For Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Students Pursuing the Arts

The Dream Warriors Scholarship was created by a handful of young Native Artists to pass on passion by encouraging youth from our communities and all across Indian Country to pursue their artistic dreams. As working and living artists, Kelly Holmes, Mic Jordan, Tall Paul, Frank Waln, and Tanaya Winder all believe each person has a unique gift to offer the world. These gifts can heal and bring about change. As a collective, they believe we can all help to uplift each other. In doing what they love, the artists hope to show that a career in the arts can be realistic and achievable. The Dream Warriors Scholarship encourages undergraduates (freshman preferred; however, all undergraduate students at any level are encouraged to apply.) Native American / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian to pursue their creative curiosities and passions by providing a scholarship geared towards these endeavors.

Ask yourself: what it is that you want to do or be in life, and when you know the answer to that question, just do it. And, if you do that in a positive way, you will epitomize what it means to be a Dream Warrior.

The Definition of a Dream Warrior:

• A Dream Warrior is someone who uses their passion, dream or gift to provide for their loved ones and community. Educated Warriors are vital to war.
• A Dream Warrior has integrity and respect.
• A Dream Warrior relentlessly pursues his or her dreams, passions, and goals, stopping at nothing until he/she is living them.
• A Dream Warrior takes action so that at the end of the day there is no room for regret or questioning of his/her own effort.
• A Dream Warrior understands the responsibility in using the gifts he/she has been given.
• A Dream Warrior always acts out of and from a place of love.
• Above all, a Dream Warrior does not step on others in order to reach his/her destination, but rather uplifts others in fulfilling their life paths.

Award: $500 (one-time scholarship dispersed once in a single increment of $500)

Purpose: The Dream Warriors Scholarship encourages undergraduates (Freshman preferred; however, undergraduate students at any level are encouraged to apply) to pursue studying their art / craft in college. 

Types of Arts: Visual, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, creative writing, music, performance art, dance, and drama/acting. If you would like to apply for the scholarship under an art form that is not listed please email us at the address below to see if you are still eligible.

Selection Process: The scholarship will be awarded once per school year and are chosen by a national selection committee. Decisions are based on an overall assessment of the application. Winner will be notified by mid September.

Deadline:  August 2, 2019 by 11:59 PM (Midnight) EST

Required Material:

Fill out and complete the Dream Warriors Scholarship application

• Application Includes:
  • Your personal definition of a Dream Warrior and how you embody that definition.
  • Scholarship Essay
  • 2 letters of recommendation. (To be written by a counselor, tribal leader, teacher, etc.
  • A portfolio containing 3-5 examples of your chosen art form. Send portfolio as PDFs, word documents, jpegs, mp3s, or internet (YouTube, sound cloud, etc.) links
  • Copy of college acceptance letter (this is used for enrollment verification). 

Applications must be completed via Indigenous Education Inc.’s Online Application Scholarship Information System (OASIS) by August 2, 2019 for consideration.