Joshua Shumak

Joshua set out to strengthen civic engagement and cultural pride among Tribal communities in South Carolina, with a focus on Native youth. Through a series of cultural classes and interactive activities, the initiative fostered awareness of voting rights and civic responsibility. While the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians served as the lead partner, participation was extended to members of all ten recognized Tribes.

With the help of his Tribe, Joshua helped to host 12 cultural engagement classes focused on oral traditions, art construction and Tribal history. He incorporated discussions on Tribal bills and related issues to connect cultural identity with civic engagement, and partnered with elected officials and congressional staff to highlight Native perspectives. Through the initiative, Joshua also organized art contests, from which selected works were displayed at the Native American Studies Center, South Carolina Statehouse and Berkeley County Museum.

The project bridged cultural heritage and civic responsibility, empowering Native youth to see their voices as vital to the democratic process. By linking voting and policy discussions to issues directly impacting their communities, participants gained both practical knowledge and personal motivation to engage in civic life. The partnership across all 10 recognized Tribes fostered unity, collaboration, and a shared vision for representation. Approximately 900 people participated in the classes, more than 500 of which were of voting age and indicated they were active voters or intended to engage moving forward.

Participants expressed pride in seeing their culture honored in civic spaces. Youth reported feeling more confident in speaking to elected officials and more motivated to vote. Elders appreciated the intergenerational exchange, noting that cultural storytelling helped spark interest in civic topics.