Dreamstarter Class of 2023 – There is so much the Dreamstarters have accomplished!
The year 2023 marks a milestone in the Dreamstarter Academy program, which successfully completed its 8th year of empowering Native American youth. The Dreamstarter initiative, launched by Running Strong for American Indian Youth®, provides crucial financial backing, mentorship, and communications training to emerging Native leaders, allowing them to carry forward projects that benefit their communities. This year’s cohort concentrated on addressing environmental justice issues, a critical area that impacts many Native American communities across the country.
From technological innovations in solar energy to community gardening projects and leadership conferences, the Dreamstarters of 2023 have made remarkable progress in addressing the urgent environmental challenges facing their communities. Let’s take a closer look at their extraordinary accomplishments, which have left an indelible mark on their communities and beyond.
Empowering Native American Youth through the Dreamstarter Program
The Dreamstarter Academy program has always been about more than just funding. It’s about nurturing a generation of Native leaders who can tackle the most pressing issues in their communities. Since its inception, this program has stood as a symbol of hope, innovation, and resilience.
In 2023, the focus shifted toward environmental justice, with each Dreamstarter addressing issues related to climate change, resource depletion, and sustainability. These projects were not just about addressing environmental concerns but also about uplifting Native voices and empowering communities with the tools and knowledge to create long-lasting change.
Key Areas of Focus
The Dreamstarter Class of 2023 targeted various key areas that directly impact Native American communities, including:
Solar energy innovations
Food sovereignty and security
Disaster relief technology
Water conservation and protection
Advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP)
The dedication, hard work, and passion displayed by these young leaders have led to substantial progress, not only in their projects but also in raising awareness about critical issues affecting Indigenous communities.
Cruz Collin – Solar Panel Technology Development
Cruz Collin set out to develop a new type of solar panel that is more environmentally safe and cost-effective than what is currently available. He has made some exciting discoveries that could revolutionize solar panel technology by blending Western Science with Lakota science and cultural traditions.
Running Strong’s financial support allowed Cruz to procure materials and equipment to create a small lab where tests and research could be conducted. Over the grant year, Cruz built and tested over 300 different small prototype solar panels and has developed a system made of almost 100% all-natural materials.
“I surprised myself through this process and can now see the potential this idea really has to impact the world in a major way in just a few years.”
Autumn Harry – Great Basin Nation Building
Autumn Harry‘s advocacy work is rooted in the profound interconnectedness of violence against the land and physical violence against tribal people. She focused her project on creating awareness of how resource extraction on Indigenous land directly results in increased violence against Indigenous women by organizing an informational youth camp and creating a mural in downtown Reno dedicated to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
During her grant year, Autumn was also a full-time master’s student and community organizer and continued to grow her Fishing guide business. To give her more time to develop her dream, Autumn will continue to work on her Dreamstarter Project throughout the winter.
“I want our communities to feel seen and heard while we continue to demand justice for relatives who have been taken by violence.”
Corice Lieb – Disaster Relief Assistance
Corice Lieb’s project leverages new drone technology to assist tribes in disaster relief. Drones enable quicker and easier assessments in the wake of a disaster, often going to places that would be unsafe or inaccessible to humans. Unfortunately, drones are often inaccessible to tribes due to the expense of the drones, training, and licensing.
During his grant year, Corice established an educational course that allowed Native youth in his community to learn how to operate a drone, providing them with the proper study materials, opportunities for hands-on training, and assisting with licensing fees. Corice has also been developing ideas for other ways drones can be helpful to tribes, including surveying, anti-poaching and animal protection ventures, and farming.
“Our youth need to learn about the emerging technologies that will help our Native Nations.”
Anpa’o Locke – Indigenous Youth Leadership Conference
Anpa’o Locke is dedicated to uplifting native voices and concerns through storytelling and media representation. Her project focused on providing Native youth with leadership training, media skills, and lessons in strategic planning so that they feel empowered to undertake their advocacy projects and environmental justice community work.
With her grant funds, Anpa’o brought 15 Indigenous youth and six staff members together for a 5-day, in-person Youth Leadership training that touched on good environmental stewardship practices, community and personal resilience, non-violent direct-action techniques, and media training. Participants shared that they felt a renewed sense of identity and purpose and created a strong community of activists.
“This year’s training was particularly transformative, fostering numerous connections and building relationships grounded in our shared commitment to environmental justice.”
Sara Powell – Three Sisters Garden
Sara Powell is committed to improving food security in her community after learning that the Navajo Nation, spanning approximately 27,000 square miles—about the size of West Virginia—has only 16 grocery stores. Using traditional knowledge, Sara taught Native youth how to garden and grow healthy foods of their own.
Partnering with Nebo Title VI American Indian education, Sara was able to help teach gardening classes and cultural workshops on canning, drying, foraging, fishing, and cooking during their summer school program. Through her project, Sara strengthened her community and provided young students with lifelong skills.
“This project taught students about healthy life choices for their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.”
Noah Proctor – Piscataway Community Garden
Noah Proctor is passionate about giving back to his community and aims to improve reliable access to healthy, traditional foods. Through his project, “The Piscataway Community Garden,” he aims to reconnect Native youth with traditional agricultural practices, improve access to nutritious foods, and promote food sovereignty.
In partnership with Through Piscataway Eyes, Noah secured a plot of land for his garden and used his grant funds to purchase seeds and plant high-yield healthy foods. Over 30 volunteers, mostly young people, donated their time and efforts to produce hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables distributed to tribal elders and families in need.
“Our greatest success has been motivating young people to care about hunger in the tribal community and volunteer their time. I think it made other people my age realize they can be impactful, even if they do not have the wealth to support the community financially.”
Sheniah Reed – Water is Life Conference
Sheniah Reed is a conservationist at heart, having a deep understanding of how environmental justice and protection of the land also promote the protection of wildlife, tribal food sovereignty and sustainability, and water quality. The Water is Life Conference provides a safe space for Native and non-Native people to share, learn, reflect, and brainstorm ways to get involved in environmental justice efforts.
The conference was a huge success, complete with two Keynote speakers, a panel of water protector experts and a panel of food sovereignty experts, a professional networking fair, workshops and breakout groups, and arts and crafts vendors.
“Nothing is more important than ensuring the Earth is a place worth living for our children.”
McKalee Steen – Indigenous Youth Perspectives and Actions on Landback
McKalee Steen’s advocacy is rooted in promoting Indigenous sovereignty and confronting the long-term consequences of colonization and land theft, including the resulting intergenerational trauma and institutional barriers. The reclamation of tribal lands to their original stewards is an integral part of environmental justice efforts. McKalee’s conference focuses on training and supporting Native youth on how to do so.
The financial support McKalee received from Running Strong allowed her to host 15 Native Youth Leaders and several Landback experts for four days in Berkley, CA. During the conference, participants gathered to share knowledge, learn of new opportunities, strategize, and get inspired. The conference culminated in a trip to Alcatraz Island for the Sunrise Ceremony on Indigenous People’s Day.
“It was beautiful to see youth motivated on this topic. Landback can be a slow process, so we might not see lands directly returned yet, but seeing youth empowered to take up space, learn, and try to initiate their projects was great.”
Tillie Stewart – Biawaatchaache Collective
Tillie Stewart is dedicated to strengthening the voices of young Apsáalooke women and reconnecting them with the land. In partnership with the Bridge Foundation and 2016 Dreamstarter JoRee LaFrance, Tillie founded the Biawaatchaache Collective, a women’s collective focused on learning more about their homelands and connection to culture through workshops and community outreach.
The collective comprises mothers, athletes, scholars, and environmental justice advocates working to improve the quality of life for their community. They recently received additional funding for their efforts and have been focusing on water well quality for young families. The collective will continue programming into the winter and hopes to introduce another cohort next year.
“We are thrilled to continue this journey together, fortified by the positive energy and encouragement we’ve received from our community, and are eager to further contribute to the well-being of our environmental culture in our community.”
Loren Waters – Indigenous Environmental Films and Activism
Loren Waters’ mission is to bring greater awareness to environmental justice issues and combat the underrepresentation of Native American voices. With Running Strong funding, she was able to complete her film, “ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (Meet Me At The Creek),” a documentary highlighting Cherokee elder Rebecca Jim’s fight to restore Tar Creek.
After completing the short film, Loren circulated her film through the Film Festival circuit this past spring and hosted a premiere of her film in her hometown, complete with special guests and a questions and answer panel. Since the release, Loren and Rebecca have had a collaborative partnership with the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. This program will help provide professional services and technical assistance to help them with their long-term dream of restoring Tar Creek.
“This is a huge success since we want the film to be an inspirational tool for the community to continue the fight to clean up Tar Creek.”