Award-winning performers to headline leadership conference for Native Youth

Mesa, Arizona – January 17, 2019 – Native American hip hop artist Frank Waln, and actor turned medical physician Dr. Evan Adams, will give motivational presentations at the United National Indian Tribal Youth’s (UNITY) annual midyear conference, February 15-18, 2019, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The UNITY Midyear Conference will engage more than 300 Native youth in activities to help them assume leadership roles, including advocating for their tribal communities. “We have seen Native youth go from being reticent to engage, to being confident about their ability to affect positive change for themselves and their communities,” says Mary Kim Titla, Executive Director of UNITY. “Our conference provides students with various motivational workshops, team-building exercises, wellness activities, cultural exchanges, and new opportunities for young women,” she said.

This year’s theme focuses on youth advocacy and the creation of community campaigns. The conference includes motivational trainers Robert Johnston (Muscogee Creek/Choctaw), Juanita Toledo (Jemez Pueblo), and recording artist and speaker Marcus Guinn (Osage and Potawatomi), teaming up to offer leadership training and facilitate sessions for attendees.

Advisors and chaperones in attendance will also receive training from Pearl Yellowman, Ed.D, (Navajo). Additional conference highlights include a movie night, a hypnosis show, and a UNITY mock pageant. Several educational exhibitors, as well as Native American arts and crafts vendors, will be present.

In addition, UNITY will offer a pre-conference Communications Bootcamp Training designed to empower Native youth to tell their own stories through video, and a post-conference training about the concept of the UNITY Fire and how it can be used as a community fire to address issues important to Native youth.

For more than 43 years, UNITY has brought together Native American and Alaska Native youth leaders from across the country to participate in leadership development training. The registration rate is $230 through January 31, 2019. The conference is nearing capacity and early registration is encouraged. For more information and to register, visit UNITY’s website at http://www.unityinc.org or call (480) 718-9793. Exhibitor and vendor spaces are sold out.

About UNITY, Inc.

Founded in 1976, United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY) is a national network organization promoting personal development, citizenship, and leadership among Native Youth. UNITY's mission is to foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of American Indian and Alaska Native youth ages 14 -24, and to help build a strong, unified, and self-reliant Native America through greater youth involvement. UNITY's network currently includes 274 affiliated youth councils in 34 states. Youth Councils are sponsored by Tribes, Alaska Native villages, high schools, colleges, urban centers, and others. UNITY’s signature event is the National UNTY Conference, held each summer in various states. It is the longest largest Native American and Alaska Native youth leadership conference in the country, with more than 2,000 attendees annually.