The 16- to 24-year-old members of the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s Youth Advisory Council recently hosted a special self-empowerment event for Zuni Middle School students. The event took place at 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24 at Ho’n A:wan Park.
Council members Ryann Cornelius, Kalil Edaakie, Keely Bobelu, Jasmine Bradley, Raymond Homer and Sophie Riley invited students participating in ZYEP’s “Rooted in Healthy Traditions” after-school program to participate in the event, as well as athletes from the ZMS softball team. Over two inspiring hours, the group listened to a presentation from community leader Zowie Banteah-Yuselew and created vision boards.
Never miss Indian Country’s biggest stories and breaking news. Sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.
Remembering and understanding the many mental and emotional challenges of being in middle school, the council members said they wanted to design an event that would share what it means to find a sense of belonging and start the journey of self-motivation and self-love. Their collective hope was to empower the younger students so they would feel intentional with their decision-making and capable of accomplishing their goals.
“We spent many weeks preparing for this event, making sure our supplies came in on time, creating our own vision boards as examples and getting in contact with our guest speaker, Mrs. Zowie Banteah-Yuselew,” Cornelius said. “Our meetings allowed us not only to plan for the event, but also to grow together as a youth council and develop our teamwork and planning skills.”
During her presentation, Banteah-Yuselew shared a poem about being connected to a particular community or place and how that rootedness helps with self-empowerment. She emphasized that knowing who you are and where you come from is vital for feeling empowered as an individual.
“I loved Zowie’s presentation and the poem she read,” Homer said. “The event went better than I imagined, although I was pretty nervous. My goal was to make a few people laugh — and not stutter or mispronounce a word! All the planning and meetings really did come together once the day of the event came.”
Bobelu said she was delighted to see the number of kids who attended the event, and their level of engagement with the vision board activity. She also expressed her gratitude to Banteah-Yuselew.
“I am so thankful Zowie took the time to present to our youth,” she said. “Her resilience has paved the way for many youth and young adults. I also am grateful we had this opportunity to host an event for our ZMS kids. I am so proud of my fellow council members, and how we all came together to show our community that we are our resource for our youth and our people.”
For her part, Edaakie said the weeks leading up to the empowerment event were a whirlwind. She remembered the mix of nervousness and excitement as she and the rest of the council finalized the details and created their own vision boards, which she said was fun for all.
“On the night of the event, it was especially rewarding to see my sister enjoying the event alongside her friends from the softball team, which I coach,” Edaakie recalled. “Working alongside the other council members made the process so much easier, and I can’t wait for our upcoming projects.
“The highlight definitely was our guest speaker, Mrs. Zowie Banteah-Yuselew,” she continued. “Her poem resonated deeply with everyone and added to the empowering atmosphere. Overall, it was a fantastic experience that I believe truly made a difference in our community.”
Bradley also said it was a joyful experience to see the kids having fun. In addition, she noted that the event gave the youth council members an opportunity to connect with them on a deeper level.
“It was inspiring to see the brilliance of our kids as they shared their dreams and aspirations,” she said. “I believe we can engage with even more of our youth during our upcoming events. This is just the beginning! I’m excited for our community to discover what we have planned.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my fellow youth council members for their dedication and effort in making this event a reality,” she added. “I also would like to give a special shout out to Zowie. She is truly an inspiration and an exceptional role model for our community.”
The ZYEP Youth Advisory Council meets regularly under the supervision of Youth Development Coordinator Kiara “Kiki” Zunie and her programming team. Its members are dedicated to serving as advocates for all Zuni youth — bringing awareness to important issues, providing insight, building bridges with other leadership groups, and taking the initiative to facilitate youth and family activities — while strengthening their own leadership and communication skills.
In the months to come, the council will be developing additional youth events dedicated to social-emotional learning and contemporary art. They also will be supporting ZYEP’s 17th Annual Summer Camp.
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.