INDIAN GIVER is published quarterly by First Nations to share the impact of the Native-led projects and initiatives we invest in and to celebrate the strength and future of Native communities. The phrase INDIAN GIVER entered the English language under historical circumstances that distorted its meaning within Native American culture, where it never carried the negative cargo we know it by today. The true meaning signifies a willingness to care, an expectation of sharing; and a cultural commitment to reciprocity that was not to be questioned. Indian giving was and is the future wealth of society.
Current Issue
Highlights from First Nations, Gratitude for You
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the June 2025 issue of Indian Giver, First Nations’ quarterly newsletter.
In this summer issue, we share news of First Nations’ community partner, the American Indian Business Leaders chapter at Sitting Bull College and its work to nurture the next generation of Native entrepreneurs. We also check in with a few of our Native Youth and Culture Fund community partners who are helping young Native campers build confidence and lifelong friendships while accessing traditional knowledge.
We feature 2024 Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow Cara Flores (CHamoru), an Indigenous filmmaker and co-founder of Nihi Indigenous Media, a Native-led nonprofit headquartered in Guam. And, in our Donor Spotlight, we introduce you to Judy Favell and share her inspirational and systematic approach to philanthropy.
Thank you for your continued support of First Nations.
The June 2025 Indian Giver features:
Young Leaders Push Beyond Comfort Zones to Inspire Change. At a small tribal college on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota, students belonging to the American Indian Business Leaders chapter at Sitting Bull College are collaborating on many projects, such as creating a business plan to present at a national competition. With support from First Nations, the chapter is extending its reach to area high schools.
More Than Camp: Promoting Language, Land, and Culture Access for Youth. With funding from the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, First Nations distributed $600,000 to 10 tribal communities to establish camps for Native youth. Camps include many conventional activities found in non-Native programs and promote traditional cultural activities and language.
Knowledge Makers, Knowledge Sharers. Cara Flores is the first-ever Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow from Guam (Guåhan). In 2013, she co-founded Nihi Indigenous Media, a Native-led nonprofit organization that evolved out of a groundbreaking children’s show created by Flores. Nihi, headquartered in Guam, has grown into a full media production house and some of its media has been adopted as an official resource for the Guam Department of Education.
Giving Back: In Her Life and in Her DNA. Philanthropy is a part of who Judith Favell is. A longtime First Nations’ supporter, Judy has developed a systematic approach to effective philanthropy across a range of causes, interests, and organizations, with the help of her two daughters.
Read the full issue here.
