From Alaska to Hawai’i, Oregon to North Carolina, the 2026 Champions for Change represent the next generation of U.S. and Tribal leadership. Join the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute for a public panel discussion with six emerging Indigenous leaders about the issues impacting young people across the country — from rural education and economic development to mental health and sovereignty. Dawson Her Many Horses, 2023 Alumni of the Aspen Institute Finance Leaders Fellowship and Managing Director at Wells Fargo, will moderate the panel.
Join us on Tuesday, February 10 from 4-5pm at the Aspen Institute DC Office or via livestream for attendees who are not based in Washington, DC. Please fill out this registration form in its entirety whether you plan to join us in person or virtually: https://register.aspeninstitute.org/event/2026ChampionsforChange
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The 2026 class joins the decade-strong Champions for Change (‘Champs’) program, a Native youth leadership initiative inclusive of nearly 60 active alumni. This year’s cohort reflects the diverse cultures, bright futures and overall resiliency of the Indigenous Peoples of the United States, and CNAY is honored to amplify their stories and further their leadership journeys.
EVENT DATE: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
EVENT TIME: 4:00 – 5:00PM ET
*Refreshments to follow
LOCATION: The Aspen Institute | 2300 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20037a
Gildenhorn Conference Room | 7th Floor
SPEAKERS:
Introductory Remarks
- Daniel R. Porterfield, President & CEO of the Aspen Institute
- Tracy L. Canard Goodluck, Executive Director of CNAY (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin & Mvskoke Creek)
Moderator | Dawson Her Many Horses (Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota)
2026 Champions for Change
- Sebastian April (Mi’kmaq)
- McKaylin Peters (Menominee)
- Zianne Richardson (Haliwa-Saponi)
- Kaylah Toves (Kanaka Maoli & Acoma Pueblo)
- Summer Wildbill (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation)
- Moses Wiseman (Village of Chefornak)
Champions for Change
Remembering Our Sisters
Brave Heart
California Native Youth Collective
Building Communities of Hope
Creative Native
Democracy is Indigenous
