Dr. Lydia Jennings' T3 Fundraiser

My name is Lydia Jennings, and I am a citizen of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. I have been part of AISES since 2014, am a "Lighting the Pathway" scholar of the 2015 cohort, and recently completed my PhD at the University of Arizona, titled "Reclaiming Mining in Southern Arizona: Considering Science and Policy Aspects that Build Resiliency."

Due to COVID-19, my graduation, and that of many other students in the class of 2020, was canceled. To find an alternative way to celebrate, I have decided to run 50 miles to celebrate my graduation, which I will be doing on March 20, 2021 along the Arizona Trail. The Arizona Trail is an 800-mile recreational trail that spans from Mexico to Utah along Indigenous trading routes. I will be running 50 miles close to Tucson, which is where my community is located. Along the run, I will be dedicating each mile to a different Indigenous scientist who has navigated the hallways of academia to create more pathways for future Indigenous students. I am calling my run "Always runners, always scientists: running in resiliency."

Throughout my education journey, I have been so grateful for the scholarship of Indigenous knowledge holders before me, and can only imagine what their experiences were like being the first in a field, fighting to show the validity in their lived experiences. This run is a small step towards paying homage to them. I am dedicating the last mile to the students who come after me. I would like to use this run to raise money for students who have struggled through COVID-19 educational conditions.

I found AISES to be so important in my own educational journey -- I see the community and support from the organization as key to my personal success.

The T3 Fund will allow AISES to provide Native American/Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic a one-time scholarship of $500.  Read More about the AISES T3 Fund.

Please join us by offering support to Native American students who are still being affected by the pandemic through this fundraiser by Dr. Lydia Jennings.