There’s something powerful that happens when Indigenous and Latine leaders gather, not just in proximity, but in shared purpose. At this year’s joint Native Americans in Philanthropy and Hispanics in Philanthropy conference in Albuquerque, that power was felt in every hallway conversation, every panel, and every shared meal. The themes of opportunity and hope were not abstract, they were alive. They showed up in the stories of young people shaping futures rooted in land and legacy, in the calls to action from organizers on the frontlines of climate justice and education, and in the commitments we heard from funders ready to grow their impact and expand their reach.
Reflections from a Native Youth Grantmaker and a Lideres Fellowship Alumnae
From Sage Innerarity:
As an 2023 alumnae of Native Americans in Philanthropy’s Native Youth Grantmaker (NYG) program, this convening was an important time for reflection on growth and regrounding in community. Moreover, HIP NAP was a profound moment for witnessing the reverberating impacts of investment in youth leadership and professional development. As we celebrated the milestones and achievements of our cohort, I was filled with immense gratitude for the ways in which both NAP’s and the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions’ commitment to youth leadership paved my pathway to become a Program Coordinator at Fresh Tracks. It was through my time as a Grantmaker and a Fresh Tracks Trainer that I gained the skills necessary to not only navigate but lead in spaces where the voices of young Native people are scarce.
Native Youth Grantmaker Alumni/ae and Native Americans in Philanthropy Staff at HIP-NAP 2025
From Juan D. Martinez Pineda:
As a 2024 Hispanics in Philanthropy Líderes Fellow, I am reminded that building a more equitable and just future also means transforming the systems that shape how resources flow and decisions are made. The Líderes Fellowship has been a grounding force in my own leadership journey, offering space to reflect, recalibrate, and reconnect with the broader Latine philanthropic community. Through this fellowship, I’ve gained deeper insight into how leaders of color navigate philanthropy not only as practitioners, but as systems-shapers, challenging extractive practices and advocating for trust-based, community-led models.
Attending the NAP/HIP convening with this lens reaffirmed my belief that the future of philanthropy lies in proximity to—and accountability with—our communities. It’s not enough to shift narratives; we must also shift power. My experience as a Líderes Fellow continues to inform how Fresh Tracks shows up in this space: not only as a program rooted in youth development, but as a platform pushing for structural transformation grounded in culture, identity, and belonging.
Shaping Collective Futures in Solidarity
For Fresh Tracks, this moment was about more than visibility, it was about belonging. It was about standing in solidarity with other movement leaders who believe that our future gets stronger when we show up across issues, geographies, and affinities. We saw the potential of what it means to align our cultural strengths with structural change.
A highlight of the convening, Seeding and Ceding Decision-Making Power to Our Youth, featured reflections from G4GC’s New Songs Rising Fellows and Seventh Generation Fund’s Eagle Feather Fellows. We were filled with pride for the young people on that stage, whose journeys are only beginning but are already so incredible to witness. To witness these emerging leaders speak about their work and aspirations was a reminder that across sectors, communities, time, and place we are all working toward a common goal: fuller, freer, more just futures for our communities.
Panelists for Seeding and Ceding Decision-Making Power to Our Youth
This work begins by creating pathways and sustainable mentorship for our youth which nurtures their gifts and equips them with the tools necessary to utilize their gifts to the fullest extent. Moreover, this work requires that we not only uplift youth voices but create systems and structures in which youth are key decisionmakers, knowledgeholders, and experts in their own right. Our youth often have the clearest and most grounded sense of what our communities need and where our communities are headed. Fresh Tracks is, therefore, excited to support the Indigenous Tomorrow’s Fund, which will cede decisionmaking and oversight to young Indigenous leaders. Through this effort, Indigenous youth can not only imagine but actively contribute to cocreating our collective futures.
Looking Ahead
As we look ahead to our upcoming Summer convening in New York City with the Doris Duke Foundation, Native Americans in Philanthropy, and the Center for Native American Youth, we carry forward the energy and urgency sparked in Albuquerque. That gathering will continue the work of bridging sectors, policy, philanthropy, and community, to uplift Native youth leadership, natural resource stewardship, and systems transformation
We left the NAP/HIP convening reminded that our movements are strongest when we choose to walk together. That our shared futures are rooted in mutual respect, collective memory, and radical hope.
Erik Stegman, CEO of Native Americans in Philanthropy (left) and Ana Marie Argilagos, CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy (right)