AIO Projects

The Ambassadors Program

“Indigenous peoples should define for ourselves, within the context of our own cultures, what kind of leaders we need for the 21st Century.”

LaDonna Harris (Comanche), founder and President of AIO.

The American Indian Ambassadors Program, began in 1993, when LaDonna Harris (Comanche) and the AIO board preempted the need to pass on their experience or personal “medicine” to the next generation of tribal, national and international Indigenous leaders.

The Ambassadors Program is the only leadership initiative in the United States that encourages participants to weave their traditional tribal values into a contemporary reality. The Program provides a creative combination of mentorship, personal reflection, dialogue with national and international decision-makers, community involvement, communications training, and a discovery process into tribal values.

Up to eighteen participants are selected to participate in the program that runs for two years. The participants are Native American, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians, and are between the ages of 25-35.

The Program started its tenth class in 2008. To date,187 Native American leaders are among the Ambassador national network.