by Chelsea Reimche
As a part of last Saturday’s Native American Heritage Night, Republic FC and Wilton Rancheria celebrated the first-ever recipient of the Indigenous Future Leaders scholarship – Isabella “Belle” Bravo.
Bravo is a graduating senior at NP3 High School in Sacramento, where she has balanced academic excellence with an unwavering dedication to her identity and community. A proud Native American and Mexican student, Bravo speaks candidly about the strength drawn from her heritage, “I am of Native American and Mexican descent, and in spite of the colonization and genocide of my people, I am so glad to have the connection and closeness to my heritage as I do.”
Raised by a single mother, Bravo helped care for her younger siblings while excelling in school and leading impactful initiatives. “Coming from an underrepresented background, it was rare growing up that I found a space made for me… I sought out and built up communities for me and people like me to join,” she says. Belle founded her school’s first Indigenous Students Club, wrote its first official land acknowledgment, and connected with Native communities at UC Berkeley, where she will pursue Political Science and Film/Media Studies with a minor in Native American studies this fall.
Bravo’s passion for storytelling has driven her to journalism, where she uses her voice to advocate for justice and truth. As editor of her school’s news publication, she championed student voices, even when facing censorship. “I want to use writing to change the world and bring awareness to the facts and the realities that are often forgotten,” she says.
In addition to her leadership in journalism, Bravo has committed nearly eight years to community service, from cleaning local parks to addressing mental health disparities in Native youth. Her senior project certified dozens of peers in mental health first aid—a testament to her desire to leave a lasting change.
Through all of this, she continues to lead with humility and passion: “Earning this scholarship not only helps me massively but helps reaffirm and solidify my path as a writer who wants to make a difference.”
Bravo captures the opportunistic essence of the Indigenous Future Leaders scholarship by dreaming big and pursuing her career as a political writer, journalist, and advocate. The future is brighter because of students like her.
Applications are open now for the Community Pride Scholarship, presented in partnership with the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Learn more and apply at SacRepublicFC.com/Scholarship
