Ava Swazo-Caton

Ava Swazo-Caton (Tesuque Pueblo) graduated from the university of Hawai’i in 2023 majoring in Political Science and American Studies. She says it is important to be a Young Adult Council member of AICD because she can contribute her voice and perspective as a young person to decision-making. She wants to bring the unique experiences of urban Native youth to the table to bring more resources and community to the greater Indigenous population of SF.

She previously worked as a Congressional Intern, in addition to her educational background emphasizing Indigenous studies and Pacific Islander studies which opened her up to historical and contemporary Indigenous issues worldwide.

She is interested in AICD’s policy-making initiatives and contributions to city legislation in addition to efforts the Indigenize SF project which aims to make the community more beautiful and engaging through Indigenous art and presence. ”