Champs Week 2026: Defending Sovereignty & Advocating for Change

Executive Director Tracy Goodluck (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin & Mvskoke Creek) officially kicked off Champs Week 2026 with welcome remarks, reminding Champs that they “are not Champions for Change by mistake, but because their ancestors prayed for them to be here in this cohort together.” The Champs then joined attendees of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Executive Council Winter Session for the State of Indian Nations (SOIN) address at the Walter E Washington Convention Center. NCAI President Mark Macarro addressed the impressive crowd of Tribal Leaders and other influential community members from across Indian Country with a distinct call to action. “In every challenge there is opportunity, and we gather with a unified purpose: to build a strong and sustained tribal movement to protect the sovereignty of our Nations.” 

The NCAI Youth Commission Officers Jonas Kanuhsa and Angelina Serna also addressed attendees with a moving sentiment on how we must show up for one another. ”In our cultures, leadership has never been about standing above others – it has always been about standing with them,” said Serna.

Returning to the Aspen Institute, we debriefed about what we heard (and what we didn’t hear) at the SOIN – providing Champs an opportunity to reflect on the experience and think critically about this avenue of leadership. Each 2026 Champion for Change then presented a 5-minute “TedTalk” – introducing themselves and their platforms to their fellow Champs, staff and other guests, including Center for Rising Generations Vice President Pete Weber. Meanwhile, youth from the Phoenix Indian Center participated in a Democracy is Indigenous training session, learning more about civic engagement and developing ideas for community projects.

Monday’s programming culminated in a pilot of a new CNAY leadership initiative called The Future Tribal Leaders’ Sovereignty Institute, led by Director of Policy & Strategic Initiatives Christina Kracher (Little Shell Chippewa Tribe of Montana). Designed for Native youth who aspire to serve their Tribal Nations as future leaders, decision-makers and Nation builders, sessions focused on building practical understanding of sovereignty not just as a concept, but as it operates in real life – legally, financially and institutionally. Jonodev Chadhauri, who serves as Ambassador of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, guided Champs through Tribal Sovereignty and Self- Determination 101, featuring the famous “sovereignty pie.” Then, Dr. Francis Arpan – Vice President of Student Support at Western Iowa Tech Community College – and Tana Fitzpatrick – University of Oklahoma’s Associate Vice President of Tribal Relations – walked us through Sovereignty in Action: Examples from Higher Education. The first full day ended with a lively group dinner at Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão.