Center for Native American Youth

Center for Native American Youth Dedicated to improving the health, safety and overall well-being of Native American youth through communication, policy development, and advocacy.
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We are a national education and advocacy organization that works alongside Native youth — ages 24 and under — on reservations, in rural villages and urban spaces across the country to improve their health, safety and overall well-being.

This week, we hosted 30 students from Little Big Horn College who were visiting Washington, DC (many for the first time)...
06/12/2026

This week, we hosted 30 students from Little Big Horn College who were visiting Washington, DC (many for the first time) from Crow, MT.

CNAY welcomed the opportunity to sit in community with the youth and their chaperones, engaging in multiple trainings and conversations that prompted new ideas and ways of thinking they could take back home with them. From the Shield Activity – a self-reflective exercise that helps youth identify their strengths and medicines – to the Democracy is Indigenous training – which provides youth with the tools they need to make a difference in their home communities – we hope each of our relatives left the Aspen Institute offices feeling encouraged and confident in their abilities to make their voices heard.

We are grateful to have made this connection and look forward to continued partnership in the future!

Read more: https://www.cnay.org/cnay-hosts-students-from-little-big-horn-college/

We are proud to see Angelina Hinojosa (2025 Remembering Our Sisters Fellow and 2024 California Native Youth Ambassador)...
06/11/2026

We are proud to see Angelina Hinojosa (2025 Remembering Our Sisters Fellow and 2024 California Native Youth Ambassador) continuing to use her voice to advocate for Native Youth and communities across California. 👏🏼❤️

This Pride Month - and always - we celebrate love, identity, community & the ongoing work of building spaces where all r...
06/08/2026

This Pride Month - and always - we celebrate love, identity, community & the ongoing work of building spaces where all relatives can thrive.

🌎 Where in the World is CNAY?Our team is getting ready for a travel-filled summer to engage youth, visit communities and...
06/05/2026

🌎 Where in the World is CNAY?

Our team is getting ready for a travel-filled summer to engage youth, visit communities and meet with partners from Indian Country & beyond. New this year: we're bringing Democracy is Indigenous on the road, providing trainings at Grand Valley State University, United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. & to various events happening across South Dakota!

⚡️Want to join us? Follow along as we share highlights from each stop, and if you'll be at any of these events (or nearby!), let us know! Learn more: https://www.cnay.org/events/

Hispanics in Philanthropy Sovereignty Symposium Oklahoma City University School of Law W.K. Kellogg Foundation Advance Native Political Leadership Dartmouth

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Featured art by 2025 Creative Native Artist Rulan H. (Chiricahua-Warm Springs Apache, Comanche & Seminole).

06/05/2026

NCUIH is excited to announce that our CEO, Francys Crevier, will be presenting at the 2026 Grantmakers In Health Annual Conference in Baltimore!

Join Francys, Colin Pekruhn of Grantmakers In Health, and Alaina McBournie of The Pew Charitable Trusts Wednesday, June 10, from 9:35–10:35 AM ET for “Life, Liberty, and Health: Philanthropy’s Role in Strengthening Native Health Systems.”

This session will focus on how philanthropy can help protect Native health systems during a time of rapid policy change and political uncertainty.

Do you know a Native Youth ages 14-24 interested in making a change in their community? This FREE virtual training works...
06/04/2026

Do you know a Native Youth ages 14-24 interested in making a change in their community? This FREE virtual training workshop - led by Program Coordinator Neely Bardwell - to explore the powerful history of Indigenous democracy and how its principles continue to shape community leadership today. ✨

During this session, you’ll:
🔹 Learn how democracy is rooted in Indigenous teachings
🔹 Discover how YOU can create meaningful change in your community
🔹 Get a step-by-step breakdown of applying for CNAY microgrant funding
🔹 Understand how to successfully plan and implement your project after funding

Have an idea for a community event, research project, or initiative that could uplift others? We want to help you to bring it to life.

CNAY is excited to support individuals and organizations committed to making a difference. Whether you’re already involved in community work or just getting started, this workshop will guide you from inspiration → application → action.

Ready to turn your ideas into real impact? Register with this link 🔗 https://aspeninstitute.zoom.us/meeting/register/rmmPTc6GRRuwJhXI434eiw #/registration

Throughout May, we saw a lot of conversations around the Missing & Murdered Indigenous People ( ) crisis. Emphasis tends...
05/30/2026

Throughout May, we saw a lot of conversations around the Missing & Murdered Indigenous People ( ) crisis. Emphasis tends to fall on our stolen sisters, but our male relatives are at risk as well.

Violence against Indigenous men & boys does not happen in isolation. In order to understand this epidemic of violence, we must recognizes all the factors harming our communities.

🔹 Historical trauma due to colonization
🔹 Social stigma & lack of mental health resources
🔹 Over-policing & incarceration
🔹 Jurisdictional gaps that delay justice

Understanding the why is part of protecting our future. Share this to help build awareness & accountability, and take a closer look at the resources referenced here:

https://www.niwrc.org/resources/resource-tool/fact-sheet-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-relatives

https://ncuih.org/public-health/prevention-of-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-peoples-mmip/

Fawn Douglas, founder of the Nuwu Art Collective, sat in conversation with the 2026 Remembering Our Sisters cohort this ...
05/28/2026

Fawn Douglas, founder of the Nuwu Art Collective, sat in conversation with the 2026 Remembering Our Sisters cohort this week to discuss the intersection of art & activism, through which she often addresses the MMIP crisis.

"Indigenous knowledge, passed on through storytelling, influences my work, as cultural heritage bridges my people's history into contemporary times."

Scroll to learn more about how Fawn uses art as a means of advocacy & community healing ❤️🪶

2026 Champion for Change Summer Wildbill is reimagining financial literacy for Native youth.In this story from Nika Bart...
05/24/2026

2026 Champion for Change Summer Wildbill is reimagining financial literacy for Native youth.

In this story from Nika Bartoo-Smith with Underscore News, Summer shares how her “security & growth” mindset inspired her to help build NativeCents — a financial literacy app created with Umatilla youth in mind. Developed in collaboration with Nixyáawii Community Financial Services and Cayuse Native Solutions, the app aims to make financial education more accessible, culturally relevant & empowering for Native Youth.

Her work centers Indigenous knowledge, economic empowerment & creating opportunities for future generations to thrive. The app is expected to launch this summer!

We are proud to celebrate Summer and the impactful work she is doing for Native communities. Read, share & support Indigenous youth leadership. Full article:
https://www.underscore.news/people-profiles/umatilla-nyu-student-building-financial-literacy-app/

05/21/2026

Summer Wildbill is tackling financial literacy, starting with an app she is developing with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Nixyáawii Community Financial Services. She hopes other Native youth can use it to feel empowered when it comes to their own finances.

Address

2300 N Street, NW
Washington D.C., DC
20037

Telephone

+12027362905

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