Partnership in Practice: 2025 National UNITY Conference

written by CNAY Communications Manager Jamie Levitt & Program Coordinator Samantha Hintz (Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) 

The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) was honored to be invited to the 2025 National UNITY Conference, a transformative event grounded in cultural connection, intergenerational knowledge, and Indigenous leadership. From the powerful opening ceremony to the final friendship circle, each day in sunny San Diego centered one of the four quadrants of wellness: spiritual, mental, physical and social development. 

CNAY staff – joined by Ian Teller (Diné), 2024 Champion for Change and Chair of our Youth Advisory Board – spent much of the event engaging with youth in various sessions and social gatherings throughout the conference, and at our booth in the main hall. While it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces in the crowd, this also provided us with a unique opportunity to reach young people who may not have otherwise heard about CNAY. 

On Saturday, attendees wore orange in honor of Every Child Matters. The Sicangu Youth Council delivered a moving presentation on the Carlisle Indian School repatriation, reminding us: “We are still here. We have the power to heal. We are the change.” 

In keeping with this powerful theme, Ian led four digital organizing workshops throughout the day, reminding youth of their inherent power to enact change. This session – Let’s Go Viral! Empowering Youth Through Social Media – showcased Ian’s own experiences working with CNAY and how social media fueled his success launching When Natives Vote through the Democracy is Indigenous initiative. In a hands-on activity, attendees put what they learned to the test, making short POV (point-of-view) videos about their experience at UNITY. Ian (who has a significant following on social media) then published the videos to his page – shared by CNAY – to demonstrate how engaging thoughtful content can be.

In celebration of physical wellness and rest, Sunday was a half day. Sessions began with a Traditional Shirt and Skirt fashion show, followed by Quannah Chasinghorse speaking on her experiences not only as a model, but as a Land Defender. Native youth leaders from CNAY, UNITY and NCAI then took the stage for a special fireside chat to punctuate the morning. They reflected on their leadership journeys and highlighted the issues currently at the forefront of their advocacy.

Watson Whitford (UNITY) emphasized the importance of addressing substance abuse and suicide protection, highlighting that all we are all tied together in connection to Mother Earth and our spirituality as Indigenous Peoples. Kaytlynn Johnston (UNITY) reiterated these points, calling on youth to continue showing up for their communities, reminding us all of our shared responsibility to our relatives. 

When asked what inspires him, Ian Teller (CNAY) spoke on the influence of his family, prayer, ceremony, language and community. His drive to leadership comes from a focus on making sure that “at every table, the Native youth voice is heard.” He also spoke about the importance of maintaining a holistic approach to advocacy, emphasizing how interconnected all the issues facing Native youth really are. Jovi Williams (NCAI) – another former Champion for Change – uplifted that Native youth deserve inclusivity. He shared his experiences working with NCAI to ensure youth are included in policy discussions: “Like Ian said, Native youth should feel welcomed in ALL spaces, especially at the forefront of democracy.”

On Monday, everyone was encouraged to wear red in honor of all those affected by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis. The National UNITY Council MMIP Subcommittee began with a moment of silence, followed by an open mic for attendees to read poetry and share stories about their loved ones and community members who have walked on or are still missing today. 

Throughout this final day of sessions, CNAY took the opportunity to engage with as many youth and chaperones as possible. Always looking for ways to keep youth voices at the forefront of our work, we conducted brief interviews about the issues important to Native youth and their communities. Speaking to youth from all over Turtle Island, CNAY staff asked passersby questions like: “Who is your superhero?” and “What does sovereignty mean to you?” – prompting thoughtful responses that will help inform our work into the future. Follow us on Instagram to see snippets of these interviews throughout the year!

With the UNITY Fire still burning strong, attendees all joined hands for a final Friendship Circle on Tuesday morning. Just like the youth, we left the land of the Kumeyaay people feeling invigorated by our time spent in community. From every workshop to every moment shared around the fire — we are proud to uplift the next generation of Indigenous leaders. A huge ‘thank you” to UNITY for including us in this unforgettable gathering! We look forward to many more years of continued partnership.