(Staffers from the New Mexico Wildlife Federation traveled to West Virginia to help conduct the Native Youth Community Adaptation and Leadership Congress from July 7-13. The federal government has a cooperative agreement with the NMWF to provide logistical support for the NYCALC event.)
By WENDY SANDIDGE
NMWF Development Director
For the third year in a row, New Mexico Wildlife Federation has been tasked with the logistical planning and implementation of the Native Youth Community Adaptation and Leadership Congress (NYCALC) put on by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Congress is an opportunity for Native American high school and college students from all around the country to participate in projects that reflect environmental challenges in their communities. Attending this year were 56 high school students and 26 college students representing over 78 different tribal communities, including Alaska, American Samoa and Hawaii.
Every year, the students’ projects are based on answering a single question but from many different viewpoints. This year, the big question was, “As future leaders, how can you use your voice and skills to make a difference for the environment, while continuing to respect your culture and strengthen your sovereignty?” Students break into groups based on general themes that they are passionate about such as community, education, expression, leadership, etc. and work on a presentation to answer the big question. At the end of the week, participants present their project which can be anything from videos and skits to poems and song. The students spend many hours working on these projects, that time is combined with workshops, a career fair, motivational speakers and some outdoor fun. The culmination of the Congress is a cultural night where participants share songs, dances, poems, and stories from their culture around a fire.
The Congress is a time for students to learn about other cultures, values and viewpoints while growing to become leaders in their own communities. While the focus of the week is the environment, other deeper issues quickly surface as challenges that the participants share and must overcome in their community. Issues such as alcohol, drug use, suicide, violence and even murder are common themes in many of these students’ lives. NYCALC becomes a safe space to share and support each other during the week while creating friendships that will last a lifetime.
New Mexico Wildlife Federation is extremely honored to plan, implement and participate in such a meaningful, culturally relevant and educational experience. Every year we take home with us traditional knowledge that we carry forward in our work in communities and a new understanding of the challenges that face these communities every day.
