Jaron Osegueda has been given an incredible and rare opportunity to attend the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This is more than just an invitation—it’s an opportunity for Jaron to bring light onto the southwestern Indigenous peoples, on a global stage.

The UNPFII is one of the most important international gatherings focused on Indigenous rights. It allows Indigenous voices to be heard, raises awareness of critical issues, and helps influence policies that impact Indigenous communities at local, national, and global levels. If selected to speak, Jaron will share powerful insights about his community—covering culture, environment, education, health, and human rights. This platform gives him the opportunity to advocate for the nonprofit, Medicine Bow Council, and bring attention to the real challenges and strengths of the Tohono O’odham Nation.

Jaron’s journey is deeply personal. Through life’s challenges, he found strength and healing in his culture and in ceremony. During a time when everything felt uncertain, he leaned into his traditions—and it changed his life. That experience ignited a passion within him. Together with his family, Jaron helped start a nonprofit organization called Medicine Bow Council, dedicated to preserving and passing down Indigenous knowledge to future generations. They teach youth how their ancestors lived off the land—how to grow crops, the importance of hunting, and the meaning behind ceremonies. These teachings build identity, resilience, and pride—creating strong foundations for generations to come. Medicine Bow Council envisions Indigenous knowledge carried forward across generations, strengthening community well-being and environmental stewardship rooted in shared responsibility to land and life across Indigenous Nations.

This journey isn’t just about Jaron. It’s about:

• Giving a voice to the southwestern Indigenous peoples

• Preserving culture and traditions

• Educating future generations

• Creating awareness and change on a global level

By attending the UNPFII, Jaron will bring back knowledge, connections, and opportunities that can directly benefit his community and other southwestern peoples as well.

How You Can Help

We are asking for your support to help cover travel, lodging, and related expenses so Jaron can attend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Every contribution—big or small—helps make this possible.

Your support is not just sending one person to a conference… It is investing in a voice, a culture, and a future.

Thank you for believing in Jaron, in his journey, and in the importance of Indigenous voices being heard.

Together, we can help ensure that the traditions, stories, and strength of not only the Tohono O’odham Nation but also the south western Indigenous peoples, continue to live on.