Tribal leaders from Arizona, Oklahoma, Washington, and Oregon met with President Robbins and UArizona representatives during the 2021 Tribal Leaders Summit.

The 2021 Tribal Leaders Summit, hosted by SVP of the Office for Native American Advancement & Tribal Engagement, Nathan Levi Esquerra, brought together tribal leaders from Arizona, Oklahoma, Washington, and Oregon and more than fifty leaders and representatives from UArizona on October 21 and 22, 2021.
 
The Summit featured an array of meetings and activities designed to honor Native Nations and their citizens. President Robert C. Robbins welcomed the tribal leaders to  UArizona's campus. The Summit was an opportunity for University representatives to meet with and hear from leaders of Native Nations and share their work. 
 
The Summit included a luncheon where David Hill, Principal Chief for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and Jonodev O. Chaudhuri, the Nation's Ambassador, addressed the attendees with inspirational words. After the luncheon, around thirty UArizona programs showcased their research and work done in partnership with Native Nations. Topics included tribal engagement, Indigenous governance and sovereignty, resilience, health care systems, water access and sustainability in Indian Country, and climate change, among others. 
 
Also, tribal leaders and University representatives had the opportunity to talk one-on-one about ways to strengthen their collaborations and improve efforts serving Native American students. The Summit concluded in a celebratory mood on Friday afternoon at the President's Tailgate, where Yellow Bird Hoop Dancer, Tony Duncan, performed. 
 
The 2021 Tribal Leaders Summit would not have been possible without the Native People Technical Assistance Office led by Claudia Nelson, and the Office of the Assistant Vice Provost for Native American Initiatives, led by Karen Francis-Begay.

Learn more about the 2021 Tribal Leaders Summit's highlights.