Congratulations to Undergraduate Student Nevada Coy for being awarded the 2026 KIDS FIRST: David L. Kirp Prize!
Nevada Coy is an Anthropology and Gender & Women’s Studies double major in UC Berkeley’s class of 2027. Their work centers on community-engaged archaeology, historical memory, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. Since freshman year, Nevada has collaborated with Diné community members of the Navajo Nation and Japanese American descendants connected to the Old Leupp Indian Boarding School and Citizen Isolation Center.
In partnership with Madeline Canada and Zara Brandt (who have since graduated from UC Berkeley), Nevada aided in the editing of the children’s book A Fieldtrip Through Time(link is external), authored by Dr. Davina Two Bears, and acted as its illustrator. They also participated in archaeological excavation of the site and helped build a digital storytelling platform to share community histories. Together, these projects form part of a broader community-led effort to make these histories accessible to younger generations and to support education grounded in remembrance, accountability, and care.