Navajo Nation Youth Advisory Council Holds First Meeting in Window Rock

Twelve young Diné leaders chosen from a pool of 41 applicants gathered in Window Rock on Saturday for the inaugural session of the Navajo Nation Youth Advisory Council, converting what was once a symbolic gesture toward youth engagement into a formal legislative body with the authority to advise tribal leadership on policy.

The council, known as the NNYAC, operates under the Legislative Branch of the Navajo Nation, a structural shift that gives its members direct proximity to lawmakers rather than the more removed position it held under the Executive Branch before a 15-1 vote last year transferred jurisdiction. Members ages 14 to 24 were confirmed in March under Legislation No. 0051-26, approved by the Naabik'íyáti' Committee, and will serve through 2028. Among the confirmed members are Makyle Dan, Starr Joe, Aryiah James, Tewakeedah Martin, Daelyn Benally, Nikko Yazzie, and Kendri Kinlacheeny.

Saturday's session opened with welcoming remarks and an invocation delivered by NNYAC members themselves before moving into a full day of presentations and workshops. The agenda covered education, infrastructure, youth resources, and civic involvement. Practical sessions included an IT presentation and a media engagement workshop designed to equip members with the communication tools they will need to represent Diné youth in public forums and legislative discussions.

Six Navajo Nation Council delegates attended in person: Otto Tso, Dr. Andy Nez, Shawna Ann Claw, Amber K. Crotty, George H. Tolth, and Speaker Crystalyne Curley, the legislation's sponsor and the first woman to hold the speakership. "The establishment of the Navajo Nation Youth Advisory Council under the Legislative Branch reflects our responsibility to mentor and empower the next generation of leaders," Curley said. "We are investing in the young voices that have long deserved a seat at the table."

The council's formal authority includes consulting and advising tribal leadership on youth-related policy, proposing youth-driven initiatives, and submitting quarterly reports to the Legislative Branch. Members are volunteers whose travel costs are covered, and they receive mentorship from the Nation's three branch chiefs alongside three appointed professionals. Representation is structured across the Nation's five agencies, with two at-large seats filled by Speaker Curley's appointment.

The NNYAC was first created in 2017 and spent years operating under the Executive Branch before advocates pushed for the transfer. The shift is significant for Apache County communities: Window Rock, the seat of Navajo Nation government, sits within the county, and a meaningful share of the Nation's Chinle and Fort Defiance Agency chapters fall within its boundaries.

"The NNYAC are the leaders of today and it's our duty to ensure they are equipped, heard, and supported as they help shape the path forward for our Nation," Curley said.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Apache County teens enrolled in the Navajo Nation who want to join the NNYAC, submit policy priorities, or attend future sessions can contact the council directly. Applications are accepted by email at nnyac@navajo-nsn.gov or by fax at (928) 871-6385. Completed packets can also be hand-delivered to the Office of Miss Navajo Nation inside the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock. Council members must be ages 14 to 24, serve as enrolled Navajo Nation citizens, and commit to responding to council communications within 24 hours. Travel costs for official council business are covered. The current term runs through October 2026, with the next application cycle opening ahead of the 2026-2028 cohort.