We Want To Protect Our Youth And Also Empower Them
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Join a movement led by Indigenous and multicultural youth ages 15–29. Help shape seasonal gatherings, healing circles, and cultural programs rooted in identity, resilience, and community.
Now Accepting Sign-Ups for the IYV Youth Advisory Board
Our annual Indigenous Youth Voices Summer Trip is happening August 30-September 3, 2025.
Not Our Native Daughters is a national Native-led nonprofit that advocates for the protection of Indigenous People, Native women and children by addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Not Our Native Daughters is a national Indigenous-led nonprofit that advocates for the protection of Relatives (MMIWR) and the human trafficking of Indigenous people. In 2021, we launched Indigenous Youth Voices, a youth empowerment initiative designed to take Native youth from reservations into outdoor spaces where healing, learning, and leadership can take root.
Our goal is to provide culturally-grounded, science-informed outdoor experiences that Native youth are often denied access to—such as white water rafting, snowboarding, hiking, and visiting national parks. Some of our youth live just a few hours from Yellowstone, yet had never stepped foot in the park until this program. We aim to change that.
Through our summer trips, we don’t just explore—we connect. Our youth gather in daily circle talks for heart-led discussions, share in group responsibilities like cooking and cleaning, and learn to build community through shared values. Elders accompany us to share Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), stories, and cultural teachings. These trips offer not only fun and adventure, but also deep healing and intergenerational learning.
Our upcoming trip is August 30-September 3rd, 2025, beginning at Bear’s Lodge (commonly known as Devils Tower National Monument), a sacred site in Wyoming. From there, we’ll travel to Jackson Hole, where our programming includes white water rafting, hiking to waterfalls in Yellowstone, kayaking in Grand Teton National Park, and visits to hot springs—all woven with cultural and ecological education from both Indigenous knowledge holders and environmental scientists.
This year’s theme is:
From River to Sky: Uplifting Native Youth Through Nature, Healing & Climate Action!
We’ll explore the importance of water through both traditional and scientific lenses—highlighting its sacredness, its threats, and the responsibility we all share in protecting it.
Our youth learn that water connects everything. And in learning this, they learn how deeply connected they are to each other, to the Earth, and to a future they are being empowered to shape.
Due to recent cuts in federal funding—funds that were intended to sustain us for two full years—we are now relying on community support to continue this vital work. We are actively fundraising to cover costs for travel, food, gear, cultural guides, and outdoor experiences.
UPDATE: In addition to our annual summer trip (August 30–September 3, 2025), Indigenous Youth Voices has been invited by the Tishman Environment & Design Center at The New School in New York City to co-host an event during Climate Week NYC 2025. Through this collaboration, our youth will have the rare opportunity to elevate Indigenous perspectives on environmental justice, climate action, and water stewardship to a national audience. We are actively fundraising to support travel and lodging so more youth can participate and be heard.
We believe in advocating for Indigenous justice, but we also believe in empowering the next generation to be leaders, goal-chasers, and changemakers. Our mission is to create pathways for employment, cultural learning, and values, while providing safe spaces for growth. We are committed to supporting Native youth-led initiatives because we believe in the power of uplifting our young people. We not only pray for our youth, but we also pray with them and empower them.
If you believe in Native-led solutions, youth empowerment, and environmental justice, we invite you to support this project.
We would love to hear from you—connecting is what we do! If you’d like to learn more or have any questions, please contact us at: notournativedaughters@gmail.com
Tokša ake wówašte kiŋ yeló.
Wičhóuŋyaŋpi kiŋ hé miyé k’a okíčhize.
Wówahwaŋpi kte ló, tȟokáta kiŋ hé miyé.
We thank you for your willingness to help.
Youth empowerment is sacred work.
May all your actions be successful, and your path be good.
Indigenous Youth Voices: Our Mission in Action
In 2022, NOND launched a transformative Native Youth Group on the Wind River Reservation, designed for Indigenous youth ages 14 to 27 interested in environmental justice, conservation, and meaningful outdoor experiences. What began as a local initiative has now expanded to include youth from the Denver metro area and Pine Ridge (Oglala Nation), creating a vibrant, intertribal community rooted in healing, leadership, and cultural connection.
Over the past two years, we’ve built strong, ongoing relationships with national parks, including Teton and Yellowstone, and educational institutions like Teton Science Schools. These partnerships allow youth to engage with public lands through an Indigenous lens—exploring land stewardship, environmental careers, and cultural identity.
Our seasonal programming includes annual snowboarding trips and immersive summer expeditions. Last summer, youth participated in a week-long journey that included white-water rafting, kayaking, hiking, and wildlife exploration. Elders and knowledge keepers guided the experience, sharing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and oral storytelling passed down through generations.
As the program has grown, it has evolved into a year-round leadership and wellness model. We now host monthly youth healing circles, which provide ongoing spaces for cultural grounding, peer connection, and emotional growth. These circles center Indigenous approaches to wellness while addressing the modern-day challenges our youth face.
Our Mission is to empower Indigenous youth through culturally rooted leadership development, environmental engagement, and wellness education. A key part of this mission is to educate youth on trauma-informed care—what trauma is, how it can shape behaviors and identity, and how self-awareness, emotional regulation, and healthy communication can support healing and growth. By combining traditional knowledge with practical tools, we help youth build the foundation to thrive in their personal lives, communities, and careers.
These transformative experiences are made possible through strong partnerships with national parks, community allies, and generous funders. We remain committed to uplifting Indigenous youth and creating safe, empowering spaces where they can connect to the land, their culture, and their leadership potential.
"Opportunities like this are rare for Native youth—many have never experienced these kinds of adventures on ancestral lands. Through Indigenous Youth Voices, we are not only creating memories, but also restoring joy, connection, and a sense of belonging where it has long been denied."
Our aim is to inspire Native youth to become independent thinkers and visionaries. Through partnerships with conservation and outdoor recreation groups that align with our mission, we foster diverse experiences. This approach not only broadens conservation efforts but also nurtures the upcoming generation of Indigenous environmental leaders, empowering them to enact impactful change in the world.
At NOND, we believe in the strength of community, the principle that “each one teach one,” and the power of prayer as foundations for healing and growth. We see nurturing community well-being as a core facet of leadership and recognize the responsibility it carries—to foster emerging tribal youth leaders with wisdom, purpose, and heart.
A key part of our work includes providing trauma-informed care education—helping youth understand how trauma shapes behaviors, relationships, and identity. Through talking circles, we create culturally safe spaces to explore real-life topics like healthy relationships, emotional regulation, self-awareness, and making grounded decisions. These circles are guided by elders, mentors, and peers to promote connection, healing, and personal responsibility.
Investing in our youth not only cultivates future leadership but also strengthens the enduring Indigenous values that form the bedrock of our heritage. By empowering Native youth to ascend to new heights, we affirm their sacred role within the tribe and the world. We ensure every Indigenous youth has the support, guidance, and spiritual grounding to flourish and realize their fullest potential.
Not Our Native Daughters strives for the growth of a future where Native Americans prevail in all the same areas where other ethnicities succeed.
Indigenous Conservation
Indigenous Conservation refers to the practice of preserving, managing, and sustaining natural resources by Indigenous communities using traditional knowledge, cultural practices, and holistic approaches. It involves a deep understanding and respect for the interconnectedness between humans and the environment, emphasizing sustainable use and protection of land, water, wildlife, and ecosystems. Indigenous Conservation integrates ancestral wisdom, passed down through generations, and aims to maintain biodiversity, ecological balance, and the well-being of both the environment and Indigenous communities.
Raising Indigenous social identities that have been traditionally underrepresented in the environmental industry
One of the ways to cultivate knowledge is reducing barriers to outdoor recreation and with the partnerships of others build pathways to employment in the conservation community
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Annual Snowboarding Trip
The Indigenous Youth Voices Group will be taking a trip to Snow King Ski Resort in Jackson, Wyoming. Snowboarding instructors will provide an in-depth introduction training to snowboarding.
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Traditional Ecology Knowledge & Kayaking
The NOND Native Youth Group champions Indigenous youth voices through immersive kayaking expeditions, intricately woven with wisdom from ecologists and Native elders. These transformative journeys extend beyond the thrill of paddling; they serve as gateways to embracing Traditional Ecology Knowledge (TEK). As these young minds navigate the waters, they absorb invaluable insights from ecologists, unlocking the intricate balance between ecosystems and Indigenous cultures. Alongside this scientific exploration, the voices of Native elders echo through these experiences, sharing oral traditions and deep-rooted ecological wisdom. This holistic approach intertwines adventure with ancestral knowledge, fostering a profound connection to nature and heritage, nurturing a generation poised to become stewards of both environmental preservation and Indigenous heritage.
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Citizens for the Red Desert
The Red Desert where wildlife thrive, undeveloped lands are connected, traditional and ancestral uses continue, histories are honored, and to it from the oil & gas industry. In the efforts of the preservation of the Red Desert— the Indigenous Youth Voices Group will take a day trip to the Red Desert and learn from experts the importance of conservation and the preservation of Indigenous cultural lands.
Thank you to our partners, Citizens for The Red Desert and Wyoming Outdoor Council.
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Learning from our Elders
At NOND, amplifying Indigenous voices is paramount. We, as Indigenous People, treasure our ability to narrate our own stories. Our youth, equipped with educational expertise, are also enriched by the invaluable wisdom of our esteemed elders. In every Indigenous Youth Voices Expedition Trip, we ensure the presence and guidance of elders from diverse tribal communities. Recognizing our deep-rooted connections to these lands, we prioritize learning from a tapestry of tribes and revered elders, seeking to uncover the authentic history embedded within the landscapes and regions we traverse
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Preservation of Ceremonial Plants
Red cedar, sage, and red willows are some of the main elements utilized in our ceremonial way of life. The group will learn where these plants grow, how to cultivate more growth, how to harvest these plants, and why it’s important we promote the growth and preservation. Our Lakota and Dakota, Northern Arapaho & Eastern Shoshone ceremonial elders snd phyotologist will be the educators of this day trip of learning and oral story telling.
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Teton School of Science
The Indigenous Youth Voices Group, led by NOND, has forged a collaborative partnership with the Teton School of Science, embodying a visionary alliance that nurtures the voices and perspectives of Indigenous youth. This alliance is a testament to their shared commitment to education, empowerment, and the environment. Through this partnership, Indigenous youth are provided with a unique platform to engage in scientific exploration while embracing their cultural heritage. The collaboration between NOND and the Teton School of Science exemplifies a powerful synergy that bridges knowledge, culture, and conservation, fostering the growth of the next generation of Indigenous leaders.Description goes here
Contact us.
If you are interested in collaboration with our Wind River Youth Leadership Group, please contact us. We would love to hear from you!
notournativedaughters@gmail.com
307.438.0214
PO Box 1661
Fort Washakie, WY 82514
