Six members of the Cherokee Youth Council attended the national UNITY Meeting in Washington last week including (left-right): Louwana Montelongo, Seth Ledford, Simon Montelongo, Keanu Crowe and Kyle Chapa. (Photo courtesy of Sky Kanott)
Six youth were selected, out of 40, to represent both the Cherokee Youth Council and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians at the national UNITY Meeting in Washington last week. The meeting was coordinated to prepare and select activities for the UNITY Conference in Los Angeles this coming summer. The six youth included: Louwana Montelongo, Seth Ledford, Simon Montelongo, Keanu Crowe and Kyle Chapa.
“These six youth have really demonstrated their commitment and determination without our program, and we are very proud to present them nationally as young leaders within our community,” Sky Kanott, Cherokee Youth Council program manager.
During their visit, the group went to many historical sites including: Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington Monument, National Museum of the American Indian, the Lincoln Memorial and more.
“The youth did express their concern for the extremely small display for the EBCI represented at the National Museum of the American Indian,” said Kanott. “To be one of the biggest tribes in the United States, our display only amounted to a small corner within the four-story building. Let’s educate people about us!”
– Cherokee Youth Council
