Cherokee Youth Leaders Accept White House's Generation Indigenous Challenge

Members of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council have accepted the White House’s Generation Indigenous (Gen-I) challenge to Indian Country to improve lives and increase opportunities for Native youth. When accepting the Gen-I Challenge, the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council launched a new initiative to promote traditional language preservation and spark usage among young adults within the Cherokee Nation. That’s a key sector of our tribe that needs engagement with our tribal language. Our Cherokee Language Immersion School has proven to be effective for our youngest children, and the Cherokee Speaker’s Bureau is a wonderful tool for our elders to congregate and speak the language. But there was nothing designed specifically for outreach to young adults.

That’s why the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council is launching the Gen-I Cherokee Language 2020 Challenge.

It is an effort to challenge Cherokee citizens to do their part in speaking or learning the Cherokee language. Pledge forms have been created for individuals and families to accept the Cherokee Language 2020 Challenge, which challenges all of us to speak Cherokee daily and to encourage others to learn the language.

In 2020, just five years from now, we can reassess the number of Cherokee speakers on behalf of the youth council and see if their targeted outreach was effective. These youth ambassadors have met with Cherokee Nation department leaders and other stakeholders to implement and promote their five-year plan. It’s especially encouraging for this age group because Cherokee is now available on so many smartphones, computers and other technology-driven platforms.

These youth are wonderful examples of our young Cherokee Nation citizens engaged in improving their community, their tribe and their world. They are interested in their Cherokee culture and language and want to make a difference in the lives of our people. These are young leaders who are not afraid to shoulder responsibilities for the future of the Cherokee Nation and all of Indian Country.

I fully support their endeavors because part of my sworn oath as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation is to preserve, promote and advance the language and culture of the Cherokee Nation.

Youth Council representatives are leaders among their peers and volunteer to accept additional responsibilities within our tribal nation. Their motto, “It starts with you,” means that speaking Cherokee starts with an individual’s commitment to learn and use the language.

If we all do not do our part, our Cherokee language will be further comprised. We have made a concerted effort to ensure our language will not be lost, like so many other indigenous tongues. This idea reinforces our mission to grow and develop more speakers so that Cherokee will continue to be used by our children, our grandchildren and their grandchildren.

Several of our young Cherokees will be attending the White House Tribal Youth Conference in July as part of President Obama’s outreach to Indian Country. He championed the Gen-I to focus on improving the lives of Native youth. Through increased engagement and investments, we can better address some of the issues facing Native youth, including mental and physical health, access to education, and cultural preservation.

Representing the Cherokee Youth Council at the White House gathering will be their elected leaders: Ashlee Fox, president; Ja-Li-Si Pittman, vice president; Ashton Shelley, secretary and treasurer; Taylor Armbrister, parliamentarian; Morgan Mouse, reporter and historian; and Bradley Fields, chaplain. Additionally, both Sunday Plumb, Miss Cherokee, and Chelbie Turtle, Jr. Miss Cherokee, accepted the Gen-I Challenge, utilizing their platforms, “Retention Rates for Native Students in College” and “The Value of Higher Education,” respectively.

Some of our partner organizations are Gen-I challenge early acceptors, including the National Congress of American Indians, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, National Indian Child Welfare Association and National Indian Education Association.

Our tribe is losing Cherokee speakers at an alarming rate, and everything we do for our youth to increase their ability to use the language is vital. I commend the Cherokee Youth Council for recognizing this fact and taking decisive action to increase opportunities for their fellow Cherokees to speak, tweet, Instagram, text and email in Cherokee.

I will also be accepting this challenge and encourage all Cherokees to do so as well.

Wado.