Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day!

The second Monday of October is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and this year we are taking time to talk about the experiences and efforts of Native youth organizers when it comes to getting out the Native vote. Campus Vote Project Student Advisory Board member Kamryn Yanchick (Seminole/Mvskoke) is joined by Cordelia Falls Down (Apsáalooke /United Keetowah Band) and Brittany McKane (Mvskoke/Seminole) in this discussion covering topics such as the importance of cultural competency in voter outreach. On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, listeners are encouraged to acknowledge the land they live on (Native-land.ca) and learn about how to be a better ally to the Native community around them.

Kamryn Yanchick is a proud citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and descendant of the Muscogee Nation. She is in her senior year at the University of Oklahoma studying political science and Native American studies with an emphasis in tribal governance and policy, pre-law. She first became involved in civic engagement organizing through serving multiple roles on the executive team of Oklahoma Votes at the University of Oklahoma. Currently, Kamryn is a member on the Campus Vote Project Student Advisory Board and serves as a Voter Registrar with Rock the Native Vote OKC.

Brittany McKane is Mvskoke and Seminole, from Little Axe, Oklahoma. Brittany attends the University of Oklahoma and is majoring in Native American Studies and Anthropology, with a minor in Social Justice. She has served in various leadership campaigns and roles at both community and national levels. Engaging Native youth in trainings designed to activate this generation of leaders through organizational efforts is Brittany’s focus today and her continued work. Brittany currently works as a teacher’s aide at Sovereign Community School. You can find her on Instagram at @brittanyfaif.

Cordelia Falls Down is a member of the Apsáalooke Nation and United Keetoowah Band. Her name is Biabaashíalebaaxpáash which translates to “Sacred Dream Woman” given to her by her grandfather Art Alden, a Vietnam veteran. Cordelia is from the Crow reservation of Montana but currently resides in Norman, OK where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. She is currently in graduate school to pursue a Masters in Native American Studies-Tribal Governance and Policy. Cordelia is also active with the Center for Native American Youth, serving on both the Democracy is Indigenous council as well as the Remembering our Sisters fellowship.

If you're a student and want to join the Student Voting Network, you can join us here: bit.ly/svnslack

If you want to find more resources about student voting in your state, check out Campus Vote Project's nationwide database for voting information: https://www.campusvoteproject.org/

Produced by Kamryn Yanchick and Benjamin Nixon.

Music and Editing by Benjamin Nixon.