A “storm” of activity is coming from Washington in the form of funding cuts and executive orders, upending the lives of Native American communities and students; jeopardizing access to the funding, education, and opportunity that helped create progress for decades to ensure the success of tribal nations, communities, and people. The American Indian College Fund, the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for the past 35 years, is working to ensure Native American students and communities have the support and resources they need to navigate today’s unprecedented challenges.

Recent government actions fail to honor ongoing treaty commitments and trust obligations to tribal nations, negatively impacting the ability of Native people to survive and thrive. But the College Fund, its students, tribal nations, and Indigenous communities aren’t running from this storm—they are tackling these challenges with fearlessness and resilience. Native students are standing strong—continuing to show up, work hard, and learn—with the College Fund working alongside them to ensure they complete their education and pursue their career goals to lead their communities.

To illustrate the challenges Native students are facing, the College Fund is launching its new public service announcement, Defy the Storm, featuring three of its scholarship recipients: Promise (Yankton Sioux Tribe and Santee Sioux Nation), Sky (Diné), and Tasheena (Diné).

The current storm is causing irreparable damage to Native youth like Promise, Sky, and Tasheena, and their communities. In 2022, American Indian and Alaska Natives ages 18-24 had the lowest college-going rate of any group in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Although there are many reasons for this, a lack of financial resources tops the list. Without funding, our hard-working students will face even more obstacles to earning a college degree or learning the trade of their choice, resulting in knowledge and skill gaps in their communities. Without an educated workforce, Native and rural communities will face shortages of skilled workers and services—and the economic impact on families, regions, and our nation will be devastating.

Defy the Storm calls upon supporters of higher education and Native communities to help bolster thriving, self-sustaining people and communities nationwide by learning more about the Native students the College Fund serves—and ensuring they continue to receive an education.