UNITY celebrates 35 years of empowering American Indian youths
Marcus Anthony Guinn grew up in an environment where alcoholism, teen pregnancy and drug abuse were the norm.
In college, he joined United National Indian Tribal Youth Inc., known in short as UNITY. His membership in the organization changed his life.
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UNITY is designed to empower adolescent American Indians by fostering mental, physical, social and spiritual growth.
“Without that, I'm not sure where I would have ended up,” Guinn said.
UNITY started in 1976 as an outgrowth of an education outreach program that served about 10 high schools in southwestern Oklahoma. Founder J.R. Cook said he was tired of seeing what he described as a tremendous waste of talent and negative peer pressure among young American Indians.
Today, the organization includes a network of 150 affiliated youth councils in 35 states.
Members and alumni celebrated the organization's 35th year during a gathering Friday in Oklahoma City.
“In a way we've only scratched the surface,” Cook said.
UNITY has had many highlights during the past 35 years. Student ambassadors have testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. They also developed healthy lifestyle campaigns to promote nationwide.
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