Lily Drywater is from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, a 2015 graduate of Sequoyah High School, and a student at Northeastern State University (NSU). In February of 2022, Lily participated in a Self-Determination Movements course taught by Dr. Tiffanie Hardbarger (Cherokee) at NSU. In this class, she learned about resistance movements such as those on Alcatraz Island led by the Indians of All Tribes and the American Indian Movement. The demonstration at Alcatraz Island stood out to her because the event was led by a small group of inspired young people, and she saw no reason why her community could not do the same. As a result, she gathered some inspired community members and began weekly discussion meetings.

Lily is passionate about learning and sharing Cherokee Culture, Traditions, Values, Language, and Lifeways. As a high school student, Lily worked at the Cherokee Heritage Center where she worked as a tour guide. During her time spent in the village, Lily learned multiple Traditional Cherokee Crafts, including finger weaving which is a personal passion of hers. Lily leads and hosts a weekly crafting circle at the Center for Tribal Studies (CTS) at NSU where she personally demonstrates cultural crafts to participants at no cost. In addition to teaching participants herself, each month Lily hosts a respected artist to share and teach a craft of their choosing.

Lily is an advocate for respectful relationships with all of our relatives, including the natural environment which our communities share. Throughout the region existing as well as new threats to the environment continue to develop. Lily strives to lend her voice, time, and energy to our relatives who cannot advocate for themselves. A-ma U-li-s-ge-di-yu (Water is Sacred/Important in Cherokee). On a national and global scale, Lily is alarmed by the impacts of Climate Change, and believes through Indigenous Communities, Lifeways, and Knowledge system balance can once again be gained with the environment.

Similar to her aim to lend her voice to the environment, Lily is also passionate about lending her voice to community members and peers whose voices often go unheard. We know by working together for each other we all gain the most. When challenges arise in the community Lily seeks to raise the voices of those impacted and identify ways to help directly. Everyone's life is sacred and all voices are important.

In all that she does daily, Lily strives to center Cherokee Lifeways, Traditions, Language, and Culture.