Youth-Led Cultural Service and Diplomacy with Indigenous Maasai

Affiliations: Canyon Crest Academy; Sister Cities International; My Chosen Vessels.

Ethan Leem is a high school senior at Canyon Crest Academy and serves as the San Diego Sister Cities Youth Ambassador. Passionate about using technology to create meaningful change, Ethan has spent more than two years working alongside the indigenous Maasai community in Kenya, helping develop youth-led initiatives that expand educational opportunities, preserve Indigenous culture, and empower the next generation through technology.

Recognizing the lack of access to technology in rural Maasai communities, Ethan began collecting donated laptops and introducing basic computer skills to Maasai youth. For many students, it was their first time ever using a computer. What began as a small youth-led initiative has since grown into a Kenyan government-accredited ICT vocational training program, providing nationally recognized digital skills training and creating new educational opportunities for Maasai youth. In its first year, the program trained 20 Maasai students, who successfully completed their certification examinations and graduated, and we expect another 40+ students to graduate this year, thanks in part to Ethan's vision and leadership.

While living with the Maasai, Ethan was inspired by the way elders pass down wisdom from one generation to the next. He also recognized an urgent challenge. As more children attended boarding schools, the Maa language, oral traditions, and Indigenous traditional knowledge that had been preserved through generations of storytelling were at risk of being lost. Working alongside Maasai elders and youth, Ethan helped launch MaasaiGPT, a youth-led artificial intelligence platform that preserves the Maa language, oral histories, traditional ecological knowledge, and Maasai cultural heritage for future generations.

Today, MaasaiGPT extends far beyond language preservation. The platform documents Indigenous ecological knowledge related to climate resilience, drought adaptation, medicinal plants, wildlife coexistence, peacebuilding traditions, and traditional grazing routes, water sources, and ecological indicators that assist communities to navigate drought and adapt to climate change. It also equips Maasai youth with digital media and AI skills, empowering them to document, preserve, and share their own culture and language.

In recognition of his work, Ethan was invited by UNESCO as a special guest speaker to present how artificial intelligence can be used ethically to create positive change, preserve Indigenous cultural heritage, and strengthen museums through community-led technology. He presented MaasaiGPT at the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in September 2026. Ethan was also invited as a featured panelist at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at United Nations Headquarters in New York, where he shared the impact of MaasaiGPT on Indigenous cultural preservation. MaasaiGPT will also be featured in a special Maasai Heritage exhibition at the National Museums of Kenya, demonstrating how technology can preserve, celebrate, and educate visitors about Maasai culture.

Ethan is also helping raise funds to establish an AI classroom in Kenya, where Maasai youth will learn coding, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. His vision is to continue expanding access to AI education for underserved communities throughout Kenya and the San Diego Baja California region while demonstrating how ethical use of AI technology can strengthen communities and create new opportunities.

Ethan is passionate about demonstrating how youth can empower communities through technology and cross-cultural collaboration to inspire a more peaceful, connected, and sustainable world. He believes the future of artificial intelligence is not just about advancing technology, but about preserving humanity, empowering communities, and ensuring that Indigenous voices help shape our digital future.

Please join us for a fascinating presentation and to celebrate this incredible young man.