22nd Annual Native Women’s Leadership Forum
Native Action Network will host our 22nd Annual Native Women’s Leadership Forum October 29-30th at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort. The Native Women's Leadership Forum is an annual event filled with workshops, keynote speakers, panels, and intergenerational connection. Stay tuned as we are excited to announce this year's theme, COMING SOON!
Anyone interested in issues impacting Indian Country and uplifting Native women leaders is welcome to attend. The forum is open to the public, and registrants come from many gender identities, cultural backgrounds, and professional affiliations.
The Leadership Forum opens with registration on October 29, 2026; Workshops begin at 9:00 a.m. and run through 4:00 p.m. In addition, there will be a welcome reception and Tribal fashion show, and an Enduring Spirit honoring luncheon for registrants to network, celebrate, and enjoy time together in community.
Enduring Spirit and Rising Star Honorees
Native Action Network recognizes Native women for their lifetime commitments to building strong, healthy Native communities and intergenerational connection. Each year, a public call for nominations is released, and four women are selected as the Enduring Spirit honorees and one woman is selected as the Rising Star honoree. The Honorees are celebrated amongst their peers at our Women’s Leadership Forum’s honoring breakfast and luncheon.
The Enduring Spirit and Rising Star Honorees have contributed significantly to positive change within their communities. These leaders have advocated powerfully for environmental protections, access to quality education, holistic health and wellness, cultural preservation, traditional knowledge, tribal sovereignty, strengthening of treaty rights, tribal economic development, and beyond. NAN recognizes the achievements of these remarkable Native women who through their commitment of time, energy, and volunteerism have taken their seat at the table contributing to a legacy of leadership.
Young Native Women’s Leadership Academy
Each year since 2010, Native womxn aged 18-25 attend our Young Native Women’s Leadership Academy which prepares the next generation of young Native leaders by combining cultural values with modern tools and services. Spread across three days of challenging and inspiring leadership training, participants’ understandings of money, popular media, personal development, goal setting, leadership, tribal sovereignty, Indian law, networking, and self-expression are strengthened. Through debate and discussion with their peers under the guidance and instruction of honored elders and national experts in their fields, young women leave transformed, empowered, and prepared to make a positive difference in their communities.
