MARIAH QUINCY

I think that there are two important facts about me at this point in my life; first, is that I love beading and, second, is that I love working with our youth. I’ve always been strongly tied to my identity but when I started beading as a teenager, I felt even closer to my culture. It became a way in which I can show pride as well as be creative. The same goes for working with Native kids. I never thought I’d be working with youth, but it is genuinely the best thing I could be doing with my life.

For me, Generation Indigenous means showing up to work every morning with a smile on my face. It means being there for our youth while staying firmly rooted in our culture. It means never letting go of their hand even when the days get rough. The medallion is of a woman holding a boy’s hand, surrounded by florals, and a rising sun. This is the way in which I know how to support our youth best: being present. And I truly believe that if we can be there for our youth, they can face tomorrow as proud Native people.