2022 Young Native Women’s Leadership Academy
Amaria Rosado - Nisqually and Chehalis
Amaria is a member of the Chehalis Tribe and lives in Lacey, Washington on the Nisqually Reservation. She is eighteen years old and a sophomore at the University of Washington, Seattle and a qualified prospect for the Honors Program, studying Political Science and Law, Society, and Justice. Amaria has worked as a summer youth counselor in her tribal community and has served the community of Seattle through non-profit volunteer opportunities that concentrate around social Justice and serving underrepresented communities. She plans to join the First Nations & Mock Trial UW and hopes to share and spread her culture with individuals from different backgrounds along her journey. In July 2019, Amaria attended the National UNITY conference with other coastal tribes. Through additional programs on campus, Amaria hopes to have increasing opportunities to serve Native Americans outside her own reservation and use increasing knowledge to return and help her own community as well. After undergrad, Amaria plans to attended Law School and serve in the government sector or become an attorney, using her legal power to restore and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and tribes. Amaria is honored by this opportunity and is proud to represent her tribe.
Elizah Dominy - Tlingit & Haida
Elizah Dominy is an enrolled member of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, on her mother’s side of the family she is Lahkota. Elizah’s Lingit name is Kootxheech, which comes from her clan Chookaneidi. She currently attends the University of Alaska Southeast where she is going into her senior year of her Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts studying Alaska Native Studies & Languages. Elizah serves on the Tlingit & Haida Youth Commission as a Youth Delegate and is currently in the second year of her term. Since 2019, she has been an active member of the University of Alaska Southeast Student Government, and in the last two years she has served as the Student Body Vice President. In 2019 Elizah moved to Juneau Alaska to attend the University of Alaska Southeast in hopes of reconnecting with her ancestral lingít language. During her time in Alaska, Elizah began learning more about her Tlingit traditional art forms but she gravitated towards the Northwest Coast formline art. She was recently commissioned by a Seattle based Indigenous Non-profit Organization to create four art pieces to be used by their organization. Her passion for her art grew and she just established her own art business by the name of Forget-Me-Not Creationz. Elizah plans to have her website up and running by the end of summer 2022!
Ella Fernandes - Lower Elwha Klallam
Ella Fernandes Is an enrolled member of Lower Elwha Klallam. She Lives in Burien, WA. Ella Fernandes will be attending Eastern Washington University in the fall of 2022. Ella Fernandes has Volunteered at an animal shelter in the past, Before covid. When Ella Volunteered, you would find her helping animals find their forever home and help out with the cleaning. Ella has future aspirations to become a leader in the Criminal Justice Field and help people stride towards their life goals. Ella is a Unique individual who is honored to be A part of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe.
Jonnette Paddy - Navajo
I am born of the To dich'ii'nii and born for Ma'ii deshgiizhnii as a Dine Woman. I was born into advocacy(like most Natives) and learned most of what I know today from my mother. I was part of Las Vegas, NV's only youth Pow Wow dance troupe(at the time) and would occasionally tag-along with my mother when she would travel to Nevada's tribal lands to educate our people on cancer prevention. I spent my childhood/teen years educating non-natives on issues impacting our people and dispelling stereotypes as much as possible. I took a break from being active in the activist and Native community of the Las Vegas valley to expand my horizons into softball and film making. I graduated High School with Advanced Honors, a seal of bi-literacy in French, a major from an arts school in film making, and as MVP of my softball team. Then I spent my first year of college at New York University, after my family started struggling financially I decided to leave NYU so as to lessen the financial burden and attended my local University of Nevada Las Vegas. My first semester at UNLV was highlighted by being crowned Miss Native UNLV. I traveled as far as Reno,NV and Albuquerque,NM attending Pow Wow's and other events. I even made a small leap for my hometown Pow Wow by having the University table at the Snow Mountain Pow Wow, the first time in it's 26 year run that a University had even thought to reach out to the local tribe. I then took a small year-long break from public events and cut my hair to grieve in my peoples way after a relatives death. After the year was over COVID had hit and I organized a donation drive for hygiene kits and masks I put together/sewed myself to distribute to Indigenous folks trying to escape sex trafficking and living on the streets. I also started as a community organizer with Native Voters Alliance NV during the 2020 election in order to ensure that if my relatives chose to vote, that it would be easy and they knew their rights. I made calls to rural Indigenous folks of Nevada walking them through the new process of mail-in-ballots to ensure their voices were heard and let them know of resources available to them (shuttles, ballot drop boxes, poll watchers, ballot tracking) I successfully transported and collected over 100 fabric masks and two car-fulls(my ford fiesta) various donations. When I would drop off donations I would also volunteer in person with the folks I was collecting donations for. Volunteering included: preparing meals, distributing clothing, helping newly housed folks move into their new homes, distribute hygiene kits, and sit in on case management with their social workers during community outreach events. I then moved from Las Vegas, NV to Albuquerque, NM in hopes of becoming a case manager for the folks I volunteered with but unfortunately it didn't work out. Within a few months of living in ABQ I volunteered and was offered a position at Indigenous Women Rising, an Indigenous led and centered reproductive justice organization. I am currently their abortion fund manager and handle all client communication and most of the communication with clinics. I have also organized and facilitate an Indigenous Abortion talking circle with Planned Parenthood's Native Community Health Network for those that are healing from having an abortion. I am very proud to have my own apartment and cat as well.
Katelynn Pratt - Suquamish
Katelynn is from Suquamish, the land of the clear salt water, she comes from the survivors of the great flood. Freshly 21 and figuring out the path she wants to go down in life, slowly getting back into college after being hit with a pandemic. She wants to be able to show her family, her siblings, and ultimately herself that she can finish college and earn a degree. For right now Katelynn has been working at an Early Childhood Center to keep herself busy, she has learned lots from her co-teachers and even the kids in her classroom. bonding well with kids and easily adapting to her surroundings is nothing new to Katelynn, she’s been doing it all her life, family and siblings especially are what makes Katelynn’s world go round. Conferences are nothing new either, Katelynn has always been on the go traveling with her Youth Council to many U.N.I.T.Y conferences and other leadership conferences around WA state. Being able to make connections while learning good teachings to bring back to her people is the main goal when visiting these conferences.
Kaya Fernandes - Lower Elwha Klallam
Kaya Fernandes is an enrolled member in the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Kaya is currently a senior at Western Washington University pursing her degree in Sociology. Kaya is currently an ambassador for Native Action Network, and she also works at a learning center called Kumon, and has worked there since she was 16 years old. After Kaya graduates from Western Washington University, she hopes to pursue a career in social work, working with Native families. In high school Kaya was a running start student at Highline College. During that time she was a student ambassador for a program called AANAPISI (Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution) which included many opportunities including public speaking and working and mentoring with other students and being able to attend conferences for leadership and diversity.
Keesha Vigil - Squaxin Island Tribe
Yal-ka-blu (Keesha) is a member of the Squaxin Island Tribe and lives in Shelton, Washington. She currently attends South Puget Sound Community College where she is almost finished with her AA- degree. She plans on attending Evergreen State College to earn her degree in marine biology and education. Keesha has been a mentor for the youth of her tribe of all ages. She now serves as her tribe's Teen Program Coordinator where she works with youth 13-18 leading them in cultural, education and prevention activities. Over this last spring, her and the youth were able to film a short PSA about microaggressions the youth face in public schools. Keesha looks forward to seeing the youth create, inspire and become young leaders as they grow. The program she works for now was a big part of her leadership journey and she is honored to be able to give back to her community. Keesha is thankful for this opportunity and be able to implement what she has learned to her tribe and the youth.
Tamika Krise - Squaxin Island Tribal Member
Tamika is a member of the Squaxin Island Tribe. She is 22 years old and is the Elementary Student Advocate for her Tribe. Throughout the school year, she is in the public schools advocating for Native American students, grades K-4. After school hours are spent providing homework help/tutoring. In the summer, she mentors Native American teens through their summer youth employment program. All year round, Tamika avidly participates in exercising her treaty rights. From the clam digs to oyster picks. Soon to be a geoduck diver, as she is on her last step towards becoming officially certified. Tamika is also honored with being one of Squaxins youngest skippers, teaching youth about the importance of the canoe, water, and canoe journeys. Tamika aspires to further her education and continue her career path in education. She is going to gain her bachelor's degree and climb the ladder in Squaxin's education department, in hopes of becoming the next Director of Education. Tamika is passionate about providing for the Native American youth, as she has had the responsibility of providing care for her younger sister since she was only 18. Tamika now has full guardianship of her 17 year old sister who is an upcoming senior in highschool. During the last four years, Tamika has had many obstacles, but none that she couldn't overcome. She is honored to have this opportunity to gain more knowledge to help herself and others succeed. She is beyond proud to represent the Squaxin Island Tribe.
Violette Capoeman - Quinault, Hoopa, and Potowatomi
Violette Capoeman, also known by her Ancestral name of ḱeleḱu, “Where Thunder dropped Whale.” She is of Quinault, Hoopa and Potowatomi descent. Violette attends Annie Wright School for Girls in Tacoma, Washington where she maintains a cummulative 4.3 GPA, serves as Student Body President/Housespeaker and is the School Mascot-Chomp.
Violette recently earned the Title of Miss Quinault Indian Nation at this years' Chief Taholah Treaty Day Celebration and is eager to spread Cultural Awareness wherever she goes. She is in the process of starting up her very own Non-Profit Organization called, 'Culture's Closet' and offering Regalia to misplaced Indigenous children in the Foster Care System so that they may stay grounded to their roots of origin.
You may have seen her perform at the International Children's Friendship Festival or been on live television for ICFF Seafair Parade with Kiro7 News . Her most prestigious accomplishments to note include but are not limited to: Grays Harbor Best Youth Vocalist, Grays Harbor County Fair First-Place Talent Show Winner, Nomination to the National Academy of Future STEM Innovators Award of Excellence, exclusive interview with Comcast NBCUniversal & National Conference for Community and Justice and Northwest Native Arts Market & Festival Washington State History Museum Soloist.