Pride Scholars
Nááts'íílid Rainbow
Justin Ahasteen
Justin Ahasteen is Bilagáana (White People Clan) born for Tótsohnii (Big Water Clan). His maternal grandfather is Bilagáana and his paternal grandfather is Kiisʼáanii (Hopi People Clan). White Cone, Arizona, is his home community on the Navajo Nation and he is a proud graduate of Holbrook High School.
Graduating in 2014, Justin enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After months of training, he was selected for a special duty assignment with the Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs at the Pentagon in Washington DC. Justin served as an Administrative & Congressional Affairs Specialist overseeing a wide variety of issues to include military policy and veteran constituent affairs.
During his military service, Justin was awarded three prestigious awards including the Presidential Volunteer Service Award with Silver Distinction, the American Legion Spirit of Service Award, and the United Services Organization's Service Member of the Year Award for his involvement in the community advocating for social justice issues. Upon completion of his active military service in 2018, he continued his public service working for Maricopa County and eventually was hired as a Government and Legislative Affairs Associate for the Navajo Nation Washington Office.
Justin is a graduate of Rio Salado Community College with an Associate's of Applied Science in Public Administration, a graduate of Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor in Justice Studies minoring in Public Administration, and is currently a candidate for a Master's of Public Administration & Policy with the American Public University System.
Justin is married to his husband of 7 years, Erick, who is a Navy veteran and currently a medical school candidate at St. George's University School of Medicine.
Vaneka Hoskie
Vaneka Hoskie is of the Red Streak Clan and is aspiring to become a medical physician. A pre-med senior at Texas State University, she grew up in Albuquerque with family originally from Burnham, New Mexico. She attended Volcano Vista High School and served as Student Body President.
Attending Texas State University to experience education outside of New Mexico, she is majoring in biology with a minor in biochemistry. Vaneka expects to graduate by Spring 2023 and will apply to medical school thereafter.
Attending the Summer Research Enhancement program at Diné College, Vaneka was trained in public health prevention research at Northern Arizona University. Shortly after this professional experience, she was invited by the Mayo Clinic to be apart of their 2022 Cohort to continuing designing a project to bridge the cultural differences between Native American patients and their physicians.
This summer, Vaneka is a Four Directions Summer Research Intern at Harvard Medical School to better understand spinal development.
The unique background of Vaneka is fueled by her ambition to return to the Navajo Nation to contribute to the advancement of healthcare services for Indigenous communities.
