HISTORY OF NYS

CSVANW created the Native Youth Summit to help educate and empower our youth to end violence against Native women and children. For 13 years, we have cultivated a space to address the real-life issues our youth face today such as identifying traits of a healthy relationship, providing examples of what consent looks and sounds like, what it means to be a leader, what advocacy is and how youth can be advocates, and caring for our mental health and wellness. CSVANW believes in providing our youth with the tools needed to become the next generation of leaders in their community. CSVANW is committed to nurturing this movement, knowing that when our youth thrive, our entire community prospers.

Native Youth Summit 2025

This year, we created a dynamic two-days of violence prevention education with a focus on mental health. We wanted to ensure our youth know how to take care of their mental health and why it is important.

On Day 1, youth attendees took a 15-minute nature walk to Equine Therapeutic Connections (ETC) to participate in Equine Assisted Therapy, for the first part of a very hot day. Spending time with horses through guided activities with skilled staff at ETC was a first for many. “The most valuable part was the horse therapy because it made me more open-minded about interacting with animals,” stated one participant. Another stated, “The most valuable part was the horses because they taught me a lot about myself.” The afternoon was spent gaining information on media literacy, which emphasized the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication. They also reviewed and discussed the increased need for Native representation in the media to counter racist and harmful depictions. To end the day, attendees looked at the types of relationships they were aware of and began to identify what type of qualities they wanted in future relationships, as well as understanding what healthy, unhealthy, and abusive relationships can look like.

Day 2, youth participated in a holistic health practice called a “sound bath”, which involves immersing themselves in sound waves from traditional and modern instruments tuned to specific frequencies. It offers a multi-sensory, meditative experience that promotes various immediate and long-term physical, emotional, spiritual, and healing benefits. Throughout the day, we had local community partners came together to provide educational sessions on consent, understanding and practicing boundaries, and 988 suicide prevention. All very important topics when it comes to Native youth and sharing ways to help end violence against Native women and children.

In the afternoon, we had our special guest, Brian Yazzie, who is currently the only professional Native American (Navajo) magician touring nationally, delivered an unforgettable performance: The Magic of You: Empowering the Next Generation Through Story, Culture, and Magic. Sharing his journey from growing up in poverty on the Navajo reservation to becoming a nationally recognized performer. Brian weaved in themes of identity, resilience, leadership, and healing. One participant state, “The most valuable thing for me was the magic show because he talked about a lot of deep topics.” Brian provided a very interactive performance leaving youth speechless and wanting more. We concluded Day 2 with some words of encouragement and believe in themselves to be who they want to be by CSVANW’s Interim Executive Director, Nicole Michelena. Each participant who attended both days of the Summit will receive a $100 stipend. 

Looking into the Future

NYS is committed to investing in and empowering our youth, who will be the leaders of tomorrow. This initiative presents a distinctive opportunity for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women to elevate and support the upcoming generation of tribal leaders in New Mexico. Together, we strive to put an end to violence against Native women and children. CSVANW looks forward to finding new and engaging ways to educate youth and provide opportunities to carry out what they learned into their communities. 

Native Youth Summit is open to Native youth ages 13-17. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive information on when our next Native Youth Summit will be. You can also help us continue uplifting Native youth voices by donating today to support next year’s Native Youth Summit. 

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CSVANW is a 501(c)(3) organization that is funded in part by the New Mexico Department of Health. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the New Mexico Department of Health.