By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
Laughter filled the room, cameras flashed, and proud families packed the tables in the Tulalip Casino Orca Ballroom as graduating seniors gathered for a night dedicated to celebrating their achievements. Surrounded by friends, relatives, and supporters, the students took center stage as the community came together to recognize the hard work, determination, and perseverance that helped them reach this important milestone.
Serving as master of ceremonies for the evening was Deyamonta Diaz, Positive Youth Development Manager for the Tulalip Education Division. The banquet began with a prayer from Lilly Jefferson followed by a song from culture bearer, Tony Hatch.
Hatch reflected on the journey that brought students to graduation and reminded them to recognize the people who helped them along the way. “Look around your table. These are the people that have been in your canoe. From the time you started kindergarten until now. They have been in your canoe pulling, trying to make sure you get to your destination, which is graduation. It’s not been easy; there have been rough waters. There’s been times where you thought your canoe was tipping over, but guess what, you held on to your paddles, you righted your canoe and you kept digging, you kept paddling and you made it. Class of 2026, you did it and we are really proud of you today.”
Tulalip Board of Directors Secretary, Theresa Sheldon, reminded graduates that every accomplishment strengthens the community as a whole. “Every single Tulalip, every single Native, and Indigenous person who builds themselves up, builds up their mind, builds up their body, you are contributing to all of us. It’s a collective. So, as each of you advances into who you are born to be, who you were prayed for, and who you are meant to be, that makes the Tulalip Tribes better.”
Sheldon also urged graduates to take advantage of educational opportunities available through the Tribe. “We really are grateful that our tribe has a college program set up for you. I hope all of you are going to apply to a vocational school, technical school, or college. I hope you shine so bright your sisters and brothers need sunglasses.”
Jessica Bustad, Executive Director of the Tulalip Education Division, recognized both the graduates and the families who helped them reach this point. “Our 2026 graduates have worked hard to be here. It feels good to see how many family members are in the room to support and uplift our graduates. You are valuable, you are resilient. Always honor who you are and where you came from, honor your family and your ancestors, and make sure you know that there is power in who you are as an Indigenous student.”
Representing the graduating class, Marysville Pilchuck graduate Dillon Turner reflected on the challenges shared by the Class of 2026. “Every single person sitting here has faced challenges that nobody else fully understands. We’ve all had moments that haven’t gone according to plan. Yet somehow together we made it. We’ve survived tests, essays, presentations, group projects where somehow one person mysteriously did all the work and mornings where getting out of bed felt like the hardest assignment of them all. Despite all of that we are here.”
Fellow graduate Mone’t Clemens spoke about overcoming stereotypes and recognizing the strength of Indigenous people. “As Tulalip tribal members, as Native Americans, and as Indigenous people we often face stereotypes, barriers, and expectations placed upon us by others. Too often, people focus on what we cannot do rather than recognizing what we are capable of achieving. Yet, the people in this room are proof that those expectations do not define us. That hard work is stronger than stereotypes, and that our futures are ours to create. Being Tulalip is not only an honor and a privilege, it also means that we come from resilient, loving people who have overcome challenges for generations.”
During the banquet, Lilly Fryberg received the 2026 Indian Parent Education Committee Scholarship Award, while Emmarrie Davis was recognized as the Female Tulalip Scholar of the Year.
The evening’s keynote address was delivered by Vina Brown, founder of Copper Canoe Woman, a scholar pursuing her PhD in Indigenous Studies at the University of Alaska and co-founder of Rooted Resiliency. Brown encouraged graduates to remember that their value is not determined by accomplishments alone, reminding them that, “Our worth is not something that we earn, it is something that we remember and come back to.”
Brown closed the evening by sharing her own journey toward healing and self-discovery. “For much of my life, I thought healing was something that happened after you achieved your goals. I thought that if I worked hard enough, got an education, and helped enough people, that eventually I would arrive somewhere and be at peace. But recently I realized something important. I have become very good at carrying responsibilities, expectations, other people’s needs, and the hopes and dreams of my family and community. I spent so much time trying to take care of everybody else, I forgot to take care of myself.
“So I made one of the hardest choices, to step away and focus on my own healing. During this healing journey, I discovered that I was never meant to carry everything alone. I learned that healing is not selfish, rest is not weakness, and asking for help is not failure. Most importantly, I learned that culture is not something I have to carry by myself. Culture is carrying me. My ancestors are carrying me, my teachers, my language, my community were all carrying me. Just as they carried my granny, just as they carried my parents, and just as they will carry all of you graduates.
“Congratulations to the Class of 2026, you did this. Something deep inside you showed up and did this. Be proud of that, take some time to celebrate yourself. We are all proud of you and can’t wait to see what you do next.