Native Women Leaders Share Leadership Stories for Enduring Spirit: Native American Women Leading the Way Book by Native Action Network

Project Recognizes Women Leaders Shaping Generations

Native American Women Leading the Way book, published by Native Action Network, features interviews with 23 Native women honored with the Enduring Spirit Award.

May 5, 2026—Denver, Colo.— Washington-based Native Action Network (NAN) is publishing a book of interviews with 23 prominent Native women who serve as elected leaders, grassroots organizers, cultural knowledge keepers, advocates, artists, educators, and mothers whose contributions have shaped and uplifted generations.

The book, titled Enduring Spirit: Native American Women Leading the Way profiles 23 Native women chosen by NAN as Enduring Spirit Honorees.

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, was included in the book and as an Enduring Spirit Honoree. She and other Native women leaders were recognized for their achievements and dedication to transforming their communities. Their sacrifices and culturally grounded leadership with a focus on culture, sovereignty, family, and resilience have a profound impact on their communities.

Cheryl Crazy Bull said, “It is an honor to serve Native communities through my work. When that work is recognized and valued by my peers it makes that work even more meaningful.”

Iris Friday, Founder of NAN, said, “Through these stories, Native Action Network honors the extraordinary leadership, resilience, and impact of Native women whose work continues to inspire and transform communities across generations.”

Kariel Galbraith (Tlingit), a member of the NAN team, conducted the interviews and wrote the manuscript.

The book is not for sale and will be distributed as a piece of cultural heritage in Indian Country. It will be distributed at NAN’s 25th Silver and Sequins gala on May 30th in Seattle, Washington; at the National Congress of American Indians mid-year conference in Nashville, Tennessee; and at the Association of Tribal Libraries and Museums annual conference in Spokane, Washington. It will also be shared with local Native youth organizations to highlight positive role models in Indian Country.

About Native Action Network— Native Action Network (NAN) was founded in 2001. NAN’s greatest inspiration comes from the founding members of the American Indian Women’s Service League who recognized early on the social issues Native people would face when the federal government passed the Indian Relocation Act in the early 1950s. Thousands of Native Americans across the U.S. were relocated to major cities and Seattle became a stopping point along the way. The American Indian Women’s Service League welcomed Native newcomers to the area, and provided resources including food, clothing, and shelter, along with a wide range of health and human services.

Recognizing this vital legacy inspired NAN’s founders to document the strength, endurance, and contributions of Native women through the first annual Native Women’s Leadership Forum and Enduring Spirit Honoring Luncheon in 2002, and more programs soon followed. NAN received the Bernie Whitebear Unity Award in 2003 and the Flying Eagle Women Award for Community-based Philanthropy in 2011.

About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 37 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $23 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2024-25. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $391 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 34 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.

Journalists: The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference please use the College Fund.

Photo: Native American Women Leading the Way book, published by Native Action Network, features interviews with 23 Native women honored with the Enduring Spirit Award.