Kaya Lolar

The Wabanaki Policy Youth Initiative (WPYI) was developed and co-coordinated by Kaya Lolar and Sage Phillips of the Panawahpskek (Penobscot) Nation, with support from the Maine Environmental Education Association and the Wabanaki Alliance. WPYI includes five Youth Leads representing all federally recognized Wabanaki Nations, as well as sixteen Youth Delegates—a group of both Wabanaki and non-Wabanaki youth committed to advancing Wabanaki sovereignty and building their advocacy skills.

Youth Leads played a significant role in the initiative by helping to strategize, facilitate meetings, and guide group work while balancing their academic responsibilities. At the beginning of the most recent legislative session, WPYI began holding regular meetings where participants learned about the legislative process and explored ways to engage in advocacy on issues important to them.

During most meetings, WPYI either hosted a guest speaker—typically a Wabanaki professional working in a policy-related field—or engaged participants in group work. Each Youth Lead facilitated a group focused on specific skill areas, including op-ed writing, social media engagement, data research, and the development of educational materials.

The Wabanaki Policy Youth Initiative opened many doors for youth in and around their communities in ways that could not have been imagined at the start of the project. Participants helped plan and execute a press conference highlighting the importance of Wabanaki Studies in all schools across what is now called Maine. Following the event, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows met with the youth, and as a result, two participants later shadowed in the Secretary of State’s Office. WPYI also hosted the first annual State of the Youth, bringing together all Wabanaki Chiefs, numerous local legislators, and several candidates for Maine Governor and the United States Senate and Congress. The gathering provided a platform for youth representing each of the Wabanaki Nations to share their stories, outline priorities for their communities, and express their hopes for the future of youth in the Dawnland. These outcomes represent only a few of the many impacts created by the young people who participated in WPYI.