Indian Country mourns the death of UNITY founder J.R. Cook
There are people whose impact on Native American communities throughout the U.S. have stood out from the others, and one such person, whose impact on Native youth will forever live on long after his passing, is J.R. Cook, founder of United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY).
J.R. Cook, Cherokee, passed away at the age of 83 on Feb. 25, 2022, in Oklahoma City. His ties and community involvement in Cheyenne and Arapaho country dates to the 1970s.
Cook was a well-loved basketball coach, and after a successful coaching career, spent over a decade as the Upward Bound director at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) in Weatherford, Okla. He also served as one of the original Cheyenne and Arapaho Housing Authority Board Commissioners.
Cook once wrote, “American Indian youth have more negative than positive influences in their lives and more reasons to fail than to succeed,” and he set out to highlight the tremendous talent and leadership skills of Indian youth.
He created UNITY in 1976 with a small group of youth, primarily of Cheyenne and Arapaho descent. Today it is one of the oldest and largest national Native youth leadership organizations in the United States, now headquartered in Mesa, Ariz. UNITY has more than 320 youth councils in the United States and has impacted over 250,000 Indigenous youth from rural and urban communities all over the world.
“The passing of J.R. Cook, founder of UNITY is a tremendous loss for Indian Country. His passion for the wellbeing of Native American youth and his commitment to this cause has led to national and international involvement of youth in the UNITY organization,” Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana wrote in a statement honoring Cook.
Born and raised in northeastern Oklahoma, Cook grew up on a farm, dreaming of becoming a college basketball coach. He attended Coffeyville College, the University of Oklahoma, and earned a master’s degree from SWOSU, where he also served as an assistant basketball coach.
He was a teacher and mentor, and he directed the Indian Education Project focusing on dropout prevention and cultural retention the Southwest Indian Cultural Center, serving ten western Oklahoma schools. In 2002 Cook would travel to Washington D.C. to address the U.S. Senate committee on Indian Affairs, along with UNITY staff member and Indian Education Director Teresa Dorsett, to bring to the forefront mental health issues facing Native youth. The hearing was aired across the country on C-Span.
“I had the privilege of working for and with J.R. as a consultant and a UNITY staff member while they were based in Oklahoma City. I spoke in front of the U.S. Senate committee on Indian Affairs, and that was just one of the opportunities I had because of J.R.,” Teresa Dorsett said.
Dorsett believes Cook’s whole mission for UNITY was to give Native youth opportunities to develop their internal leadership skills and to challenge them to get out of their comfort zones.
“The most important thing to me is he was the kindest soul I had ever met and I will really miss him,” Dorsett said.
On March 2, UNITY released a statement asking all UNITY family and friends to honor Cook with a moment of silence during their 45th annual UNITY gathering.
“We are so deeply saddened to learn of J.R.’s passing. But his legacy and influence live on in the thousands of lives he has touched,” Mary Kim Titla, UNITY executive director said. “We will continue to honor his memory and spirit by living UNITY’s mission and developing the next generation of Native youth leaders.”
Cook once offered this advice to Native youth, “You are special and unique. Respect yourself and all creation. Keep your tribe and culture alive for future generations. Know and use your talents. Be the best you can be.”
ABOUT UNITY
Founded in 1976, United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY) is a national network organization promoting personal development, citizenship, and leadership among Native Youth. UNITY›s mission is to foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of American Indian and Alaska Native youth ages 14 -24 and to help build a strong, unified, and self-reliant Native America through greater youth involvement. UNITY›s network currently includes 320 affiliated youth councils in 36 states. Youth Councils are sponsored by Tribes, Alaska Native villages, high schools, colleges, urban centers, and others.
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