EBCI youth and adults representing the Cherokee Youth Council are shown at the recent National UNITY Conference in Los Angeles, Cali. They are shown (left-right) front row – Chanice Tyalor, Kyle Chapa, Keanu Crowe, Emily Welch, Sky Sampson, Louwana Montelongo and Ayla Cruz; back row – Joshua Taylor, Simon Montelongo, Hannah Ledford and Kevin Jackson. (Photo courtesy of Sky Sampson/Cherokee Youth Council)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – More than 1200 Native American youth from throughout the United States attended the National UNITY Conference in Los Angeles, Calif. The Eastern Band of Cherokee representatives consisted of eight community youth leaders from the Cherokee Youth Council. The group performed the traditional frog dance and presented their own workshop session called “Let’s Set the Record Straight”.
Sky Sampson, the Cherokee Youth Council Program Manager said, “Our youth wanted to share our culture and minimize stereotypes about Cherokees within Indian Country and that’s exactly what they did,” said Sky Sampson, Cherokee Youth Council program manager. “This past year’s elected representative, Simon Montelongo, was elected once again to represent UNITY throughout the southeast region. We are very proud of our young leaders and all that they are doing to educate others about us.”
– Sky Sampson, Cherokee Youth Council
