As young Native Americans took the leap from the cliff next to Pumpkin Springs into the cold waters of the Colorado River, Amber Benally knew the trip had been special. It was the summer of 2022 and the last full day on the river as part of the Grand Canyon Trust’s Rising Leaders Program. Throughout the journey, the 14 Native Americans had navigated through more than just the white water. … Now, Benally said, the Grand Canyon Trust, collaborating with the Grand Canyon Youth, are organizing another trip as part of the Regional Intertribal Intergenerational Stewardship Expedition (RIISE). Benally said they are currently taking applications for the free trip from Native Americans aged 16 to 20 years old and associated with one of the 11 tribes with connections to the Grand Canyon.

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