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- By Native News Online Staff
By supporting Native students and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), the College Fund helps future Native leaders reach their full potential. College Fund student ambassadors represent the College Fund and their institutions in media interviews, at cultural events, in their communities, and on their campuses.
Student ambassadors attend a multi-day program hosted by the College Fund to prepare for this role. Held in Denver, Colorado, the program includes in-person workshops on leadership development, public speaking, interviews, writing, and social media so ambassadors can confidently speak on issues impacting Native communities.
The 2024-25 American Indian College Fund Student Ambassadors include:
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Annalise Guthrie (Cherokee Nation), Haskell Indian Nations University 2020, University of Kansas 2025.
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Bridget Hoshont’omba (The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), Nebraska Indian Community College 2025.
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Cherish GrassRope (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation), Salish Kootenai College 2024, Gonzaga University 2026.
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Deanna Teller (Navajo Nation), Haskell Indian Nation University 2025.
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Elizabeth Crumm (Wichita and Affiliated Tribes [Wichita, Keechi, Waco, and Tawakonie]), Kansas State University 2025.
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Krista Goodluck (Navajo Nation), Navajo Technical University 2024.
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Lisa Aimsback (Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana), Blackfeet Community College 2025.
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Promise Lensing (Santee Sioux Nation), Sinte Gleska University 2025.
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Tasheena Egan (Navajo Nation), Tohono O'odham Community College 2024, University of Nevada-Reno 2026.
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Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
