National Indian Gaming Association “My Vote Will Count,” ambassador Faith Holyan addressed attendees at the 2019 Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

View Faith’s My Vote Will Count Native Youth Message

Washington, D.C. – August 19, 2020 – In October, Ernie Stevens, Jr., Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, announced the creation of the gaming organizations Get Out the Vote campaign – “My Vote Will Count,” leading up to the 2020 General Elections in November of 2020.

The National Indian Gaming Association developed this grassroots effort with partners, including Member Tribes, sister tribal organizations, and prominent events throughout Indian Country to educate, empower, and encourage all Native Americans to register to vote and commit to getting to the polls.

The grassroots efforts were forced to take a different path, with the impacts of COVID-19. Because many of our Indian country events and confabs were canceled, the “My Vote Will Count” initiative will look to all aspects of social media platforms to encourage our young voters to vote.

To help target the young vote, through these efforts, Stevens appointed Faith Holyan, a citizen of the Navajo Nation as the “My Vote will Count” youth ambassador to help lead this critical effort.
Holyan, a who has a prominent social media presence in Indian country, is a 3-time Indian National Finals Rodeo world champion, to help lead this important effort.

Holyan is no stranger to being a leading voice for Indian youth. Over the past few years, Faith has been an advocate for #CodePurple, the social media Suicide Awareness campaign that the National Indian Gaming Association has been a sponsor of since its inception.

Chairman Stevens said, “The Native American vote is so important. Our power at the polls can determine our voice among the halls of Congress, at the White House, in Local, City, County, and State governments.” He added, “Faith will continue to serve an important role in our get out the vote campaign, sharing her powerful message, calling on our young leaders to champion Native Americas get out the vote initiative.”

Holyan added, “Our youth vote has the potential to be extremely influential in this country; the young vote accounts for half of the voting population, so we are a political force that can make a difference in 2020. I am excited to serve as the Indian Gaming ambassador to help bring awareness to the importance of getting to the polls.”

Besides being a three-time rodeo World Champion, Faith graduated in cum laude with two associate degrees from Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas, where she was on an athletic rodeo scholarship. She is currently a Junior at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, studying Marketing and Communications on academic scholarships.