor of representing my community and getting to speak on a climate change panel.

When I gazed out into the audience that day, I didn’t just see the individuals sitting before me. I envisioned the thousands of future Generations who would be shaped by the actions of the youth gathered in that room. From Alaska to Mexico, we came together as Indigenous youth to take up space, advocate for our communities and proudly declare, *Ꮟ ᎣᏤᏙᎭ* – we are still here.

Representing both the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute as a California Native Youth Collective (CNYC) Ambassador and United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY) as a 25 Under 25 honoree, I felt a convergence of the worlds I inhabit. These two roles symbolize the interconnectedness of Indigenous youth and our communities. In Cherokee, we have the value of *ᏕᏣᏓᏟᏴᏎᏍᏗ* – clinging to each other. It is this unity that strengthens us, even amidst the uncertainty and challenges that have long defined our histories and will continue as we move in this Settler Colonial Society.

At the Forum, I was reminded of how deeply connected we are as Indigenous peoples. Whether my tribe in Oklahoma or other Indigenous people of the world, we share common struggles and triumphs. As a CYNC Ambassador, I’ve learned that these challenges –  environmental struggles, loss of land and threats to sovereignty – affect us all. I believe it is my responsibility to uplift every Indigenous voice in any way I can. Through this role, I have deepened my understanding of California’s complex history, particularly the challenges stemming from the Gold Rush, land dispossession, the Mission System and use of Western education to undermine Indigenous self-determination.

Speaking on the climate change panel, I emphasized our inherent right to self-determination. As tribal nations, we must assert this right in the face of uncertainty. Attending the Forum, I not only saw hundreds of representatives of Indigenous communities but also felt the presence and long continuation of Indigenous youth leading fights in climate change, food sovereignty, education and countless other fields. Their stories, songs and prayers echo that power in every word spoken that day.

As Indigenous youth, we are inherently futurists and dreamers. I dream of a day where this gathering isn’t just one day a year, but a constant conversation integrating both Indigenous people and youth voices within policy discussions, listening to us when discussing impactful decisions, and knowing we have so much to teach and share that cannot be found anywhere else.

This Forum was not a conclusion – it was a beginning. A catalyst for action. For me, it reinforced that we are more than individuals advocating for change. We are a collective, bound by shared resilience and the determination to create a future that honors our ancestors and empowers our descendants.

The message I want to share with other Native youth is that while I was deeply honored to attend this Forum, it’s vital to remember that we belong in these spaces. We must confidently assert our presence in places that were once used to exclude us or to dismantle our communities. Our voices and perspectives are powerful, and when we share them, it’s not just a privilege for us – it’s an honor for those listening. They should recognize the strength and wisdom we bring, and we should never doubt the value of our contributions. We should never feel pressured to compromise who we are to fit into a Western definition of success. Instead, we must embrace being unapologetically Indigenous, take up every bit of space we deserve and leave the door wide open for others to walk through with us.

As I carry these memories forward, I am inspired by the voices I heard, the stories I learned and the prayers that uplifted us all. The greatest takeaway from this experience is the reminder that our work does not end here. We must continue to walk with purpose, clinging together and ensuring that when our descendants look back on us, they see a generation that stood firm, united and unyielding in the fight for our communities, our lands and our future.

Read more about the 2024 White House Tribal Youth Forum: Native Youth Pave the Way Forward.