What we’re All About
It all started when…
Melody connected with Turquoise at Morning Star Leaders, Inc., a nonprofit serving Indigenous youth in Phoenix, AZ.
Melody says the first time she virtually met Turquoise, it was like two old friends reconnecting after several years; it was more like a “catch-up” than an interview. From that point, they went on to successfully launch a Youth Leadership Summit for 300 Indigenous High School students. During this venture at MSL, they met their future collaborators, who you all will meet soon. Shout out to Rob Salas, Debbie Nez-Manuel, Chris B., Corey H., Roxanne V., and Kyle H.!
Their stay at the nonprofit was short, but their work continued together. Soon after, Melody and Turquoise collaborated to facilitate cultural confidence training at Ft. Mojave, where they successfully intertwined cultural education and workforce skills to help individuals embrace their ability to be successful. After this motivating and reassuring experience together, they knew their work was going to continue far beyond this moment. It was at this moment they understood their paralleled drive to change systems and assist Indigenous people to be successful within workforce and education.
Indigenous Community Collaborative (IndigenousCC) is a Native American, women-owned social enterprise with a mission to revitalize the indigenous perspective. Our mission is to amplify indigenous truth, values, resiliency, and validation through connection, ability, and collaboration. IndigenousCC creates innovative programs and services to make an impact on academic and career success in Indigenous Communities. Our organization contributes a portion of our profits to provide programs and services to Tribal communities and Nonprofits that serve Indigenous Communities. Our work targets workforce systems, educational institutions, and nonprofits to create forward-thinking solutions to solve problems that empowers the Indigenous Voice.
“We have the tools for success for not only Indigneous communities but for those that work with Indigneous communities. Building off the thoughts and resilience of leaders before us.”
Melody Lewis
Melody Lewis is a member of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe. She was born and raised in Mohave Valley, AZ. Upon completion from University of Arizona, Melody entered into employment as a Human Service Worker. She remained in Human Services for three years and transitioned into Workforce Development. For the past ten years she has remained in the industry implementing an array of workforce and education initiatives as a consultant. Current initiatives fall within the areas of Maricopa County Community College District, Local School Districts, Employers, and Nonprofits across Arizona, California and Nevada. She regularly volunteers for Indigenous Community Based Nonprofits and often participates to showcase education and employment trends, such as workplace skills development, supervisor competency builders, and employer-driven career pathway systems. Melody is driven by a strong desire to help create a vision to find educational and career opportunities for students, individuals seeking personal growth, communities, and employers. Her passion for this work is accomplished through the development of strong working relationships and creating collaborative solutions for future generations.
Turquoise Skye Devereaux
Turquoise is part of the Salish and Blackfeet tribes of Montana. She was born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Western Montana and now resides in Phoenix, Arizona. Turquoise works with students, organizations, and institutions on resiliency, diversity, equity, inclusion, and trauma-informed approaches to support Native American, low-income, and first-generation achievement in rural and urban settings. Turquoise works at the intersections of direct support to students, conducting organizational process consulting, program evaluation, and training for school staff, teachers/faculty, administrators, and community members in Tribal and non-Tribal educational and community settings. Turquoise has worked in many different capacities to ensure culturally safe spaces for Native American communities in all settings at local, state and regional levels. Turquoise was the Montana Indian Education Association’s American Indian Support Staff of the Year Award in 2017. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Montana and her Master of Social Work at Arizona State University. Turquoise values collaboration in healing and perseverance in spaces where a collectivist worldview is supported and promotes healing and identity through knowledge and cultural confidence.