On April 18, 2017, the Bioneers Indigeneity Program was honored to present our Native Youth Leadership Program at the #genindigenous Northern California Convening hosted by Native Americans in Philanthropy. A part of the Generation Indigenous initiative launched by President Obama in 2014, the purpose of the gathering was to bring together Northern California Native youth organizers and funders to dialogue around shared goals for improving the lives of Native youth and cultivate the next generation of Native leaders.

Many friends of the Bioneers Native Youth Leadership Program were at the event, including the California Indian Cultural Center and Museum Youth Ambassadors, NERDS –Native Education Raising Dedicated Students, the Warrior Institute, the American Indian Child Resource Center, and the Friendship House Association of American Indians, Inc. of San Francisco.

Native Youth Women Warriors @NativeGiving #genindigenous #indigenouswomenrise pic.twitter.com/nPSFbzXkmL

— CIMCC (@CalIndianMuseum) April 18, 2017

We shared the story of how the Bioneers’ Indigeneity Program has grown in five short years from an initial cohort of 4 Native youth participants to 125 who we are able to support in terms of transportation, lodging, healthy food, and innovative cultural arts and leadership programming.

Alexis Bunten of #bioneers #indigeneity program is speaking at #genindigenous NorCal Regional Convening. pic.twitter.com/c9DPYYlJ4r

— Bioneers (@bioneers) April 18, 2017

We were proud to announce our program’s launch from an event-based leadership retreat to a year round resource of information and networking opportunities for Native youth passionate about social and environmental justice, as well as educators and community leaders looking for Native American curriculum developed by Native organizers, artists and educators.

We live-tweeted throughout Program Manager, Alexis Bunten’s presentation, who shared impact through powerful youth testimonial videos and a program report.

We were also incredibly excited to use this special event to make a special, early bird announcement of our excited 2017 Indigenous Forum lineup which features panels on Indigenous Communities and the #RightsofNature, California Indian youth fighting racism in schools, #Californiagenocide and survivance, traditional storytelling, climate change across the Pacific and must more…

We hope many of our colleagues, old and new friends will come join us at the 2017 Bioneers Conference and at the world renowned Indigenous forum.

As Ever,

Cara Romero (Chemehuevi), Indigeneity Program Director

Alexis Bunten (Aleut/Yup’ik), Indigeneity Program Manager