Millena Jordan has learned many valuable lessons throughout her journey as an Emerging Leader and has created a solid foundation for herself. She joined the Emerging Leaders in 2018, and at 23 years old, she has been empowering and equipping youth for the past five years. She is the daughter of Charlie Nations Jordan Sr. and Desiree Andon, and is an enrolled, descended Tribal member from Rampart and Tanana. Her paternal grandparents are Ada Jordan (Evans) and the late Fredrick Lee Jordan; and her maternal grandparents are Barbara Andon (Billy) and Donald George Andon Jr.
Throughout her journey, she has cultivated meaningful friendships, inspiring networks of friends and family, and shared passions for community enrichment and growth with her fellow Emerging Leaders. “Growing up in Tanana and on the Yukon, I experienced a life of subsistence, hard work, and work ethic in the dog yard and at fish camp,” Millena says, “I learned many things at a young age that molded my values and aspirations for what I wanted to offer in helping my people and community.”
Millena’s goals as an Emerging Leader have been to provide a brave voice for youth, and to be able to provide safe spaces for youth to emerge into the difficult world of adulthood. Personally, she sought to learn the tools to help guide and enrich futures of youth so that they may in-turn help their people. She credits her experiences with Emerging Leaders for her ability to reach heights she previously had not believed were attainable. For example, Millena has spent the last five years working with Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association (YRDFA) to collect and curate a catalog of elders’ warnings about the decline of salmon culture along the river. “Time and time again, hearing the same dialogue of loss is heart wrenching, but recognition is what needs to be demanded,” she says, “The pain cannot be erased and it needs to be recorded and documented for our future.” Millena aims to achieve this with her work in documentary filmmaking for both educational and broadcast purposes.
As she approaches the end of her tenure as an Emerging Leader, her message to youth is to embrace the future. “You never know where life is going to take you,” she says as she recalls living in Austria as an exchange student and being one of the first graduates of Rampart School in over 15 years. “Take pride in the little things, celebrate all of your accomplishments even if it’s in silence,” she advises.
Of her years in service to the Emerging Leaders, she says, “Ana basee,” and we ask that you join us in extending a warm mahsi’choo to Millena for her efforts and hard work in enhancing the landscape of the future youth!