Sampson Taylor
Sampson (Sam) Taylor is a member of the Hopi Tribe. He hails from the Paaqapwungwa (Reed Clan) in the village of Kykotsmovi, Arizona. He currently serves as the Community Development Manager for the Native American Youth and Family Center in Portland, Oregon, where he focuses on community engagement and business development. Prior to this, he served as the Housing Services Manager for this same organization.
He has been engaged in serving the houseless population for close to a decade. Earlier in his career, he served in various management positions at Native American Connections and as the Flex Funding Coordinator for the Human Services Campus, both based in Phoenix.
Sam’s works extends to a national level, collaborating on planning committees to address the housing crisis across the country. He is well recognized as an effective advocate for combatting homelessness among Native American communities.
His community roles have included: a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Arizona, Board Vice-President of the Omauw Resource Center, Race Director for two long standing Hopi race events (Louis Tewanima Footrace & Paatuwaqatsi Water Is Life Ultra Marathon), CAB Member (Hopi Substance Abuse Prevention Center), and advocate for the MMIP Movement. Additionally, he is a passionate long-distance runner, deeply connected to his Hopi heritage. Sam speaks to his running best. “Running has been my personal favorite hobby, serving as an outlet for my sobriety. I have participated in several half marathons nationwide. Running holds significant cultural importance for the Hopi people, and I am proud to be the great nephew of US Hopi Olympian, Louis Tewanima. As the former President of the Louis Tewanima Footrace Association, a grassroots foundation dedicated to preserving Louis' legacy, I organized an annual Footrace on Hopi land. Presently, I serve as the Race Director for the Hopi Ultra Race Paatuwaqatsi Water Is Life Run. Alongside this, I actively volunteer in numerous Hopi community events focused on promoting health and wellness.”