Youth Highlight

Emma Boykin

The Two Feathers Youth Prevention and Promotion team nominates a youth each month to highlight their achievements, love for their community, and their contribution to Two Feathers’ values. One of our Youth Highlights is Emma Boykin! Emma Boykin is a member of the Karuk Tribe and was raised in Somes Bar. Emma has been an active participant on our TAY Advocacy Team to help lead the way to advocate for a Native Youth Center in Humboldt County. You can watch Emma in action during our Town Hall Event HERE.

Emma is the daughter of Shawnna Conrad and Slate Boykin. She is the granddaughter of Florence Conrad and Willis Conrad. We at Two Feathers are sure that she makes her family very proud and will continue to do so as she ventures off to college at COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK CITY!

Thank you, Emma, for all that you do! Our Two Feathers team is honored to walk beside you as you transition to college and are excited to see who you become! You make your ancestors proud and are creating a world fit for our future generations. Keep up the great work!

Jason Smith Jr.

Jason Smith Jr., Yurok Tribal member who is also a Hupa descendant, will be starting his senior year at Arcata High in Fall. At this time, he is undecided on what he wants to do in his future, but he enjoys designing custom sneakers. Jason also enjoys sports, especially football and basketball.

We want to recognize Jason for his incredible work on the Sacred Trails Cleanup project in Karuk Country. During this project, Jason was the eldest youth participating and he embraced a mentor role throughout the project while leading by example. Jason displayed an amazing work ethic and a willingness to listen and learn.

Ruby King

Throughout her high school career, Ruby has completed several college courses, served as vice chairperson for her local tribal youth council, participated on several youth focused programs for Two Feathers NAFS, including our Youth Ambassador program promoting wellness and leadership as well as represented her class as a class officer. Ruby has been involved in this capacity for the past 2 to 3 years. We believe this demonstrates leadership in school, family and community; it speaks to her character, passion and her ability to be persistent and involved despite an hour bus ride, remoteness, and related issues in distance learning, current trauma and historical trauma that have touched her life. Her enthusiasm for learning and applying new skills, taking on challenges and her determination to help her fellow peers and her community are a few examples of her commitment and drive.

In Ruby’s role as a youth ambassador for our program, she is helping to provide a youth perspective for program development. She is tasked with identifying ways in which the local school district can implement an indigenous schoolbased mental health/wellness model. She has been part of creating material for our youth-driven wellness conference and she provides valuable input for our community coalition group, H.O.O.P.S. (Helping Others Overcome and Prevent Suicide). Ruby has accepted admissions to UC Berkeley. Our Two Feathers staff would like to congratulate Ruby on all her successes and cheer her on as she enters into this new phase of life! We know she will accomplish what she sets out to do!