Indigenous Leadership Academy

Spring 2023 Indigenous Leadership Academy Application Is Now Open!

The application for the Spring 2023 Indigenous Leadership Academy is now open. This third cohort for the Indigenous Leadership Academy is open to Arizona Tribal residents, as well as Tribal residents nationwide. There is no other leadership program like this in the country. The first two cohorts graduated 46 participants from 10 states representing 22 Tribal nations, 13 of which are located in Arizona. Applications will be open until January 6, 2023, at midnight MST. Spaces are limited, so apply now.

Click Here To Apply

What is the Indigenous Leadership Academy

The ILA is the first program inclusive of indigenous leadership principles within an IDEA landscape. The differentiating factor for this program is that it is not for just Tribal leaders, its for emerging Indigenous leaders in Arizona and nationally. The initial ILA program started in January 2022 with seed funding from Arizona Public Service (APS). By collaborating with APS, and various schools at ASU and professors, we were able to create a brand and curriculum that attracted emerging Indigenous and community leaders from Arizona and nationwide. This signature program is committed to building the next generation of Tribal leaders.

The ILA has completed two cohort sessions as of November 2022. The ILA program is now poised to build on the successful outcomes achieved to-date. The integration of IDEA concepts to the existing programming will enable participants to view each topic through an added lens approach to understanding how anti-racist and anti-oppression can create inclusive environments for equity and access across a wide-range of topics.

ILA Program Sponsors

Thanks to our generous sponsor APS who has given seed money two years in a row to fund this program and the Arizona Tribal residents that attend.

ILA Participant Testimonial

AIPI Indigenous Leadership Academy

Mission:

Supporting native business owners and enterprises in building sustainable tribal economies through modernizing traditional trade networks.

We do this through leveraging partnerships and bringing together resources from ASU, the tribal community, and other community organizations.

Additionally, we offer the noted “First Innovations” culturally competent entrepreneurial curriculum for small business owners offered as a community training and as a two-semester course in American Indian Studies with a forthcoming undergraduate minor certificate program.

Our Vision:

We are currently incubating our concept in The Department a (collaborative workspace in central Phoenix) while we build the infrastructure. We envision a culturally relevant place—both physically and conceptually—that will house a maker space, an incubator, a co-working space, with anchor businesses, and a community gallery where established businesses can mentor emerging entrepreneurs. This is a space where we’ll host community cohort trainings and workshops; and, where culture is the central defining value.