Rooted in culture and tradition, the younger generation of Choctaws is carrying their heritage forward while shaping what it means to be Choctaw for their generation. Strong in identity and connection to their Nation, they continue to honor the past while creating the future.
Driven to build strong futures for themselves and their communities, many young Choctaws are embracing their culture while making an impact through education, leadership and personal achievement. With increased interest in learning the Choctaw language and culture, they are helping preserve and strengthen tribal traditions while proudly sharing their identity with the world. Here are just a few stories of young Choctaws making a difference.
Del Rosario and Myers Sisters
Sisters Yasmine Del Rosario, Aliyah Myers, and Arianna Myers are talented, creative and busy individuals.
Together, they collaborate for their online businesses, Cedar Sapling and Sapulpa Fashion House.
Cedar Sapling began as a dream between the sisters – a space where they could combine their individual talents, create freely, and collaborate with intention. They pride themselves on building something rooted, respectful and lasting.
Del Rosario said, “We aren’t here to rush to the spotlight. Our work is intentional, slow and deeply rooted in cultural understanding.”
You can view their creations by following them on Facebook or their website.
Yasmine Del Rosario is the founder of Cedar Sapling and Sapulpa House Fashion and a collaborating contributor.
She participates in the Santa Fe Indian Market, is a registered Choctaw artist (performance art, traditional Choctaw art, beading, and Indigenous fashion design), a seamstress who began her journey with stickball aprons and ribbon dresses, and specializes in textile art, basketry, beadwork, and other traditional art forms.
Del Rosario’s creations have been featured in several exhibits. She says she is always looking for more opportunities.
Yasmine plays stickball for Tvshka Homma Ohoyo and serves as the Public Programs Coordinator for the Choctaw Cultural Center.
Aliyah Myers is a southeastern tribal basket weaver, diamond maker, collaborating artist with Cedar Sapling and Sapulpa Fashion House, cultural educator at the Choctaw Cultural Center, traditional basket-weaving teacher, and stickball player for Tvshka Homma Ohoyo.
Her work has been featured in the Bok Abalya exhibit at the Choctaw Cultural Center, Cherokee Art Market, Choctaw Powwow Art Market, Artesian Gallery in Sulphur, Oklahoma, and Santa Fe Indian Art Market.
Her creations include woven corgets, elbow basket earrings, traditional moccasins flutes and woven corsets with arm cuffs.
Aliyah was Miss Choctaw Nation for 2023-24 and a 2026 contestant in the Miss Indian Oklahoma pageant.
Arianna Myers currently lives in Walla Walla, Washington, and attends Whitman College. She is also a contributing artist with Cedar Sapling and Sapulpa Fashion House.
Myers’ artwork explores various mediums, including painting, beadwork and printmaking.
Her creations are bold and innovative using vibrant color and a playful style, reflecting her deep connection to her cultural roots and personal experiences.
Her works have also been seen at the Bok Abaiya art exhibit at the Choctaw Cultural Center. She has modeled in the Indigenous Renaissance Fashion Show and participated in the Santa Fe Art Market. She also plays stickball.
Her products are also available through direct contact and at art shows.
Colt James
Colt James, 20, is a silversmith/coppersmith, basket maker, stickball player and cultural educator.
James is deeply connected to his heritage, drawing inspiration for his work from traditional tribal designs and patterns. He learned jewelry-making from his grandfather and father. James participates in the Santa Fe Indian Art Market and was first-place winner in basketry at the 20th annual Choctaw art show. He has also appeared in films, television shows, magazines and newspapers.
In the future, he wants to open a workshop and gallery where visitors can witness the jewelry-making process and pass down his knowledge and skills to future generations. He hopes to eventually have his work exposed worldwide. He also wants to showcase other tribal members’ artwork while honoring Choctaw history and culture.
“I have been doing research about the Mississippian Copper Era (1000 BC – 1500 AD), along with doing copper work like our ancestors did hundreds of years ago, focusing on repousse and chase work of copper plates to create designs and patterns,” explained James. “As of now, I am using modern tools, but I am wanting soon to try making the same tools they would have had and to process raw copper.”
James’ merchandise is sold at several locations, including the Choctaw Cultural Center, Wheelock Academy Historic Site, Choctaw Store, and the Tvshkahomma Capitol Museum.
You can follow James on Instagram and Facebook.
Mia Reich
Mia Reich is a senior at Wright City High School and attends the pre-engineering program at the Kiamichi Technology Center.
A four-year varsity member of basketball, cheer and the academic team, she has been a member of the cross-country and track teams and a state qualifier for academics, cross-country, track and dance.
She is vice president of her school’s Wisdom Council Club and was Miss Wright City High School.
Reich served as 2018-19 Little Miss Choctaw Nation, 2022-23 and 2023-24 District 7 Junior Miss Choctaw Nation, and 2024 Junior Miss Indian Oklahoma at the Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women pageant.
She enjoys learning the Choctaw language, singing Choctaw hymns with her grandmother and cooking traditional foods with her mother.
She was awarded the 2025 Nancy Tsoodle Award (female Native American student of the year) by the Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women and the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest and most prestigious award in Girl Scouting.
She worked for two years to win the award by co-writing the pledge to the Choctaw Nation flag with her grandmother, Lillie Taylor Ott. The pledge, approved by Chief Batton and the Tribal Council, is recited alongside the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance at tribal events. Reich has been a Girl Scout for 11 years.
Reich has appeared in several commercials, provided voice-over work for Choctaw Cultural Center promotions, appeared alongside her grandmother in a Choctaw Nation calendar and participated in a variety of cultural projects.photographed for the Echoes of Kindness project.
She is valedictorian of her class, an Oklahoma Skills USA State Officer, a member of the National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society, offensive basketball player of the Year MC6 Conference, Student Council Vice President, Senior Class Vice President, member of Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma Advisory Board, Oklahoma Skills USA State Champion in Job Interview 2025 and 2026, member of the Choctaw Nation Youth Advisory Board, Kiamichi Technology ACE, and was a Kiamichi Technology Center Student of the Month.
Reich will attend Seminole State College on a basketball scholarship, where she will major in biology.
Hallie Giles
Hailie Giles is a 2026 honors graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SOSU), where she majored in English with a writing emphasis and minored in Choctaw language, history and education. During her time at SOSU, she was also an SOSU Top Ten Freshman, a McNair Scholar and a Parsons Scholar. She also served as Mentor Program co-chair for the Honor Advisory Council.
Giles was selected for the prestigious Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at Yale University, where she conducted advanced study, including work with rare texts. She conducted in-depth archival research at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, analyzed and cataloged materials relevant to cultural representation and historical context.
She also studied abroad in Scotland and England, and had extensive academic and hands-on research experience in history, archival studies, and Indigenous cultural preservation.
Giles was a member of the Choctaw Nation 2025 LEAD Academy and Chief’s Leadership Class, is an active member of the Chief’s College Advisory Council, a former member of the College Freshman Year Initiative program, Junior Miss Choctaw Nation District 10 for 2016-17 and 2017-18, and Little Miss Choctaw Nation District 10 in 2016.
She was a Choctaw Language voice actor for Marvel’s mini-series Echo, which streamed on Disney+, and enjoys storytelling and giving cultural presentations to groups.
Giles said being a Choctaw woman “is a very big part of my identity, and it is the reason that I work so hard in my academics and extracurriculars.” She said that “everything that I do now is with the end goal of sharing our culture and serving our community.” Her future plans include pursuing her doctorate and returning to do research for the Choctaw Nation.
Brendan Anna
Choctaw culture keeper, Brendan Anna, works at Choctaw Landing in Hochatown. In his spare time, he plays stickball, coaches stickball and referees games.
He has played stickball since he was eight years old. He also makes stickball balls, which he learned from his father.
Anna enjoys doing stickball demonstrations at schools. He has even been part of a group that started a drum group for the Broken Bow High School football and basketball team. The drum is beaten as players walk onto the football field and basketball court. He is one of the drummers.
He participates in Choctaw dances at Labor Day and accompanied the dancers to California last year. He enjoys attending Choctaw events and powwows.
To purchase a stickball ball from Anna in any color, you can message him on Facebook.
Today’s younger Choctaw generation has grown up benefiting from cultural revitalization and has a very strong tribal identity. They know where they came from and have a vision of where they want to go. They embody resilience and strength, as did their ancestors. They take ownership of their culture, work hard in the service of others, and strive to make the world a better place.
The Choctaw Nation likes to keep up with our youth and young adults who are doing great things. Please send us your stories.