Yá’át’ééh, Shi ei Taylor Francisco yinishe. Hello, my name is Taylor Francisco and I am Navajo and originally from New Mexico. I am currently a Neuroscience and Behavior Major at Columbia University in New York City. I am also a member of the 2019 Youth Council for the National Council of Urban Indian Health. Our council aims to promote healthy coping skills and wellness for urban indigenous youth through our Indigenous Wellness Champion initiative. For me, what it means to be an Indigenous Wellness Champion is to share your knowledge of wellness and resiliency with your community. Wellness Champions also are always learning about new ways to improve their wellness in a holistic and culturally infused way.

If you are looking to be a part of this national network and learning how to become an Indigi-Wellness Champion National Social Contest and Campaign, do so in the following four simple steps:

1. Create Social Media post showing you using your culture/hobbies or pics of Friends and Family that promotes wellness and resiliency
   a. Link to simple steps to use the Youth Council two-braid image on social media post located here
   Indigi-Wellness Social Media Tool Kit
2. Answer 2 questions in your post: “What does it mean to be an Indigi-Wellness Champion?” and “How do you stay resilient in your community”?

3. Ask other Native youth to join the movement in your post and ask them “What does it mean for you to be an Indigi-Wellness Champion?” and “How do you stay resilient in your community”?

4. Share on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. Make sure that your social media post settings are public for NCUIH’s office to view your submission. Include the Youth Council Campaign Logo & hashtags #ThisIsNative #CultureIsPrevention #NCUIH #NCUIHYC18. Create your post by using the YC’s two braided image representing both campaigns provided here: #ThisIsNative and #CultureIsPrevention.

5. Submit your post at https://www.jotform.com/NCUIH/indigi-wellness-champion-campaign before 11:59 PM September 20, 2019

How will Social Media Campaign winners be selected?

• A panel of indigenous judges will select the 1^st, 2^nd 3^rd place winners.
• The judges come from a variety of Native youth with different tribes and ethnicities that have a passion for promoting mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness for Native Youth.
• Judges will not be given names or tribes of participants. Judging will be done blindly.

Judging will be based on:

• Participants including Youth Council Campaign Logo & hashtags #ThisIsNative #CultureIsPrevention #NCUIH #NCUIHYC18.
• Participants answering the 2 questions in the post: “What does it mean to be an Indigi-Wellness Champion?” and “How do you stay resilient in your community”?
• Participants asking other Native youth to join the movement in your post and ask them “What does it mean for you to be an Indigi-Wellness Champion?” and “How do you stay resilient in your community”?
• Participants including the YC’s braided images representing both campaigns provided here: #ThisIsNative and #CultureIsPrevention. Located on pg. 6-8 on Indigi-Wellness Social Media Toolkit.
• Participants including language that: Inspire Native Youth to choose healthy solutions, investing in positive change for mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health; and promoting resilience and wellness to empower future generations.

We hope to see you on September 10th for our Campaign Launch!

Ahéhee’ (Thank you)!