17 Jun Intern Introduction: Drew Lister (Native American Affairs)

My name is Drew Lister. I am 23 years old, and I recently graduated from the University of Washington, focusing on Native American Studies! I was born in San Diego, so I have always had a love for being outdoors. Some of my favorite hobbies include anything sports-related, hiking, and listening to a wide range of music. Additionally, since I was born I have always had a sense of compassion, and motivation to help people. While growing up I didn’t have an exact idea of what I wanted to do but I always knew I wanted to improve society’s betterment.

I am so excited to be a part of the team! Being of Indigenous descent (50% Navajo), I am very excited to work with Native Peoples and learn about the various problems that persist on reservations. I am particularly interested in this program because I will learn a lot about what happens in native communities, and the governments work with tribal communities! Working at EFTA will help prepare me for my career goals, and I will get the opportunity to acquire new skills!

My career aspiration is to help advance the economic growth of tribal nations, focusing on self-sufficiency, and cultural/language revitalization. Native people suffer from various health disparities and people who live on reservations are susceptible to unusually high rates of poverty. These problems have persisted for many years and there needs to be an immediate change. In many ways, I believe that being an intern here at EFTA will improve my understanding of native society and push me in the right direction to obtain my career goal.