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Aimee Roberson is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and also of Chickasaw, Scottish, Irish, and English descent. She is a lifelong student of Mother Earth’s wisdom and holds a bachelor’s degree in geology and a master’s in conservation biology. She is committed to reciprocity and community, and works with people to ensure that the social-ecological systems upon which we all depend continue to flourish.

This June, in honor of Pride Month, Cultural Survival celebrates the wide range of identities and experiences in Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ communities. Cultural Survival's Indigenous Youth Fellowship Program stands at the forefront of this celebration, recognizing and supporting the unique voices and leadership of Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Through their projects, these fellows are embracing their identities, honoring their cultures, and driving positive change within their communities, creating successes and influence that reach far beyond the confines of Pride Month.

The importance of educating youth in their own languages about their own cultures using curricula designed by, or with the participation of, Indigenous  Peoples cannot be stressed enough. When youth are taught content in a manner that is culturally responsive to their Indigenous communities, it strengthens their identities and history, creating healthy spaces for self-determination.

By Shaylin Salas (CHamoru)

My name is Shaylin Salas, and I am a CHamoru woman from Guåhan, Mariana Islands. Guåhan (popularly, Guam) is the southernmost island of the Mariana Islands chain in the western Pacific Ocean. The Indigenous Peoples of this region are the CHamoru and the Refaluwasch communities. In 2022, I was a Cultural Survival Indigenous Youth Arts Fellow. For this, I was invited to attend the 23rd session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York in April 2024.

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