FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Flagstaff, AZ — The Grand Canyon Trust is now accepting applications for its 2024 LeaderShift Scholars program. Up to 12 LeaderShift scholars will be selected for a free nine-day immersive outdoor environmental justice advocacy training across the Colorado Plateau, August 10-18, 2024.
LeaderShift scholarships include $150 stipends, meals, and transportation, with gear-lending available. Individuals 18-27 with an interest in environmental justice are encouraged to apply at grandcanyontrust.org/leadershift. Applications will be reviewed and participants selected on a rolling basis until Friday, May 31, 2024.
LeaderShift scholars travel to places like Tuba City, Kykotsmovi Village, and the Grand Canyon, engage with local communities, learn about energy extraction, and witness firsthand the transition away from fossil fuels toward more sustainable, just economies in Native communities.
"The closure of the coal-powered Navajo Generating Station has left a legacy of health disparities and a broken economy for Navajo and Hopi people," explains Amber Benally, Just Transition manager at the Grand Canyon Trust, who will accompany scholars on their travels. "The 'just transition' movement on the Colorado Plateau aims to shift power to Native communities as they rebuild their economies, and young people play a crucial role in demanding a transition to a more regenerative economy. We believe those who feel the effects of climate change first should be trained in environmental and social justice advocacy, so they can go back and uplift their own communities," Benally explains.
Scholars will learn about the history of coal mining on Navajo and Hopi lands and meet with families who worked at the Black Mesa and Kayenta mines as well as business owners who are building the foundation of healthier economies. Scholars will also learn action-based strategies to create social and environmental change in their own communities. Workshop topics include civic engagement strategies, campaign planning, power mapping, anti-oppression, allyship, and leveraging personal strengths for community change.
2023 LeaderShift Scholar Boisiu Dewangyumptewa said of the experience, "the space we created, the humor we expressed, the support we gave and received…that’s what LeaderShift was about for me. I’m appreciative of everyone’s open mindedness as we explored the backyard of the local Indigenous communities. It is a different experience to live and breathe on Black Mesa during the summer time, but I feel that what we experienced helped us realize the importance and depth of what this area truly means to the communities that have been and will be here for generations to come."
Applications for LeaderShift 2024 are open now until Friday, May 31, 2024 at 5:00pm. More information and the application link may be found at grandcanyontrust.org/leadershift. Questions can be directed to risingleaders@grandcanyontrust.org.
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