Rapid City, North Dakota- NDN Collective announced the 2024/26 NDN Changemaker Fellowship Cohort, a two-year fellowship consisting of 21 Indigenous leaders from throughout Turtle Island and beyond who are radically transforming Indigenous communities by defending Indigenous lands, waters, and rights; developing solutions for the future that regenerate the health of the Earth and our communities; and revitalizing our languages, governance practices, ceremonies, and ways of life. They are organizers, activists, social entrepreneurs and cultural practitioners who are challenging the status quo and building a better future for all people and Mother Earth.
Each fellow was uplifted and selected by grassroots members of their region in a process which involved nearly 500 applicants from 21 different regions across the colonial nation-states of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. including its surrounding Island nations.
Dr. Yekuhsi·yó Rosa King, Skaˀnikú·lat Founder, was one of the 21 Indigenous leaders named in this recent announcment. King represents the Great Lakes Region within the cohort and she looks forward to the various opporunties awarded in this fellowship, including directly networking with other Indigenous leaders, professionals, cultural workers and language practioners.
Dr. Yekuhsi·yó Rosa King shares their enthusiam and gratitude in being a apart of this national cohort, "It is an honor to be named a NDN Collective Changemaker Fellow, and to be recognized alongside so many incredible leaders in Indian Country for the important work we are all doing in our communities. Often times in language work, our work goes unnoticed, under-resourced and under-appreciated. Our languages are a window to decolonization and when we center our languages we can begin the transformational process of healing to our communities. This work is vital to maintaining our sovereignty as Indigenous Peoples, and it is important we continue to deconstruct the colonial status quo, defend and normalize our traditional ways of being and knowing, develop regenerative systems that support our communities to thrive, and decolonize our minds, actions, and environments. I am grateful to NDN Collective for this opportunity and with this fellowship, I look forward to developing my leadership, community building, and movement building skills as well as my continued knowledge of Oneida language and culture."
Read more about this announcement on NDN Collective's press release https://ndncollective.org/ndn-collective-announces-2024-26-ndn-changemaker-fellowship-cohort/.
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