Committed to Our Relatives: Remembering Our Sisters Fellows at the Women Are Sacred Conference

written by CNAY Program Coordinator Samantha Hintz (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians)

Closing out the month of July, Jori Cowley (Cherokee & Shawnee), Angelina Hinojosa (Pinoleville Pomo Nation) and Jaden Shirley (Navajo) represented the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the 2025 Women Are Sacred Conference in Milwaukee, WI. This year’s theme was “Committed to Our Relatives: Tradition in Our Hearts, Future in Our Hands,” and CNAY was proud to spotlight the work and experiences of our 2025 Remembering Our Sisters Fellows. It was so impactful to help create a unique platform for youth voices to be highlighted in this otherwise adult space. 

After a full day of attending various sessions, and sitting in community with all attendees, CNAY’s Fellows had the chance to lead a workshop of their own on the second day of the conference, titled “Remembering Our Sisters: Youth Storytelling, And Advocacy.” The room was packed with attendees of all ages excited to hear more about youth advocacy within the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) movement.

Jori started the workshop by leading a body mapping exercise to ground us before launching into an often difficult topic. Sharing the story of the corn husk doll from her community, Jori asked everyone in the space to draw either a doll, an animal or other being representative of themself at the conference. This became a model used to indicate how they were feeling in their body, whether that be tension,excitement or joy. While participants were drawing, Angelina and Jaden also shared stories from their homes. 

When the group came together again after the grounding exercise, each Fellow took a turn speaking about their journey to advocacy and how they became involved with the Remembering Our Sisters Fellowship. Fellows spoke about their connections to the movement, from personal experience as well as regarding the global impact the crisis has had on all our communities. Fellows offered their input on how to encourage other youth to become involved, and reminded us that healing is not a destination, but a path. 

Before concluding the workshop, participants had the chance to ask Fellows for their perspectives as youth MMIP experts, with questions ranging from how to teach younger children about MMIP to sharing about their work compiling their Remembering Our SIsters Fellowship projects. While the topic of conversation was heavy, the Fellows spoke of their hopes for the movement and the progress being made. Angelina emphasized the importance of bringing youth into the conversation and keeping conversations multigenerational: “change takes time, but it starts in just one generation.” When asked how she deals with the weight of her work, Angelina reiterated that she leans on the wisdom of generations that have come before her. Similarly, Jaden reminded us that “we [as Native people] have survived to be here and continue building on the strength of our ancestors.”

After an empowering and enlightening two days of learning and sharing, we closed out the conference by attending the All Things Feminine Powwow, a space of joy and dancing. Fellows had the chance to visit Lake Michigan and continue building community with one another in a joyful way. CNAY thanks the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) for inviting us to present at this year’s Women Are Sacred Conference. We look forward to continuing to grow in community alongside all those with whom we shared space.