Local students take part in National Native Youth Summit

The group that attended the summit in D.C. hopes to bring their community closer together. (L-R) Lena Santos, Jaden Aubid, Jordan Porter, Alyssa Spry. Not pictured Samantha Scalise.

Teams of tribal youth from all over the country bussed, drove, and flew to Washington, D.C. to attend the first ever National Native Youth Summit from September 24 to 27. Grand Portage youth Alyssa Spry, Jaden Aubid, Samantha Scalise and Jordan Porter were joined by chaperone Lena Santos for the three-day program hosted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Native American Programs.

According to HUD’s website attendees spent “three days learning about building community and developing leadership skills.” The experience was meant to train “Native Youth Ambassadors to implement community development projects when they return home.”

The group gave a presentation about the Grand Portage community. The group highlighted that “our native language and cultural activities…have decreased immensely.” At the end of the presentation the group offered solutions such as offering traditional craft classes, inviting Native storytellers into the community, and hosting Ojibwe language classes.

The itinerary for the group included talking with congressional staff and touring national monuments. Porter said a highlight was meeting with HUD Secretary Julián Castro.

To be accepted into the event each member of the group was required to write an essay explaining how they want to better their community. “I spent a lot of nights leading up to the deadline helping the kids to write and proofread their essays,” Santos said.

The work paid off. “There was a small chance to go to D.C.,” Spry said. “Out of the whole country there were only 30 other tribal groups to attend. And only one other from Minnesota.” HUD covered all travel, accommodation and food costs.

Santos said the experience was successful and she would like to attend in future years. When asked what he learned from the experience Aubid said, “I realized that we’re not from nowhere. It gave me the confidence to have a voice.”