How has your understanding of leadership changed from our workshops on this topic (or has it)?

I really liked the idea that there are different kinds of leadership. Especially the notion of leading from behind. I had never had a word for that situation but I really admire that kind of leadership. I think people tend to overly appreciate leaders in the front but I like leading behind and within take a lot of work that isn't appreciated in the same way. I think I can also take it upon myself to express appreciation for people who are doing the work of leading from behind/within. 

As you consider your research project, what questions or challenges are forefront in your mind? What first steps do you intend to take to start your project?

I think the biggest challenge is just time and trying to do everything I want to do in the 5 weeks. I've started reading a book called "Talking Indian" that has really expanded my idea of the importance of language revitalization. In the book, Jenny Davis talks about the economic implications and incentives of language revitalization and how it creates prestigious jobs that emphasis traditional knowledge. She also talks about how people wear T-shirts from local language events to show affiliation which really inspired me to look into the ways Indigenous languages are used in Indigenous fashion. As an artistic person myself, I am now feel very inspired about this and thinking I could screen print my own T-shirts with words that I learn on them. 
Because I've already started my research lightly I guess that has been my first step. Next week I have three meetings set up with two Native professors at Columbia as well as someone who works on the Nevada Board of Education and coordinates a lot of language programs. I am also coordinating a meeting with the author of the book I'm reading. I think it'll be fun to talk to people about my topic and to make those community connections. I also plan to read some journals I've found on the topic and to use my Shoshone textbook to start learning more about the linguistics of the language.