Started by the youth for the youth

2-year effort results in Youth Advisory Council signed into law

WINDOW ROCK

The establishment of the Navajo Nation Youth Advisory Council was an initiative started by the youth for the youth, and on April 30 President Russell Begaye signed the resolution into law.

Marlon Murphy, 19, said he initially began the youth council in 2013 and fellow member Triston Black, 19, joined. Together they garnered support as more youth joined.

The goal was to become established and be the voice for all Navajo youth to Navajo leaders.

“I seen the lack of our young people’s voice in Window Rock and how tribal leader after tribal leader used young people during election time, most whom even never listened to the young people when in office,” said Murphy. “But with this new Navajo Nation Advisory Youth Council, we will forever have a youth voice in Window Rock advocating for the young and elderly.”

The youth council will be established under the executive branch and consist of 12 members, ages 14 to 24. Two members will be appointed from each of the five agencies and two members will serve to represent the nation at-large.

Members would be recommended by the Office of Diné Youth and be appointed by the president, speaker, and chief justice, according to the legislation.

The purpose of the youth council is to provide policy advice to the president and vice president, Navajo Nation Council and judicial branch regarding youth issues and concerns. They will also provide guidance and solutions to Navajo Nation officials.

“I knew that we would get this (established),” said Black, who is a student at Diné College. “But I knew it would take a lot of work and collaboration.”

Black said challenges they faced were getting policy makers, youth and elders to understand what the advisory council was for. The endeavor did have a champion in Yvonne Kee-Billison, a staffer in the president’s office, who supported and advised the group since the early stages.

“The youth council came together and discussed many different ways of creating this legislation, developing it, moving it, gaining support, encouraging one another,” said Kee-Billison. “I seen them start out fresh and now they have a really good grasp of how the government works, how legislation is developed.”

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