Growing up, I believed leadership meant being the loudest voice in the room. I thought it was about titles and authority — the person at the front with all the answers. Leadership looked like power.
Over time, I learned it looks very different.
Leadership isn’t about being in charge — it’s about being responsible.
Some of my greatest leadership mentors were not always in the spotlight. They were the women who organized quietly, who checked on families, who spoke up when it mattered most.
Leaders like Wilma Mankiller showed me that leadership is service rooted in community. Russell Means showed me that leadership also requires courage — the willingness to stand firm for sovereignty and justice, even when it’s uncomfortable.
And in our own communities, leadership lives in aunties, grandparents, youth mentors, and those who consistently show up.
Leadership means people are watching — especially the next generation.
When I was honored as Women of the Year, it wasn’t about recognition. It was about accountability. Today, leadership looks like integrity. It looks like listening. It looks like collaboration.
In Native communities, leadership is collective. It shows up in ceremony, language revitalization, protecting land and water, raising strong children, and serving our people. It is rooted in relationship and responsibility.
Showing up for your community is not optional — it is a responsibility.
That’s why our leadership program matters. We are building leaders who understand that. We are calling people to step up, speak up, and not be afraid. To honor where we come from and boldly shape where we are going.
If you feel that pull to do more, this is your invitation. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing up anyway. It’s about stepping forward when your community needs you.
Leadership belongs to all of us — and our communities are waiting.