Youth in the Media

Native youth are sharing their voice with leaders and policy makers across the nation. Take a moment to view the events hosted by CNAY and hear the voices of our Native youth leaders!

Youth in Action: A Conversation Centering Young Leaders’ Role in Protecting Climate

At the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, CO, youth leaders were given the space to share their ideas and perspectives of what a world with future generations in mind can look like. The world’s young leaders are leading the charge to ensure future generations inherit a vibrant and thriving planet. Hear from inspiring leaders and change makers, among them Indigenous youth, about the urgent work being done through innovative and inclusive solutions, activism, and community resilience.

 

 

You can watch the video here.

 

 

You can watch the video here.

Remembering Our Sisters Forum

On Thursday, May 5, 2022, on the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) in partnership with Native Americans in Philanthropy hosted the Remembering Our Sisters Forum. The forum highlighted the Remembering Our Sisters (ROS) Fellowship, a digital storytelling initiative created by CNAY in response to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic, while remembering our Indigenous sisters and families affected by the epidemic.

 

 

You may watch the video here.

White House Tribal Youth Forum

The White House and Nike N7, the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute are proud to have invited Native and tribal youth to participate in a forum with the Biden Harris Administration! This forum featured an exciting program with high-level administration officials, special guests from Nike N7, and of course, Native youth discussing a variety of topics and the intersection of mental health for Native youth. “We are so proud to work with the Administration and Nike N7 to provide meaningful dialogue with Native youth during Native American Heritage Month,” said Executive Director Nikki Pitre, “this forum will strengthen the relationship between Native youth and the Administration and policies that impact them”.

 

You may watch the video here.

A Reckoning in Representation with Paulina Alexis

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute had a live discussion with Paulina Alexis (Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation). Paulina’s most recent film, BEANS, is the critically acclaimed coming-of-age story that had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Based on true events, Tracey Deer’s award-winning debut feature chronicles the 79-day standoff between two Mohawk communities and government forces in 1990 Quebec. We are proud to be living in a moment with accurate representation of Indigenous people in the media. This conversation also included Native youth leaders who work to increase representation of Indigenous voices in main-stream media.

 

You may watch the video here.

State of Native Youth Report 2020

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute will release the 5th Annual State of Native Youth Report on November 24, 2020. The theme of this year’s report is Native Youth are Medicine – highlighting the strength and resilience of Native youth. To commemorate the release, CNAY hosted a virtual Zoom release event on Tuesday, November 24, 2020. This panel-style release event featured the Native youth leaders who were instrumental in authoring the report.