Leading up to President Macarro’s State of Indian Nations speech during last week’s ECWS, NCAI Youth Council co-presidents Madison Brown (Seneca Nation) and Angelina Serna (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and the Oneida Nation) delivered a powerful speech urging the leaders of Indian Country to support Native youth and ensure their voices are uplifted and heard.
Our youth shapes the world we will live in tomorrow. Their eagerness to make our world a better place reminds us that our work today isn’t just for the now—it’s for their generation and the seven generations to come.
“We must ensure that our leaders, our elders, our youth, and our spiritual guides are present in every room where decisions are being made about our future,” said President Serna. “This isn’t just about having a seat at the table; it’s about ensuring that our voices shape the conversation. It is about understanding that the solutions to many of the crises we face lie in the deep-lived experiences of our peoples.”
President Brown spoke of the adaptability, hope, and determination of Native youth and encouraged supporting Native youth leadership: “Seven-generation thinking requires continuous and immediate action, so it becomes a reality…I ask the leaders within the room to begin to advance youth leadership programs to promote the understanding of policy and legislative processes within your tribal, state, and [the] federal government. By promoting the understanding of policy and legislative processes and democracy within native youth, Indian Country will be better equipped to navigate any and all political challenges.”
Let us continue to honor their voices and find new ways to support their journeys. From lands and language to political leadership, they are the stewards of our future.
• Rewatch the live stream at https://www.youtube.com/live/LwgcF70xmkM?si=jLFnhQeOojlJa0Xx.
