YOUTH

We transitioned our youth work in a big way in 2009. We engaged over 1000 young people in over 20 communities with our previous youth projects: (1) Tribal Campus Climate Challenge (TCCC) that incorporated climate change solutions into Southwest tribal campuses and communities and (2) annual Youth Summits that provided space for critical workshops and discussions. It was clear that youth wanted more and were ready to take their commitment of community organizing to the next level. Thus, the Leadership Development Pathway was developed.

Leadership Development Pathway

The Leadership Development Pathway (LDP) is a focused program designed to increase the number of Indigenous leaders building healthy and sustainable tribal communities. LDP aims to increase positive working relationships between organizations, communities, and leaders; resulting in an overall strengthening of Indigenous Peoples' efforts. LDP's five-steps are outlined briefly below:

1. Awareness Raising / Identifying. Intended to identify young leaders and raise awareness on a large scale through youth summits, trainings, and classroom visits.
2. Support / Training. Emerging leaders will participate in a focused week and half of support, reflection, training, and network building though the SouthWest Indigenous Leadership Institute.
3. Mentorship / Internship. Institute "graduates" will be placed in mentorship/internships with leaders or organizations that would benefit from added support and can best support the participant's vision for building a better world.
4. Training for Trainers. Participants are then trained to impart this knowledge through facilitation and training skills on various organizing tactics, depending on participants' own interests.
5. Giving Back. Implementing skills and giving back to other young people and communities is key. Pathway leaders become the team facilitating the training of a new cohort.

SouthWest Indigenous Leadership Institute (SWILI) - 2010 Cohort

The first week of January 2010 marked our first SouthWest Indigenous Leadership Institute. The Institute was a huge success. 18 young people between the ages of 17-29 participated in the session. The participant group was very diverse in tribal representation, as well as backgrounds and perspectives. This added to the success of shared learning. In addition to a great participant group, a number of experienced and knowledgeable community leaders and "elders" from the Laguana/Acoma, Hopi, Navajo, and Tohono O'odham nations joined the group. The Institute content included discussions on identity, redefining leadership, systems of oppression, and organizing practices and techniques. Throughout the Institute all participants analyzed how systems of oppression resulted in the realities we face today in tribal communities and went through the process "decolonization". This involved the critical work of taking ourselves out of the "victim" mentality and understanding our own power to create positive change.

Cohort 2010 continued their training this Fall in three regional trainings: (1) Albuquerque, NM, (2) Flagstaff, AZ, and (3) Los Angeles, CA. The regional trainings will be a more in-depth organizer training skills session based on the participants needs. BMWC Youth organizer will work with participants to help them organize the basics of the training – location, space, outreach, food, transportation, etc. – and agenda will be based on skill needed most – power mapping, campaign building, media training, base building, etc.

Meet Our New Leaders

• Talia Boyd, 28, Navajo, resides in Albuquerque, NM‬
• Allison Waukau, 30, Navajo / Menominee, resides in Albuquerque, NM‬
• Autumn Chacon, 22, Navajo, resides in Albuquerque, NM‬
• Shonri Begay, 22, Navajo / Tohono O'odham, resides in Topeka, WA‬
• Hertha Woody, 30, Navajo / Hopi, resides in Flagstaff, AZ‬
• Deon Ben, 26, Navajo, resides in Flagstaff, AZ‬
• Walee Crittenden, 20, Navajo / Cherokee, resides in Flagstaff, AZ‬
• Urvin Yazzie, 22, Navajo, resides in Whipporwill, AZ‬
• Brad Wero, 17, Southern Paiute, resides in Fredonia, UT‬
• Cooper Curley, 18, Navajo, resides in Gallup, NM‬
• Krystal Curley, 20, Navajo, resides in Las Crusas, NM‬
• Starlene Tsinniginnie, 20, Navajo, resides in Sanders, AZ‬
• Alvin Chee, 21, Navajo, resides in Colorado Springs, CO‬
• Harmony Rosas, 19, Santa Clara Pueblo, resides in Long Beach, CA‬
• Teresa Martinez, 19, Navajo / Hopi, resides in Long Beach, CA
• Julius Badoni, 25, Navajo, Resides in Mesa, AZ‬
• Amy Juan, 23, Tohono O'odham, resides in the village of Comobabi, AZ
• William "Keeya" Bighorse, 23, Navajo / Cayuga, resides in Los Angeles, CA‬

2012 Cohort

Coming Summer 2012: application and more information to come, keep checking our website. BMWC incorporates youth in all our work. If you are interested in any of our work: send us an email or give us a call.