FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New website uses data to highlight trends on the Yakama Nation Reservation in areas vital to the well-being of the community

Toppenish, Wash. – A new website compiles data from publicly available sources to provide information about the Yakama Nation Reservation community. YakamaNationVitals.org uses content compiled by the Institute of Public Policy and Economic Analysis at Eastern Washington University (EWU), in partnership with Yakima Valley Partners for Education (YVPE).

The Yakama Vitals website, sanctioned by the Yakama Nation Tribal Council by resolution in 2024, presents data on the entire Yakama Nation Reservation community in six areas: people, economic vitality, education, health, housing and natural resources. Suzy Diaz, the director of YVPE says by bringing robust data into one accessible, thoughtfully designed place, Yakama Vitals helps us see more clearly the challenges before us and the opportunities to work together in new and more impactful ways. “As we begin to explore the data and the trends it reveals, we are invited into deeper collaboration—across agencies, institutions, and communities—to focus on where we can improve outcomes for all people of the Yakama Nation Reservation, and neighboring communities,” says Diaz.

Yakama Nation Tribal Administrative Director Crystal Bass is excited by the opportunities for collaboration that can be enhanced by Yakama Vitals. “One important outcome from this launch is a simple but powerful one: sharing this site broadly within our networks. By doing so, we can invite further ideation, encourage new partnerships, and expand the circle of collaborators who can use this data to ask better questions and develop better solutions, especially in support of our Tribal Government, whose decisions guide the wellbeing and future of our communities,” said Bass.

Dr. Patrick Jones, the executive director of the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis at EWU, says the Yakama Vitals project is the first of its kind in Washington State involving data gathered on a Native American Reservation community. Dr. Jones is grateful for the involvement of YVPE and the Yakama Nation leadership. “This partnership is a powerful example of what can happen when vision is matched with investment and trust,” Jones said.

Isaac Kwakye, deputy executive director of the Washington Student Achievement Council, agrees. “Yakama Vitals demonstrates the power of Tribal leadership and community priorities by delivering timely, actionable data. It will enable partners across the region to coordinate their efforts and improve outcomes for learners and families. We’re proud to support a tool that puts key information in the hands of those who need it most.”

Heritage University Senior Vice President of Advancement, Marketing and Admissions David Wise expressed gratitude to the partnership that makes the Yakama Vitals project possible. “We are also deeply grateful to the Washington Student Achievement Council and The Ballmer Group for providing the funding that made this work possible, and to Yakima Valley Partners for Education for creating the conditions that allowed Yakama Tribal Leadership to collaborate with Dr. Jones on Yakama Vitals 1.0. I’m thankful for everyone’s leadership, participation and commitment. I look forward to the continued collaboration ahead as we turn insight into action and data into better outcomes for all,” said Wise.

For easy access and sharing, the Yakama Vitals portal can be found here: https://yakamanationvitals.org

For more information, please contact Heritage University Media Relations Coordinator Davidson Mance at (509) 969-6084 or mance_d@heritage.edu.

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