Thriving Together
Salish and Kootenai youth unify amid challenges
On May 2, President Donald Trump released his 2026 budget proposal that consisted of billions of dollars of budget cuts, including many cuts to programs from Indigenous Nations. On the Flathead reservation, Native youth are working to support each other and shape their future independently from the federal government.
Gracie Bell Reed has recently moved from Billings, MT, to Pablo, MT, and has taken an active roll in caring about how politics are affecting the Flathead reservation. Upon moving schools, Reed joined a newsletter at her high school called, "Inside the Nest", reporting and publishing clips in order to help inform her fellow classmates on what is going on.
Prior to Reed moving high schools, she had wanted to join the Marines after graduating and studying medicine. But moving to a bigger city scares Reed. "I just don't want to go somewhere where there is stuff like the whole immigration and customs enforcement situation and the CIB (Certificate of Indian Blood) and tribal identification thing, I don't want anything like that happening to me at all," says Reed.
Now, after graduating, Reed wants to continue reporting on politics and informing her friends and reservation on the political challenges that they may face.
Full Story written by Hannah Staus- https://nativenews.jour.umt.edu/projects/thriving-together/
Gracie Bell and her mother, Holly Reed, live in student housing at the Salish Kootenai College with the rest of their family. They moved from the Crow reservation this past year after Reed started nursing school at SKC. Since then, Gracie began attending the Two Eagle River School. Gracie grew a deep interest in politics in her previous school, but since transferring to Two Eagle River she's been able to utilize her passion in the school's journalism project, "Inside the Nest."
Jet DuMontier, they/them, is passionate about standing up for queer rights and is quite outspoken. DuMontier attended Two Eagle River school, and now attends Salish Kootenai College with their sister, where they run the Spirit of Many Colors Club. This club allows a safe space for LGBTQ members on the reservation.
Josey Usher, a student at the Two Eagle River School hopes to become a Democratic politician one day. Usher notices flaws under the new administration, and wants to help represent the rights of Native Americans and their reservations, as well as the Two-Spirit community.
Jose Usher wears a pair of black converse shoes scribbled with political messages like, "Digital Silence", "Deny, Defend, Depose", "Eat the rich, feed the poor", and "Kamala Harris 2028."
Gracie Bell Reed is one of the student editors in her school's journalism class, where they publish video newsletters called inside the Nest. Reed likes to use this platform to promote the knowledge of politics, after she noticed that her fellow classmates weren't as interest in politics as she was.
Reed works on her application to the 2025 Indigenous Youth Media Workshop at Northern Arizona University. The summer workshop helps students advance their journalism skills prior to graduation.
Gracie Bell finishes a late lunch with her classmates after a rainy afternoon track practice. Bell is not only a hard worker in her classes, but she also participates in basketball and track and field at Two Eagle River School.
Gracie Bell Laughs with her sister, Brittny Reed, on their bus ride home. Bell and Reed are from the Crow Reservation, and recently moved to the Flathead Reservation.
Gracie Bell Reed is optimistic for her future in journalism. She loves to research current events in the world, on the reservation, and in the state capitol in Helena. She likes to keep herself, her family, and her friends informed.
Gracie Bell and her sister Brittny Reed walk to their home on the campus at Salish Kootenai College. They live in Student Housing with their Mom, Holly Reed, who is studying nursing at the college.
Holly Reed comforts her daughter Gracie Bell Reed as they talk about her future in journalism. Gracie originally planned on going into the military to help pay for college, but those plans have become uncertain under the Trump administration. The mother and daughter also consider each other best friends.
Holly Reed and her wife, Christine Nomee, laugh as they watch a music video that featured their daughter, Gracie Bell.
A student places stickers on their motorcycle helmet during a Spirit of Many Colors club meeting.
Jet Dumontier leads a game of dictionary charades at a Spirit of Many Colors Meeting. Dumontier and their sister, Chula, came up with the game as kids. The siblings hope the club can be a safe place for anyone on campus, not just the queer community.