Harvesting Hope Through Indigenous Wisdom

Featuring Shannon Francis - Executive director of Spirit of The Sun 

Shannon Francis leads Spirit of the Sun, an Indigenous women‑led nonprofit based in Denver, working to empower Native youth and communities through sustainable agriculture, traditional ecological knowledge, and cultural resilience.

Shannon is both Hopi (from Kykotsmovi, Arizona) and Dineh (Navajo from Shiprock, New Mexico), born into the Towering House clan and Red Running Through the Water clan, with ancestral ties to Massau’, Bear, Sand, and Snake clans. She descends from twelve generations of seed keepers, ethnobotanists, and earth caretakers. Rooted in this legacy, she became a certified Permaculture Design Instructor, blending Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with innovative science to promote land stewardship and food justice 

As Executive Director of Spirit of the Sun since at least the early 2020s, Shannon has woven her background and permaculture expertise into programs that reconnect Native youth and elders with their ancestral traditions and the lan. Her leadership is anchored in reciprocity and intergenerational healing, developing educational programs in sustainable farming, food sovereignty, permaculture, and wellness. Under her guidance, Spirit of the Sun has implemented impactful initiatives such as Indigenous Permaculture Community Gardens in partnership with Four Winds American Indian Council and educational outreach across Colorado urban and reservation communities.

Shannon’s advocacy centers on food justice, environmental health, Indigenous healing, and youth empowerment. She has trained and inspired community members through gardening workshops, garden expansion projects, and leadership development activities. She has served on the Four Winds Council (as Board Chair) and the leadership council for American Indian Movement of Colorado (AIM), strengthening ties between community-based initiatives and broader Indigenous organizing networks. Spirit of the Sun and Shannon have garnered recognition for their impact, including the 2020 Human Rights Award from Youth Celebrate Diversity and the 2023 “From Action to Nourishment” Award from Denver Food Rescue. Shannon herself was honored with the Justin B. Willie Humanitarian Award (2014, Navajo Nation) and the Cesar E. Chavez Female Leadership Award (2015) for her pioneering work in Indigenous gardening and community-building.

Beyond Spirit of the Sun, Shannon is a sought-after educator and speaker at national and regional forums, including Bioneers, White Earth Indigenous Farming Conference, Dartmouth College, Denver Green Festivals, and the National Environmental Education Association conferences. In 2023, she was named a Livingston Fellow through the Bonfils Stanton Foundation and was selected as the 2025 Career Accelerator award recipient by the Colorado Water Congress, recognizing her leadership at the nexus of food justice, environmental resilience, and Indigenous community health.

Shannon Francis’s leadership has elevated Spirit of the Sun into a beacon of cultural resilience and Indigenous environmental justice in Colorado. Her stewardship through community gardens, youth empowerment, and healing-centered permaculture work has created intergenerational impact, bridging ancestral knowledge and modern practice. Her legacy is one of reviving ancestral connections, restoring ecological relationships, and empowering Indigenous communities to heal and thrive well into the future.

Leading the Conversation on Liberty and Justice

Featuring Jeffrey Rosen - President and CEO of the National Constitution Cente

Jeffrey Rosen serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Constitution Center (NCC) in Philadelphia, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the U.S. Constitution. Under his leadership, the NCC has become a leading institution for constitutional education and civic engagement, offering interactive exhibits, public programs, and digital resources that bring the Constitution to life for millions of Americans.

Jeffrey Rosen grew up in New York City. He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College, earned a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Balliol College, Oxford, as a Marshall Scholar, and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. After law school, he clerked for Chief Judge Abner Mikva of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Rosen's academic and early career experiences laid the foundation for his future work in law, journalism, and constitutional education.

Since becoming President and CEO of the NCC in 2013, Rosen has been instrumental in transforming the center into a hub for constitutional discourse and education. He developed the acclaimed "Interactive Constitution," a digital platform that allows users to explore every clause of the Constitution with commentary from liberal and conservative scholars. This initiative has received millions of visitors and is a key resource for educators and students. Rosen also hosts the weekly podcast "We the People," where he moderates discussions on contemporary constitutional issues with leading legal scholars.

Rosen's leadership extends beyond the NCC. He has authored several books, including "The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America," which examines how classical philosophy influenced America's founding principles. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including being named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for his contributions to the arts and letters.

Beyond his role at the NCC, Rosen is a professor of law at George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor at The Atlantic. He has written extensively for The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, and The New Yorker. His scholarly work and public commentary have made him a leading voice in discussions about constitutional law and civil liberties.

Jeffrey Rosen's tenure at the National Constitution Center has significantly advanced the organization's mission to educate the public about the U.S. Constitution. His initiatives, such as the "Interactive Constitution" and "We the People" podcast, have reached millions, providing valuable resources for civic education. Rosen's work continues to influence the field of constitutional education and inspire future generations to engage with the principles that underpin American democracy.