# Investing in Our Future: The Youth Leadership Council

- Link: https://quintin.blog/2026/10/25/building-a-youth-tribal-council/
- Published: 2026-10-25T22:53:19-07:00
- Author: Quintin Swanson

Our young people will one day make the decisions about our Tribe’s future. The Youth
Leadership Council is how we start preparing them today.

We started the Council this summer through our Education Department. It is a year-
round program, not a summer activity. Our youth learn how Tribal government works,
build leadership skills, strengthen their cultural connections, and get experiences
that prepare them for what’s ahead.

## Meet our Youth Council

 * ChairmanFerrill JohnsonLeads our meetings
 * Vice ChairmanLoki TorsetSteps in to lead when needed
 * SecretaryBraelynn MurphyKeeps the meeting minutes
 * TreasurerJoanah RosanderLearns budgeting and stewardship
 * Member-at-LargeBrooklyn BlakeSpeaks up for all our youth

Officers are chosen the way real leaders are: applications, campaign speeches, and
a secret ballot. Youth ages 13 to 20 can run, and kids 5 and up can vote. Throughout
the year, the Council works on:

 * Monthly after-school meetings
 * Tribal governance
 * Public speaking
 * Budgets and meeting minutes
 * Cultural learning
 * Mentoring from leaders, elders, and professionals
 * Tribal Council meetings

Our Youth Treasurer learns how budgets work, but grant money is still handled and
approved only by authorized Tribal staff.

## Where we’re headed

These trips are for learning, so every one follows the same three steps:

 1. **Prepare.** Learn about the issues before we go.
 2. **Take part.** Watch, listen, ask questions, and join in.
 3. **Report back.** Share what we learned with Tribal Council, families, and our community.

Tap a stop to see the plans.

Summer 2026Council founded

Oʻahu, HawaiʻiNovember 15–20, 20265 nights

### Hawaiʻi Youth Leadership & Cultural Exchange

Our youth, joined by an elder, staff, and chaperones, will meet Native Hawaiian 
communities dealing with the same kind of shoreline erosion we face at home, and
bring new ideas back to Tokeland.

 * Cultural exchange
 * Youth leadership
 * Shoreline resilience
 * Prevention
 * Healthy living

 * **University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant**Shoreline erosion and coastal protection around
   Waikīkī
 * **Hina Mauka Teen CARE**Youth substance-use prevention and healthy choices
 * **Mauliola Keʻehi**Hawaiian identity, community wellness, and positive youth 
   programs
 * **Polynesian Cultural Center**A full day of Pacific Island history and traditions
 * **Native Hawaiian community members**How culture and traditional knowledge guide
   their planning

Back home, they will compare our two shorelines and present what they learned.

Some visits are still being confirmed, and there will be time to have fun too. The
trip is part of our HCA prevention program, subject to grant rules and Tribal approvals.

Washington, D.C.Spring break 2027In planning

### Washington, D.C. Leadership Trip

Tribal leaders regularly go to D.C. to advocate for our community. I want our youth
to see that work up close and understand sovereignty and our government-to-government
relationship with the United States.

 * **U.S. Capitol**Possible meetings with congressional offices
 * **The White House**A tour, if it can be arranged and approved
 * **National Museum of the American Indian**Native history and how our people are
   represented
 * **Ford’s Theatre, monuments, and memorials**American history, seen in person
 * **How decisions reach home**How federal laws and funding affect Tribal communities

Final plans depend on scheduling, funding, and approvals.

Throughout the year

### Tribal leadership gatherings

Our youth will attend sessions at gatherings like these, meet other Native youth
leaders, and watch Tribal governments work together on education, natural resources,
public safety, and sovereignty.

 * **ATNI**Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
 * **NCAI**National Congress of American Indians
 * **Centennial Accord**Washington State’s yearly meeting with Tribal Nations

Afterward, they report back to Tribal Council, their families, and our community.

## How it’s funded

Youth Council activities are grant funded, through a prevention grant from the Washington
State Health Care Authority (HCA).

Why it counts as prevention:

 * Healthy choices and sober living
 * Culture, elders, and identity
 * Positive friendships
 * Real responsibility
 * Substance-free activities
 * Skills for school, work, and leadership

> Prevention is not just about telling young people what to avoid. It’s about giving
> them something positive to work toward.
> Chairman Quintin Swanson

### Built to last

My priority is keeping the Council going all school year as a lasting part of our
Education Department, with regular meetings, involved families, and new funding 
sources. Over time, our youth will take more ownership: leading a community project,
presenting ideas to Tribal Council, or speaking at a conference.

The young people in this program today may one day lead our relocation, our government,
and the protection of our culture. I’ll share photos, highlights, and their presentations
as the Council grows.

### Share this:

 * [  X ](https://quintin.blog/2026/10/25/building-a-youth-tribal-council/?share=twitter)
 * [  Facebook ](https://quintin.blog/2026/10/25/building-a-youth-tribal-council/?share=facebook)

### Like this:

Like Loading…