The first two weeks emphasized Team Building as the 20+ young people got acquainted with each other and with the academy if they were newcomers. Leadership skills, how to dress for success and financial literacy were some of the covered topics during day-long sessions.

Another week offered a S.T.E.M. Activities Day and allowed the youth to practice Community Awareness. On July 3, they collaborated with Soboba Tribal Environmental Department staff to clean up a recreational area in Indian Canyon and take a nature walk to identify different bird species.

Environmental Administrative Assistant II Christine Rodriguez said the event went very well. “We cleaned up a majority of the litter from Four Corners,” she said. “We enticed them with gift cards for the two who collected the most.”

She said the bird walk was a lot of fun for all attendees. “I think the youth enjoyed just being outdoors the most,” Rodriguez said. “A few of them took interest in the various species found in the creek, including a small fish called the speckled dace.”

Offsite trips filled the week of July 8-11 as visits to the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum and Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park were taken. This turned out to be a favorite among many of the youth.

Health and Fitness were stressed during a full day at the beach on July 24. Several activities rounded out the final week, starting with making leather pouches through instruction from Tony Soares.

On July 29, the group spent the day at the Soboba Fire Department, learning all about the different functions it has. Fire Chief Glenn Patterson said the collaboration is a benefit for everyone.

“It gives our staff the opportunity to interact with community youth on a personal level and get a better understanding of the demographics of the customers we serve,” he said. “The youth get to see what our firefighters do on a daily basis and what they have to do to become a firefighter.”

Nancy Gallegos is the Transportation Coordinator for Soboba Tribal TANF and she said the morning was spent learning the purpose of all the equipment firefighters use, the function of all the things on each type of truck and touring the station. After a pizza lunch, they got to try their hand at using a fire hose, operating the aerial ladder and participating in a simulation scenario that gave them a taste of what it is like working in an area that is dark with smoke and what lifesaving equipment can help.

Agustin Salgado, 16, was there as a WE LEAD participant. The summer work program that is also managed by TANF, offers youth internships at different departments and Agustin has been working at the fire station. He said this is a career he might want to pursue, and he has enjoyed his time around the station, helping out where he could and helping to set up everything for the day’s SYA visit.

Before taking the youth up on Truck 1 to show them how to operate the 35-foot aerial ladder that can be extended to 100 feet, Fire Engineer Donald Beresford explained how the apparatus works and what it can do. He showed them how the outriggers are deployed to stabilize the truck before the ladder is moved or extended. He said constant communication is key in all aspects of their job.

“We practice every day, and we make sure all equipment is clean and presentable at all times,” he said.

Akwaalimay Resvaloso, a junior at San Jacinto High School, has enjoyed learning new things in the four years she has participated in the Summer Youth Academy. She said the team building activities have also helped her improve communication skills. At the fire station, she liked learning how to operate the controls to the ladder.

Amy Mendoza demonstrated how to use a fire hose, pointing out that a truck has the capacity to hold 500 gallons of water. The youth took turns trying the hose and learning the correct stance to offset its high pressure, how to aim it at specific targets and when to use the different sprays it produces.

“It’s always nice to provide ways to educate the youth and allow them to know the resources that are available in their community,” she said. “I also like being an example to show them there are all kinds of paths into a fire service career.”

Battalion Chief Howard Maxcy Jr. said having the SYA youth spend the day at the fire station makes them more receptive to learning more about what the department does.

“It’s always a good time when the group comes here,” he said. “The kids really want to be up to date and this is a great opportunity to share information with them.”

Firefighter Paramedic Blake Bryson was enthusiastic as he answered questions about the purpose and function of equipment that is used as they answer calls for everything from vegetation fires to medical aid.

“It’s always a great experience to have the community come out and see the capabilities of what we can do,” Fire Captain Jorge Partida said. “They get to see what we do, where we eat and sleep and just learn about the 24/7 nature of this industry. We are letting them get their hands on the equipment.”

On July 30, the youth spent the day with the Soboba Cultural Resource Department at their Cultural Garden, located at The Oaks, for a morning of hands-on learning, focused on food sovereignty and horticulture, rooted in tradition. Activities included harvesting and washing squash, as well as planting corn and onions. Participants were able to take home their harvested produce.

The second portion of the day-long event consisted of a traditional foods workshop, held at the MPR adjacent to the TANF program’s office. Cultural Resource Department staff facilitated a cultural presentation featuring native plants with an emphasis on the importance of incorporating native foods/traditional ingredients into a modern diet. Traditional foods have anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting effects that are known to reduce the risk of chronic diseases that plague tribal communities, including but not limited to: diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure and heart failure.

During the workshop, Cultural Resource staff, including their two WE LEAD Summer Interns, Aimee Organ and Alayna Resvaloso Wood, demonstrated and guided participants in making three recipes, utilizing native plant ingredients – chia, agave, sunflower, and mesquite. In groups, using ingredients such as mesquite honey, agave syrup, and sunflower butter, they were able to make Chia Limeade, Chia Energy Bites, and Chia Strawberry Tarts.

Being able to provide for oneself, by growing your own food and through incorporation of traditional foods into one’s diet, promotes self-sustainability and is an expression of food sovereignty in itself. Thus, perpetuating the mission of Cultural Heritage Preservation, while securing the health and overall wellbeing of tribal members and communities for future generations.

The Cultural Resource Department staff said they were honored to spend the day with TANF Summer Youth Academy and are already looking forward to next year.

The final day of the Summer Youth Academy offered an activity with Cal State University, San Bernardino representatives, followed by an afternoon of crafts and a pool party.

This year’s academy offered all participants an opportunity to learn about new things or reinforce lessons and have fun while doing so. Rey Padilla, 16, said he enjoyed all the cultural activities offered as well as meeting new people.

Noah Nowaniiki, 14, has been part of the academy for more than three years and said it’s fun to learn many different things. He enjoyed going to the museum in Santa Barbara and is a freshman at San Jacinto High School this year.

Twelve-year-old No’aalawi Boniface is a first-year participant with SYA and she said a highlight was the field trip to Santa Barbara.

All Soboba Tribal TANF program youth were invited to a special back-to-school event on Aug. 10 where AT&T provided 150 laptops and backpacks to students and families. The Human-I-T team was thankful to the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians for their hospitality, warmth and dedication to the community that made the event truly special from start to finish.

Soboba Chairman Isaiah Vivanco opened the day with remarks and Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians Chairman Steven Estrada gave a blessing.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with AT&T to bring much-needed digital resources to our community, and others that are served through the TANF program,” Vivanco said. “We understand the importance of access to the digital world and this donation of laptops from AT&T will give our Tribal youth what they need to succeed in today’s digitally driven world. Being able to provide them with backpacks filled with back-to-school necessities, thanks to the generosity of AT&T, is an added level of support that we appreciate.”

 Soboba Tribal TANF Program Executive Director Maria Aguirre-Mendoza also shared inspiring words after dedicating much time to the event’s planning process.

“I am deeply grateful that our TANF children were provided with laptops and backpacks by AT&T and Human-I-T,” Aguirre-Mendoza said. “It helps ensure they have the proper tools and resources they need to thrive in the upcoming academic year.”

The backpacks included school supplies, earbuds, charging cables and detailed instructions for setup and resources for any technical support the youth may need.

The Human-I-T team gave a special shoutout to Julio Figeroa, AT&T’s Director of External and Legislative Affairs and Tribal Liaison, for introducing them to the Tribe and making the partnership possible. This event was part of AT&T’s initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability, and safe adoption.

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She said the conference shows Native youth the importance of being an activist and how important it is to not allow society to put you in a box or limit you to a certain category.

“Uniting together as one people is how we can achieve and create the change we all need,” she said, adding that she hopes the attendees learned the importance of speaking up for themselves and their people.

The United National Indian Tribal Youth’s mission is to foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native youth, and to help build a strong, unified, and self-reliant Native America through greater youth involvement. This year’s theme was Voice of H.O.P.E., which stands for Native youth engaging in Heartfelt conversations, Open dialogue, Promoting resources and Encouraging change.

A logo contest, inviting designs that reflect the richness of local Native cultures, was held and the winning concept came from 15-year-old Reese Mitchell of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, whose artwork helped inspire a final design that pays tribute to Kumeyaay culture and the conference theme. UNITY partnered with the Local Planning Committee and OXDX Clothing—a renowned Indigenous fashion label founded by Diné artist and UNITY alum Jared Kee Yazzie—to bring Reese’s vision to life.

The youth-led annual event drew more than 2,500 Native youth from around the country to participate in days filled with general sessions, regional caucuses, workshops, a career/education fair, and fun evening activities that provided hands-on leadership development activities.

Soboba Tribal TANF’s Andrew Salgado, 18, has attended the conference in the past and enjoyed joining several of the workshops that focused on physical, mental and social development.

“I learned that climate change is melting the ice and affecting different peoples’ reservations,” he said. “I learned how to communicate with other people with a better approach.”

A highlight of the conference for him was participating in the UNITY Intertribal Social Dance held on the final night, June 30.

The first full day of workshops focused on college and career readiness topics, such as “Against the Odds: Turning Struggles into Strength and Dreams into Reality” presented by Jason Amador. The workshop was designed to equip youth with the mindset, daily habits, and self-belief needed to overcome adversity and pursue their goals with purpose.

“My favorite part was meeting new people and building stronger connections with those around me,” said Christopher Lagunas, 14. I also really appreciated seeing the opportunities that the future holds for me through events like UNITY.”

Christopher was also pleased with all he gained from attending the national conference for the first time. “I learned how to communicate with others in a more appropriate way and with a better mindset,” he said. “I also learned that it’s important to embrace and accept others and their customs and traditions.

There were several workshops that were popular among many of the Soboba TANF youth. One of those that was well attended was “Girls Flag Football, 2028 Olympic Sport” presented by Keith Vasquez. His purpose was to introduce Native Americans/Indigenous youth to the fastest growing sport in the United States.

Zachary Guacheno, 18, enjoyed the workshops because of the learning opportunities. He also appreciated discovering the different ways of helping his tribe. “You can advocate for yourself and your community,” is something he said he will share with others.

A fun workshop that focused on health and wellness was the candy jar making session with Ashley Johnston. “You’ll decorate your own jar and fill it with your favorite sweets, because self-care should always be sweet and simple,” she said.

Mazie Countryman presented “Sagebrush & Bingo: Native Plants of Fort Hall” where youth learned as they played Native plant bingo and won prizes while deepening their connection to the land.

Hearing about culture games, such as “Creator’s Game: Building a Pathway to the Future” presented by Edison Red Nest III, were also enjoyed by the youth. The workshop was used to discuss the origins of Creator’s Game and how it can be used to better themselves. Also covered was how Lacrosse is being utilized to send Native youth to college.

The newly inducted class of Earth Ambassadors offered a workshop session covering various topics related to culture and environmental stewardship.

Nowaniiki Resvaloso, 14, attended UNITY for the second time with Soboba Tribal TANF. He said he learned the difference between Native cultures and how to communicate with others. He enjoyed all the workshops he attended and learned new things from each of them.

“The world is changing fast because the ozone layer is getting warmer so it’s causing the ice in Alaska to melt,” he said.

Nayeli Brittian, 12, was attending the UNITY conference for the first time and looks forward to sharing some important messages with family, friends and classmates. “I would tell them about every time you think you can’t do something, try anyway,” she said. “I learned that to pursue your dreams you need to actually try.”

The Talent Night on June 29 at 7 p.m. was a favorite and memorable event for her.

David Marquez also enjoyed the Talent Night show. The 17-year-old said he was interested to learn how climate change can be prevented or treated. “I also learned how to communicate ideas with others,” he said.

Agustin Salgado, 15, was also attending for the first time. “I learned about the importance of collaboration,” he said. “One important takeaway was the emphasis on community engagement and collaboration across diverse groups.”

Although the conference was filled with many valuable workshops and exciting activities, the group was able to venture off to Mission Bay beach and enjoy some beach time. “We also visited the San Diego Air & Space Museum as well as the San Diego Natural History Museum at Balboa Park,” Tucker said.

For more information, www.sobobatanf.org.

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More than 700 Native American and Alaska Native youth, aged 12-24, and advisors gathered for the 2025 UNITY Midyear Conference, which provided three days of professional leadership development, highlighting community service and advocacy for Indigenous communities.

A variety of professional development workshops and breakout sessions, as well as extracurricular activities that included the sharing of culture, music and art, were available for youth to continuously engage with one another. The focus of the midyear conference was “Digitizing youth voices, inspiring Indigenous stories.”

UNITY (United National Indian Tribal Youth) is excited to host several speakers and presenters that are passionate in supporting community service and advocacy throughout Native Country. Through a variety of programmatic activities, team building and collaboration, our Native youth leaders will actively engage with one another, brainstorming and building on new ideas to create change within their respective communities.

TANF PRC Site Manager Harold Arres, Senior Program Specialist Annalisa Tucker and Transportation Coordinator Nancy Gallegos accompanied nine youths, aged 12-17, from the Soboba program to Phoenix. Tucker said she enjoyed watching youth who haven’t attended a conference before coming out of their shell and really absorb what was being taught.

“I hope the experience showed them the importance of keeping their culture alive and to support and learn from other Native communities,” she said.

Aniyah Brittian, 13, attended sessions about mental health, education, Native identities and storytelling. “I learned the importance of speaking up and being proud of who I am.”

The high school freshman said she enjoyed learning about the different Native American traditions that other Tribes have.

Sixth-grader Nayeli Brittian also attended a session that focused on mental health. Watching people from other Tribes dancing is what she liked best about the conference.

Shania Guacheno participated in workshops about mental health, education, drug/substance abuse education and storytelling.

“I learned not to use drugs,” said Shania, 13. “I liked that I got to watch and learn other Tribes’ traditions.”

The purpose of the Native Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, DC is to bring Native youth leaders together by providing interactive learning sessions to strengthen leadership abilities. As the future leaders of Indian Country and defenders of Tribal sovereignty, participants engage in the larger conversation of protecting and maintaining Tribal sovereignty through a youth perspective.

Arres, Program Specialist Mayra Campos and TANF Riverside Site Manager Angela Diaz were joined by four youths, aged 15-19, at the Native Youth Leadership Summit. Arres said a highlight of the conference for him was witnessing the youth speak to John E. Echohawk about educational needs for Tribal nations.

Echohawk (Pawnee) is the Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund. He was the first graduate of the University of New Mexico’s special program to train Indian lawyers and was a founding member of the American Indian Law Students Association while in law school. He has been with NARF since its inception in 1970, having served continuously as Executive Director since 1977.

Echohawk has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal and has received numerous service awards and other recognitions for his leadership in the Indian law field including the 2023 Thurgood Marshall Award from the American Bar Association.

Arres said he hopes the youth who attended the summit learned how to advocate for themselves and why that is so important. He was glad to be given the opportunity of some sightseeing when they had some free time so they could explore some of the monuments on their own.

The annual event is held in different locations each year. Campos was attending the summit for the first time and found a highlight to be watching the youth interact with Julian Garcia, assistant to US Rep. Juan Vargas, and hear them advocate for important issues across Indian country.

“I hope the youth learned from this experience the power their voices hold,” she said. “If youth were to work together to help advocate for issues that the Native community faces, I believe great things could be accomplished; the youth could bring needed change to the generations to come.”

Campos enjoyed sharing free time with the youth as they walked around the Washington Mall and visited the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, WW2 Memorial, the White House and Capitol Hill.”

High school senior Temet Guacheno attended sessions “Democracy is Indigenous,” “Environmental Sovereignty” and “Advocacy 101” and said he learned the importance of communication skills. “I enjoyed the workshops and meeting new people,” he said.

Kimani Sanchez, said she learned about the important issues affecting Native land, including the challenges Indigenous communities face in protecting their rights.

“I’ve also gained valuable skills in advocating for change by learning how to effectively communicate with representatives about issues that matter to me,” she said. “What I liked best about the conference was the opportunity to meet new people and make great connections. It was fun to build friendships with others who share similar interests while also learning about important issues. The combination of engaging discussions and a welcoming environment made the experience both educational and enjoyable.”

The Native Youth Leadership Summit is sponsored by the National Congress of American Indians. Founded in 1944, NCAI is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities.

NCAI, a nonprofit organization, advocates for a bright future for generations to come by taking the lead to gain consensus on a constructive and promising vision for Indian Country. Since its founding, NCAI has remained true to the original purpose of the organization: to be the unified voice of Tribal nations.

Alongside the Native Youth Leadership Summit, NCAI hosted its annual Executive Council Winter Session, which was attended by Soboba Tribal Council Chairman Isaiah Vivanco, Vice Chairwoman Geneva Mojado and attorney Loretta Tuell, a lobbyist for Soboba.

The NCAI Executive Council is one of NCAI’s three main governing bodies. This annual meeting presents an opportunity for Tribal delegates to hear from members of Congress and the Administration and helps to further the government-to-government relationship between Tribal Nations and the federal government.

Vivanco has been attending these meetings since he returned to Tribal Council in 2015. Mojado said she started going when she was first elected to Council in 2006, stating that Rosemary Morillo and she have always attended either the annual or midyear sessions.

“For me, our main focus was understanding how the new administration’s executive orders could impact us at home,” Vivanco said. “We also had the opportunity to work on Capitol Hill, engaging in discussion with many U.S. senators as well as congressional leaders, both Republican and Democrat. We were able to express to them our concerns with some of the executive orders as well as how it would impact Tribes. We need their support now more than ever. We are going to continue our outreach with congressional leaders to stress the importance of recognizing Tribes as sovereign nations while continuing to uphold their trust responsibility to us.”

Mojado said she enjoyed being able to have dinner with the TANF youth. “Even more so this time since Mr. Echohawk joined us and shared his story. It is always a pleasure to see Sharice Davids as well,” she said. “We have yet to see how this administration will work with Tribal Nations. It was nice to meet the newly appointed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.”

Vivanco said, “It’s always important for our youth to be exposed to organizations like NCAI, UNITY and AISES. NCAI provides a little more of a Tribal government atmosphere for them. I did get a chance to see them going to and from working sessions as I was doing the same. Aside from the networking, they are able to sit in on general session meetings and hear real time issues impacting all Natives. These are our future leaders and to get this type of firsthand experience is invaluable.”

Mojado agrees that it is very important for the youth to attend conferences such as UNITY and NCAI. “One, to inspire the future leaders and two, to see how Tribal governments unilaterally work with the United States government,” she said. “It is important for them to be in the know of how the federal government and states affect Tribes. We were inherent sovereigns before the United States was even born. We must continue to fight and educate about sovereignty.”

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