Champions for Change
Remembering Our Sisters
Brave Heart
California Native Youth Collective
Building Communities of Hope
Creative Native
Democracy is Indigenous
At the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY), we position Native leaders to advocate for their communities across Indian Country.
Key Pillars
Being a Good Relative
CNAY is proud to partner with like-minded organizations, youth and communities who prioritize Native youth. We also uplift third-party resources and opportunities across channels, at national meetings and convenings.
Youth Recognition, Engagement & Leadership
This is the foundation of our work. CNAY meets directly with Native youth from across the country to learn about their priorities and the positive change they desire to see in their communities. We provide support through mentorship, resources, hands on training and technical assistance.
Advocacy, Policy & Research
CNAY supports Native youth as advocates by providing experiential learning opportunities and avenues to engage with leaders from various sectors at the local, tribal, state and federal levels. We work alongside Native youth to develop research, tools and platforms that assure broad access to data that accurately reflects the collective thoughts, opinions, experiences and needs of Native youth from across the country.
Narrative Change
Native youth are worthy of agency, and CNAY is proud to serve as a vessel to share their truth. This is accomplished through strategic media and digital partnerships, providing opportunities for youth to craft their own narratives focused on strength, culture and the work they do to improve their communities. CNAY also engages with Native youth every day through its owned digital and social media channels, and has an organic reach of more than 40,000.
Active Programs
Champions for Change is CNAY’s flagship program that recognizes and amplifies Native youth who inspire one another to make a positive impact in their communities. This yearlong Fellowship provides opportunities to five-six changemakers (ages 14-24) to develop their advocacy and leadership skills on a national scale.
The CNAY Fellowship is a program for aspiring Native youth leaders (ages 18-24) looking to make a community impact. CNAY provides tailored sovereignty, leadership and advocacy trainings, unique opportunities for education and knowledge sharing, and micro-grant support to complete a community action project. Members of three distinct cohorts engage in a shared, core curriculum and convene in community as one:
Brave Heart provides avenues for Native youth to hone their skills as protectors of our lands, waterways and sacred sites, and stewards for food sovereignty. This track of the CNAY Fellowship uplifts youth leaders, while addressing the representation gap and inequities facing Indigenous Peoples in the fight for climate justice.
California Native Youth Collective is a movement to connect, engage and provide opportunities for Native youth in California. This track CNAY Fellowship brings together a network of youth leaders from across the state eager to hone their leadership skills, amplify their voices and advocate for their communities.
Remembering Our Sisters supports female & femme youth passionate about advocating and raising awareness for the MMIP epidemic. This track of the CNAY Fellowship provides a platform for young Indigenous women and femme-identifying leaders to honor our relatives through virtual storytelling and digital arts.
Democracy is Indigenous connects Native youth (ages 11-24) to pathways of civic engagement. This ongoing initiative is dedicated to mobilizing young leaders wishing to enhance civic action at the Tribal, local, state and federal levels. Participants benefit from tailored training, a prominent national platform and micro-grant funding.
Building Communities of Hope is an initiative designed for Native youth (ages 18-24) who have lived experience in and/or are passionate about transforming the foster care system. Building from a successful multi-year Fellowship, CNAY is working closely with child welfare experts and advocates to develop a first-of-its-kind training curriculum.
Creative Native highlights the creativity and expression of young Indigenous artists (ages 5-24). Each year, CNAY asks Native youth to submit art inspired by a unique prompt. In addition to national recognition, artists in each age category are eligible to win $300, and one grand prize winner receives $1,000.