by Julie La Brake
Nathan LaBrake is part of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. He has a growing family of three beautiful children and a very supportive wife. He organizes quarterly events for the Native communities of San Diego County. For the past two years, Nathan, with the support of family members, has sponsored some fascinating events.
The first event is a spring activity day. It features team relay races, including a tule boat race at Sycuan Lake. The second event is the Fun Run, which is conducted in collaboration with Rez Runner. Third, at the Sycuan Tribal Hall, a backpack drive is held for children to receive backpacks filled with basic school supplies to aid in a successful school year. Free haircuts are also available. And fourth is the toy giveaway. Some families find the holiday season financially challenging. Leading up to Christmas, Nathan runs a toy drive and invites all the local communities, both on reservations and off reservations, to the toy drive. Here, families can grab gifts for their children, meet Santa, and have dinner.
“These four events that I have started were with Native communities in mind, giving them an event where they can just have fun and hopefully share with our youth and young adults that anything is possible, and all it takes is an idea. My purpose for these events was to give our youth something to look forward to. It’s given our tribe fun ways to give back to our surrounding communities,” Nathan La Brake said.
