- Details
- By Kaili Berg
Navajo students will arrive by bus to the Navajo Nation Fair on Wednesday, September 3, where they’ll be greeted with music, giveaways, and rows of brand-new skateboards.
The event, part of Good Medicine Youth Day, is organized by 4KINSHIP, which will distribute 2,000 complete skateboards, 7,000 pairs of shoes, and a variety of wellness items to Native youth and families.
Now in its second year and newly rebranded as Good Medicine, the celebration centers on wellness, movement, and community care.
“We just wanted to bring a little more wellness focus to the day,” 4KINSHIP founder Amy Denet Deal (Diné) told Native News Online. “It’s about getting kids excited about physical sports and exercise. This year puts us around 7,500 skateboards we’ve distributed so far.”
The day will include a live DJ set by Navajo artist DJ Beeso, along with appearances from pro skateboarders and artists who will hand out boards and connect with kids.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and Vice President Richelle Montoya are also expected to attend in support of the initiative.
Native Shoes is donating Star Wars and Disney-themed sneakers for children, while Baby2Baby has contributed 10 pallets of diapers and supplies for families with young children.
For Deal, skateboarding is about more than just fun—it’s a way to uplift youth and build community. Growing up under the shadow of Indian boarding schools and relocation policies, she’s made it her mission to show up for Diné youth with intention and impact. She’s helped build a skatepark in Two Grey Hills, raised over $100,000 with help from Tony Hawk, and distributed thousands of skateboards across the Navajo Nation.
“Good Medicine is really a celebration of our culture,” Deal said. “Indigenous communities have always taken care of each other—especially the next generation. Putting kids first, keeping them healthy, making sure they have joy—that’s what this is all about.”
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Star-Studded Livestream to Boost Native News Online’s Year-End Campaign
Monday Morning (December 8, 2025): Articles You May Have Missed This Past Weekend
Native News Weekly (December 7, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us defend tribal sovereignty.
At Native News Online, our mission is rooted in telling the stories that strengthen sovereignty and uplift Indigenous voices — not just at year’s end, but every single day.
Because of your generosity last year, we were able to keep our reporters on the ground in tribal communities, at national gatherings and in the halls of Congress — covering the issues that matter most to Indian Country: sovereignty, culture, education, health and economic opportunity.
That support sustained us through a tough year in 2025. Now, as we look to the year ahead, we need your help right now to ensure warrior journalism remains strong — reporting that defends tribal sovereignty, amplifies Native truth, and holds power accountable.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Your support keeps Native voices heard, Native stories told and Native sovereignty defended.
Stand with Warrior Journalism today.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
