The Leadership Institute is designed to assist emerging youth & community leaders in developing & refining their leadership skills.  We are only able to accept 20-30 Southwest Indigenous/Native young people, between the ages of 18 - 35 years old, to participate in this year's Institute.  Those selected will be able to participate in a one week and weekend of focused trainings, sharing, and reflection to build upon their organizing and leadership skills.  In addition, the Leadership Institute aims to build a network of emerging and established inter-generational leaders supporting one another as we work together in building a better world.


BMWC is the host organization for both sessions and will invite other trainers and facilitators to help with the process.  Both sessions will integrate skill building and theory, such as: identifying root problems through Indigenous history, sharing our tribal histories, decolonization, analyzing systems of oppressions, media, planning, fundraising, facilitation, and base building.   The first week session will be held January 4-10, 2010 (travel days are 4th and afternoon of 10th).  The second session will be held Spring 2010 and will be determined by the selected participants schedules.


If selected, we will ask you to commit to attending BOTH sessions (the full Institute).  In addition, after each session there will be a minimum of follow up communications with participants both to evaluate and to assist in any reflections and/or applications of the Institute trainings.  BMWC would like to support participants to our full capacity; therefore further support calls or meetings could be arranged as well.


BMWC will communicate with participants in order to assist in their understanding, reflection, and application of the concepts between the two sessions and after the last session.  We will also do follow up, evaluation, and support calls and meetings.


Once the full Institute training has been completed we hope you will continue in BMWC’s Leadership Development Pathway program.  Step 3 – Mentorship – BMWC will assist and support in partnering you with an organization, group, or leader for a three-month mentorship that best fits your interests.  Step 4 – Training for Trainers – imparting your leadership skills and knowledge to others is key.  This step is specifically designed to help your pass your knowledge on.  Step 5 – Giving Back – with all that you have gained we hope you will be part of our training team, leading workshop and trainings for others.  The work to build healthy and sustainable communities means we MUST bring our people with us.


WHO SHOULD APPLY?

Young Indigenous/Native people between the ages of 18 – 35 years old from the Southwestern United States (AZ, NM, UT, CO, & Southern CA)
Young people with the desire to help build healthy and sustainable communities

WHAT YOU GET?

Invaluable skills and trainings for leadership
Full scholarships for both trainings
Potential college credit
Skills and trainings for leadership
Be part of a network of other young and established Indigenous leaders

WHAT YOU COMMIT TO?

Showing up and committed participation for both trainings!!
Participate in communications: phone calls, evaluations, and meetings

WHO WE ARE?

Black Mesa Water Coalition is dedicated to preserving and protecting Mother Earth & the integrity of Indigenous Peoples’ cultures, with the vision of building sustainable & healthy communities. BMWC strives to empower young people while building sustainable communities. www.blackmesawatercoalition.org


Enei Begaye – BMWC Co-Director

Is of the Diné (Navajo) & Tohono O’odham Nations.  Enei grew up on the Navajo reservation from the community of Shonto, AZ.  Enei is a recognized advocate of Indigenous Peoples rights, youth, and the environment. She is an active speaker, strategist, writer, and organizer. Enei is a co-founder of the Native Movement Collective, a non-profit organization working to build community and healthy relationships between all people.


Wahleah Johns – BMWC Co-Director

Comes from the Navajo (Dine) tribe and the community of Forest Lake, which is one of several communities atop the Black Mesa region.  Wahleah is a strong advocate for indigenous peoples’ rights, environmental justice and restorative justice.  She is also apart of many climate and environmental justice networks, who are addressing global climate change and environmental racism in Indigenous and people of color communities all over the world.


Sammie Ardito – BMWC Programs & Development

Is Leech Lake Ojibwe originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has lived many places across the United States and has been engaged in organizing work around Indigenous rights, economic, environmental and social justice, education, ethnic studies and youth movements.  Sammie is in the process of completing a degree in Applied Indigenous Studies from Northern Arizona University.


Chelsea Chee – BMWC Youth Organizer

Is a Dine woman from Cedar Springs, Arizona. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Environmental Science.  Through the Campus Climate Challenge program, Chelsea supports reservation schools in creating innovative solutions to combat climate change.


Nikke Alex – BMWC Green Jobs/Youth Organizer

Is from Gallup, New Mexico and has studied in California, Arizona, Guatemala, Spain, France, and Italy. She has worked in various social movements and has worked extensively with Indigenous communities around the world. Nikke has carried-out independent research in both uranium mining and coal mining on the Navajo Nation. She is a recent graduate from the University of Arizona and holds a B.A. in Sociology with an emphasis in environmental racism.

Black Mesa Water Coalition Leadership Institute Application

January 2010 – December 2010

**APPLICATION: Due November 2, 2009**

An online application is also available at: http://bit.ly/2id2aA



PARTICIPANT INFORMATION



NAME:              



ADDRESS:              







EMAIL:              

*E-mail address will be used to confirm registration, provide additional information, and notify if you have been selected.  Please indicate if you prefer to be contacted by phone.



PHONE:              



AGE & BIRTHDAY:              



GENDER:              



TRIBAL AFFILIATION:              



COMMUNITY:              



ORGANIZATION:              



SCHOOL (if applicable):              



GRADE/YEAR & MAJOR:             



PRIMARY LANGUAGE SPOKEN:              



IN YOUR ROUGHLY 500 WORDS, PLEASE ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING IN SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS:



Who are you (communities, clans, special skills, interests, hobbies, etc)?
Why should you be selected to attend the Leadership Institute?
What is your vision for your community & what are the obstacles that will hinder your vision?
What actions have you already taken as an emerging young leader to make positive change?


SCHOLARSHIPS (THE FOLLOWING WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR SELECTION):



BLACK MESA WATER COALITION WILL COVER THE COST OF MEALS AND LODGING FOR THE BOTH SESSIONS.


Will you need travel assistance to and from the session locations?  __ FULL ASSISTANCE       __PARTIAL ASSISTANCE       __NO ASSISTANCE


If partial assistance was checked, what can you contribute to this cost?







SEND COMPLETED APPLICATION TO &

POSTMAKED BY NOVEMBER 2, 2009:



Chelsea Chee

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.



OR



FAX: 928-213-5905



OR



PO Box 613

Flagstaff, AZ 86002



QUESTIONS??

Chelsea Chee: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 928.213.5909