Southeast Region: Cherokee Nation, Northern Arizona University
My name is Kee Hernandez, and I am Cherokee, Navajo, and Vietnamese. Currently, I attend school at Northern Arizona University majoring in Forestry. I am a sophomore with a focus in wildland fire management. Over the course of the last six years, I volunteered at my Kansas City high school and was in charge of our holiday food baskets. My assigned tasks included collecting food can donations, promoting our food drive, and delivering turkeys or hams to families in need. The goal was not only to meet immediate needs but also to provide an abundance of nonperishable items and staples, ensuring that families could celebrate these holidays with the same joy as families everywhere. After college, I plan to spend much more time as an advocate for others. To ensure that I advocate for others I have stepped up as a volunteer for the past three years at the Heart of American Indian Center to ensure that people have their needs met for the weekly food pantry, pow wow events, and fundraisers. I plan to strengthen a sense of belonging for natives who do not live on the reservation but are looking for ways to connect and celebrate our identity.
