COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

Emily Jimenez has 20 years’ experience in the non-profit sector supporting women and young adults. During this time, she has helped students from historically under-served communities secure aligned employment as well as overcome obstacles to high school and college graduation.  She currently serves as the Learning Program Director at Brooklyn Job Corps, a program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that offers free educational and vocational training to young adults ages 16-24. In this role she connects employers to an emerging talent pipeline and implements strategies to enhance academic instruction and career and technical training.   Emily is the eldest child of Dominican immigrants and the first to attend college, obtain a graduate degree and work in a corporate setting. This experience has fueled her passion for being a fierce advocate of equity in education, finding culturally competent mentors and workplace wellness. Her goal is to equip first generation students with tools to thrive in college and corporate environments and encourage them to pay it forward, creating a culture of mutual aid within their communities. As a Taíno descendant living in New York City, she has spent the last few years learning and remembering the ways of her indigenous ancestors. She has immersed herself in being a song keeper, utilizing traditional spiritual healing modalities, and employing council storytelling methods in community work.  She obtained a bachelor's degree in Culture & Communication and a master's degree in Business Management & Leadership from CUNY's School of Professional Studies in addition to an Executive Education Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Fordham University.

Saira Coye-Huhn (she/they) is of mixed Indigenous ancestry (Belizean Yucatec Maya). They are an Indigenous Rights Advocate, an artist, and currently work as a Community Outreach Coordinator for the NYC Commission on Human Rights with a BA in Global Public Health & Anthropology from NYU with minors in Native American & Indigenous Studies and Chemistry.  Saira served as the first Senator at-Large for Native & Indigenous Students and the President of the Native American & Indigenous Student Group (NAISG) at NYU, where she spearheaded the establishment of NYU’s new Provostial Indigenous Studies Center, the first NYU residential communities focused on celebrating Indigeneity (Turtle Island TEC), and created policy that expanded the Lenape Indigenous Scholarship cohort. In 2023, they were granted the Dean’s History Department Award for Excellence in Native American and Indigenous Studies and a Golden Rose Award by NYU’s Academic Achievement Program, which is granted to women of color at NYU for their continued commitment and countless contributions to the community. She also creates art and poetry for herself and her ancestors as a therapeutic way to connect with them and her culture and as a form of resistance.  For many years, Saira has held a deep appreciation and respect for UIC and, in 2022, served as the MMIP Program Manager Associate where they assisted in the creation of the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) task force and MMIP Policy Tracker. Now, she is more than excited to continue serving as a member of the Community Advisory Board. 

Kylie VanArsdale is a fashion and beauty model of Diné, Black and Irish descent living in Lenapehoking (NYC). After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Classics from the University of Notre Dame, Kylie worked in education policy at a non-profit in Dallas, Texas before relocating to NYC to gain experience as a paralegal at a commercial litigation boutique. With aspirations to attend law school and explore passions for Indian Law and cannabis decriminalization, Kylie plans to marry her creative and legal interests by leveraging her platform in the modeling industry to shine light on issues affecting Indian Country. A member of the Native American Student Association of Notre Dame (NASAND), Kylie gathered with fellow Native students to advocate for the successful removal of harmful c*lumbus murals on campus and developed an original voter turnout theory centering the political participation of Native voters for her senior thesis submission. A lifelong Urban Native, Kylie is particularly passionate about the needs and perspectives of reconnecting Natives and Afro-Indigenous relatives in community advocacy work. A voracious reader and former writing tutor at the University Writing Center at Notre Dame, Kylie spends her free time penning essays that she one day aspires to publish.

Joel Sedano (they/them) is a queer and Trans* poet-scholar of Mexican, P’urhépecha, and Wixárika descent. Joel has a B.A. in English and Gender & Women’s Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, an M.F.A. in Writing from Columbia University and M.A. in Performance Studies from New York University. They are a second-year PhD student in Theatre & Performance at The Graduate Center, City University of New York. Their research centers on contemporary Indigiqueer and queer Black artists’ creative practice, and their poetry has been featured in multiple publications, including an upcoming piece in the Black, Indigenous, & Trans of Color Histories Lab’s Indigenous Worldmaking zine, vol. 2.

Kianna is a Diné (Navajo) environmental advocate, policy researcher, and media justice strategist from New Mexico. Grounded in Diné teachings and community-centered values, she works at the intersection of Indigenous self-determination, environmental stewardship, and educational equity. Her work bridges collective knowledge systems through storytelling, curriculum design, and research that advances community-driven solutions.

Kianna serves as the Tribal Conservation Program Fellow at Biodiversity Funders Group, where she supports Indigenous-led stewardship and advances philanthropic strategies that strengthen Tribal sovereignty and land rematriation. She is also a Fresh Tracks Trainer with the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, cultivating youth leadership and advancing equitable systems change across communities.

In addition, Kianna is an Ambassador for the American Indian College Fund and serves on the boards of the American Indian Community House and Land Justice Community School. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Indigenous Studies from Columbia University and an M.A. in Politics & Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.Outside work, Kianna creates educational social media content and collaborates with justice-centered organizations to address issues impacting Indigenous peoples around the world. She holds a BA in Political Science and Race & Ethnicity Studies from Columbia University and an MA in Politics & Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Josephine "Amanda" is a Taino and multiracial writer, educator, songkeeper, and trauma doula whose work weaves healing sanctuaries for those ready to turn toward their grief with tenderness and courage. Her writing and spaceholding explore diasporic healing, intergenerational storytelling, and ancestral wisdom. Her words have been featured in print anthologies and online literary magazines.

As an award-winning event producer, she births heart-centered moments rooted in community, created for and with under-centered populations. Her practice is rooted in decolonization and fat-liberation approaches that honor all bodies without pathologizing or bypassing.

As founder of Sacred Witness Sanctuary (SWS), she integrates trauma-attuned sacred witnessing, creative arts, and intentional ritual for those healing lineage wounds and (re)building self-trust. Amanda offers trauma doula support in one-on-one and group containers rooted in collective healing and post-traumatic growth. She also partners with nonprofit and corporate clients to create and execute programs that deepen organizational integrity and foster employee wellness. Her creative collaborations include National Alliance to Advance Fat Acceptance, BronxArtSpace, the U.S. State Department, Condé Nast, Teen Vogue, New York University, and Eventbrite.

Follow her writing and updates on Substack and Instagram: @sacredwitnesss — and at www.sacredwitnesss.com (three s's).Josephine’s work bridges Indigenous philanthropy, conservation, land justice, and creative practice. She currently supports Indigenous-led conservation efforts through the Biodiversity Funders Group and Native Americans in Philanthropy, advocates for Native student resources through the American Indian College Fund, and develops accessible land justice education through Earth Month Convergence. As an award-winning producer, artist, and trauma doula, Josephine creates heart-centered, decolonized experiences that honor identity, lineage, and healing. Through her service with UIC’s Community Advisory Board, she brings a commitment to relationship-building, Indigenous futures, and ensuring that diverse Urban Native experiences inform community programming and collective care.Since moving to New York City in 2019 to pursue higher education, Josephine has dedicated her work to supporting Native youth, strengthening cultural connections, and creating pathways for Indigenous students and communities to feel a sense of belonging. She has held leadership roles with the Native American Council, Undergraduate Admissions, Multicultural Affairs, the Aspen Institute, National Wildlife Federation, and American Indian Community House, supporting initiatives focused on Native youth leadership, education, community organizing, and advocacy.

Recognizing the limitations of traditional nonprofit systems in addressing the needs of Indigenous and BIPOC communities, Josephine has also worked alongside organizers and mutual aid networks to support educational initiatives rooted in collective liberation, Land Back, and community care. Her current work bridges philanthropy, Indigenous-led conservation, and educational equity through roles supporting Indigenous environmental movements with the Biodiversity Funders Group and Native Americans in Philanthropy, advancing resources for Native students through the American Indian College Fund, and developing accessible land justice education through Earth Month Convergence.

In addition to her organizing and advocacy work, Josephine is an award-winning producer, artist, and trauma doula who creates heart-centered experiences that nurture self-trust, healing, and connection. Her creative collaborations include NAAFA, BronxArtSpace, the U.S. State Department, Condé Nast, Teen Vogue, NYU, and Eventbrite. Through her creative practice, she develops decolonized, fat-liberatory spaces that honor lineage, identity, and embodied healing.

Josephine brings a deep commitment to fostering relationships across Indigenous communities and creating programming that reflects the diverse experiences of Native peoples. As a member of the Urban Native community, she hopes to contribute her lived experience, networks, and passion for community care to support the continued growth and impact of the Urban Indigenous Collective and its Community Advisory Board.

Kris Waymire is an Iñupiaq and Quechua artist who works primarily with beads and textiles. They create geometric patterns inspired by Old Bering Sea hunting tools and Andean weaving. Using leather, sinew, furs, and beads, they reclaim familial knowledge with their work. Waymire studied studio art at New York University and was a 2023 Windgate Lamar Fellow with the Center for Craft. In 2024 they were an artist-in-residence at Ma’s House on Shinnecock.

Antonio Morales is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of The Liberated Self Therapeutic Services, LLC, a private practice dedicated to serving the unique mental health needs of Black and Brown folk, across communities.

The mission of his private practice is “to disrupt and dismantle the psychological chaos and confusion of white supremacy, as we facilitate a transformative healing process that will allow Black and Brown folk to transcend the adverse impact of our current and historical, intergenerational, complex racial trauma.”

As private practitioner, Antonio works as a psychotherapist, a metaphysical healer, a seminar leader, an educator and a freedom fighter of the mind. Antonio believes that healing from and transcending the adverse impact of white supremacy is, by default, a revolutionary act.

The process of Black and Brown folk becoming self-actualized, whole and complete human beings, while giving ourselves permission to express our divine greatness, in the face of white supremacy, is the ultimate act of rebellion and a radicalized expression of liberation.

As a Co-Founder of International Native Women in Trades (INWIT), Jessenia Rivera leverages her shared experience in the dirt and the mechanical rooms to bridge the gap between recruitment and long-term retention. A proud rank-and-file member of the IUOE, Jessenia understands that surviving the trades requires more than just technical skill—it requires a village. Through INWIT, she advocates for resiliency-focused community building, utilizing peer-to-peer mentorship and professional development to ensure Indigenous and Native women don’t just enter the industry, but lead it.

Key Highlights:
• Co-Founder, International Native Women in Trades (INWIT): Leading efforts to recruit and retain Indigenous women through resiliency-based community building.

• Stationary Engineer, IUOE: Bringing frontline rank-and-file experience to industry advocacy.

• Mental Health Advocate: Volunteer with the AFSP, integrating wellness into the trades.

• National Leadership: Chair of the Communications Committee for the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen’s Issues (TWTF) and Co-Chair of the Tribal Lands Southwest Coalition (TLSWPC).

• Legacy & Mentorship: Member of the American Rosie the Riveter Association and dedicated mentor for women in male-dominated industries.