 Frank Harrison |
The Frank Harrison and Harry Austin Voting Rights Essay Contest serves to recognize American Indian youth who are determined to uplift the voices of their peers and community members by participating in civic engagement efforts. On July 15, 1948, a court decision by the Supreme Court of Arizona granted American Indians the right to vote due to the commitment of Frank Harrison and Harry Austin. Today, we celebrate their achievements by participating in local, state, and federal elections. In Arizona, Tribal communities were amongst those who showed up to the polls in record numbers during the 2020 General Election. Frank Harrison and Harry Austin were pivotal in achieving voting rights for American Indians in Arizona. The Scholarship Essay Contest seeks to honor their legacy. |  Harry Austin |
 Candice Joe |
Tribe: Navajo Nation School: Arizona State University Candice Joe (she/her) is a member of the Navajo Nation born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a third year student at Arizona State University majoring in Public Policy and Public Service with a concentration in American Indian Studies. She is currently employed as a Civic Engagement Intern at the Phoenix Indian Center located in Central Phoenix and serves a Native Youth Grantmaker, UNITY 25 under 25 recipient, and former UNITY Earth Ambassador. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, painting, and writing letters. She is passionate about creating resourceful, safe environments in her communities especially for Native youth. |
 Candice Joe Essay Download |
 Danielle Williams Essay Download |
Tribe: Navajo Nation School: Grand Canyon University Danielle Williams is a first-generation Navajo (Diné) student. She completed her Master’s in Public Administration with an emphasis in Government and Policy at Grand Canyon University. She has a passion for giving back to her community and she has been serving her local public school district by contributing to Native American youth by engaging in their learning process and development, mentoring, teaching them to practice higher-level critical thinking skills, and promoting meaningful learning experiences all while incorporating the cultural values of the Navajo traditions and teachings. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Education in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education at Grand Canyon University, College of Education. Ms. Williams long-term research interest will focus on how diversity in non-tribal colleges can open new doors for Native American students and faculty which can enable a smooth transition from the start of college entry to completion. |
 Danielle Williams |
 Diedre Goodluck |
Tribe: Navajo Nation School: Northern Arizona University Diedre’ Goodluck (she/her) is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and originally from Coalmine Mesa, Arizona. She has recently received her Associates of Arts with an emphasis in American Indian Studies, Associates of Applied Science in Sustaining and Advancing Indigenous Nations, and a Certificate of Completion in Organizational Leadership from Scottsdale Community College. Diedre’ will be a senior at Northern Arizona University this fall and will be completing a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration. She is a Voter Education Organizer with Morning Star Leaders and has committed her entire professional career to working with Indigenous youth. After graduation Ms. Goodluck plans to work for a nonprofit organization or tribal community, helping to implement policies and procedures that benefit the wellbeing of Indigenous youth through federal and local grants. Advocacy for her people and communities has always been her passion and it is a purpose that she holds dear to her heart. |
 Diedre Goodluck Essay Download |
 Maryam Salazar Essay Download |
Tribe: Colorado River Indian Tribe School: Arizona State University Maryam Salazar is a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. While raising two amazing daughters, Maryam has attained a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Northern Arizona University and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California. She is currently in the Indian Legal Program at Arizona State University and is involved in the Native American Law Students Association, the Chicano Latino Law Students Association, and is the 2L Representative for the Black Law Students Association. Maryam is interested in water law and what it means for Tribal Nations’ self-sufficiency of the rivers that pass through their reservations. |
 Maryam Salazar |
 Mercedes Cotton |
Tribe: Navajo Nation School: Scottsdale Community College Mercedes Cotton is a 17 year old Navajo Female that graduated from University high school in Tolleson, Arizona. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, a very hot place to live, but will be attending Scottsdale community college full time in the fall of 2022 and majoring in forensic science. Although working full-time at a movie theater, some hobbies are baking, cooking, and gardening. |
 Mercedes Cotton Essay Download |
 Miyana Manus Essay Download |
Tribe: Navajo Nation School: Arizona State University Miyana Manus is currently entering her senior year at Arizona State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. She is comprised of three tribes: Navajo, Cherokee, and Omaha. Miyana has spent almost all her life living on the Navajo reservation with her mother, father, two younger siblings, and both her paternal and maternal grandmothers. She hopes to graduate and purse a career that betters Native communities. |
 Miyana Manus |
 Shannon Taylor |
Tribe: White Mountain Apache Tribe School: Tohono O’odham Community College Shannon Taylor, White Mountain Apache and Navajo, is a first generation college student in her family, she received her Associates of Arts from Northland Pioneer College in 2012. After receiving her Associates of Arts, Shannon took several years off from education until recently deciding to re-enter academia in hopes to complete her Bachelor’s and/or Master’s Degree in Natural Resources with an emphasis on Geographical Information Systems. Shannon is currently enrolled in her second year at Tohono O’odham Community College,where she has been placed on the Dean’s List and transferring to Northern Arizona University in Spring 2023. |
 Shannon Taylor Essay Download |
2022 WINNERS – The Frank Harrison and Harry Austin Voting Rights Scholarship Essay Contest
2021 WINNERS – The Frank Harrison and Harry Austin Voting Rights Scholarship Essay Contest
| Frank Harrison |
The Frank Harrison and Harry Austin Voting Rights Essay Contest serves to recognize American Indian youth who are determined to uplift the voices of their peers and community members by participating in civic engagement efforts. On July 15, 1948, a court decision by the Supreme Court of Arizona granted American Indians the right to vote due to the commitment of Frank Harrison and Harry Austin. Today, we celebrate their achievements by participating in local, state, and federal elections. In Arizona, Tribal communities were amongst those who showed up to the polls in record numbers during the 2020 General Election. Frank Harrison and Harry Austin were pivotal in achieving voting rights for American Indians in Arizona. The Scholarship Essay Contest seeks to honor their legacy. | Harry Austin |
 Allan Paxson |
Allan Paxson, a student at the University of Arizona, is a member of the Hopi Tribe. He is majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences with a minor in Educational Psychology. Allan finds his passion in helping others especially the Native American community. He aspires to enter the medical field as a Native American Physician providing care to underserved communities. Allan identifies as a continuous learner, opportunity seeker, and determined leader. |  Allan Paxson Essay Download |
 Catalina Alvarez-Flores Essay Download |
Catalina J. Alvarez Flores (she/her/hers) is an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe from the tribal community of Barrio Libre in Tucson, Arizona. She is a first-generation college student at Arizona State University pursuing concurrent degrees in Anthropology, BA and Family and Human Development, BS. Her interests include cultural resources management with an emphasis on tribal historic preservation, language, culture and history education, and tribal public policy. In the future, she plans to apply her knowledge and experiences in working towards further protection of sacred sites, land, resources, and ways of life of Indigenous people in the United States and México. |  Catalina Alvarez-Flores |
 Corey Hemstreet |
Corey Hemstreet (she/her), is a tribal citizen of the Navajo Nation and is originally from Tuba City, Arizona. Currently, Ms. Hemstreet resides in Phoenix, Arizona and serves as the Health Program Manager at the Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care (AACIHC), an independent state agency whose mission is to advocate for increasing access to high quality health care programs for all American Indians in Arizona. Ms. Hemstreet holds a Bachelors of Science in American Indian Studies and Justice Studies from Arizona State University. Currently, she will be starting her Masters program in Public Health at Northern Arizona University this Fall 2021. Aside from her profession, Ms. Hemstreet has been involved in community-based initiatives and organizations such as the Get Out to Vote campaign, Strong Teeth Strong Kid campaign, KidsCare campaign, Census 2020, and Morning Star Leaders, Inc. Ms. Hemstreet enjoys the outdoors, traveling, spending time with family, and attending community events. |  Corey Hemstreet Essay Download |
 Lourdes Pereira Essay Download |
Lourdes Pereira, is this year’s Miss Indigenous ASU 2020-2021. She is Hia-Ced O’odham and Yoeme and a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation coming from the San Lucy District. Lourdes is a Junior at ASU, double majoring in Justice Studies and American Indian Studies. She sits on the American Indian advisory council for the Arizona Education Department and also works for Labriola National American Indian Datacenter at Arizona State University. Lourdes is passionate about empowering and advocating for Indigenous communities. |  Lourdes Pereira |
 Sara Johanntoberns |
Sara Johanntoberns is an enrolled Kiowa member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma but is also Caddo and Pawnee. She is a senior at Northern Arizona University (NAU) majoring in Indian Country Criminal Justice. After graduation she plans to pursue her education at the Sandra Day O’Connor Law School in Phoenix, Arizona. She hopes to help the people of Indian Country and continue to water the seeds that the ancestors planted before her. |  Sara Johanntoberns Essay Download |
Native Vote: Broadening the Perspective
March 1, 2019 We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center
On March 1st, 2019, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona held the “Native Vote: Broadening the Perspective” event, a review and workshop of the 2018 General Election for counties and tribes.
During the 2018 General Election, ITCA, Tribal Leaders, local county offices, and other local organizations, worked together on efforts to increase voter participation – most especially within tribal communities.
The workshop provided an opportunity for tribes and counties to discuss the 2018 election results, identify best practices, and brainstorm ways to address challenges in future elections. The program included an overview of ITCA’s Native Vote efforts during the 2018 mid-term election, data pertaining to election results from native voters in Arizona, a look at how the Native Vote is impacted nation-wide, a briefing on reported incidents related to election protection, information on language assistance in accordance with Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, and best practices from the perspective of both counties and tribes.
Presentations
ITCA Native Vote Campaign
Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
Alexander Castillo-Nunez, Native Vote Specialist
Native Vote Election Arizona Results
One Arizona
Fred Oaxaca, Data Manager
Chris Brill
Native Vote National Comparisons
All Voting is Local
Alex Gulotta, Arizona State Director
Megan Gall, National Data Director
Election Protection Recap
Voting Rights Act, Section 203 Best Practices
Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, Clinical Professor of Law & Indian Legal Clinic Director
Get-Out-The-Vote! Tribe Best Practices
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Angela Willeford, Intergovernmental Relations Project Manager
County Best Practices
Navajo County
Rayleen Richards, Election Director
Doris Clark, County Recorder
