Elizah Dominy, 24, is a dedicated mother, community leader, and Tlingit Language knowledge holder. Elizah is one of more than 9,000 Tlingit & Haida citizens born and raised in Seattle, WA, away from their tribal homelands of southeastern Alaska. Seeking further connection to her culture, Elizah moved to Alaska, where she earned her degree in Alaska Native Studies and Languages. Back home in Seattle, Elizah is using her leadership skills, knowledge and passion for her community to create culturally engaging opportunities for Tlingit & Haida youth. Already, Elizah is making strides in reconnecting her community with their culture.
Elizah’s 2025 Dreamstarter Project “Haa léelk’w hás jooníx̱ haa sitee” (“We are our ancestor’s dreams”) is expanding the cultural engagement opportunities available to tribal members in Seattle, all free of cost to the community. Kicking off her grant year, Elizah coordinated a number of activities for the annual Tlingit & Haida Culture Fair, a two-day event filled with fun for the whole family. In Kent, WA, a smaller group was invited to participate in a Cedar headband workshop, supporting traditional crafting, sharing of good medicine, and creating new relationships with other local non-profits. In early October, Elizah hosted the very first immersive Haida Language Revitalization Workshop in Washington State!
To further support families living outside of the Tlingit & Haida service area, Elizah has also coordinated backpack and back-to-school giveaway events throughout July and August. Through Running Strong’s partnership and the generosity of our supporters, Elizah and her community received 396 backpacks full of supplies from Running Strong’s Study Strong program. Combined, these events helped serve 576 Native youth, preparing them for a successful 2025–2026 school year.
Inspired by Elizah’s journey? Follow along for more stories from our Dreamstarter program and learn how Running Strong continues to support Native changemakers across Indian Country.
For more on our education programming, visit: https://indianyouth.org/education/
