Lakota in America

I was probably 11 or 12 at the time. And my uncle, Emmett, passed away. My mom became very depressed. She started drinking a lot and she started treating us differently. There was this guy, he was just kind of strange. Suddenly, he started staying with her more and she left me and my two brothers alone at home for days. One day that man was in the back room with my mother. I heard them talking about injecting themselves with something. So I texted my grandma and told her what was going on and she said, "Wait, we'll come get you." So I got my brothers up very, very quickly.

I put on all the clothes I could find. And I packed a suitcase and we left. Oh, look at that fly. I am lightning fast, that's why my name is Lightning. I don't know how these work. Just click play. It's good, awesome. Oh, I'm out of rhythm! Wait. You always have to turn when the double beats appear. My name is Genevieve Iron Lightning. My Lakota name is Tȟokáhe Nážiŋ Wiŋ or she is the first woman. And I am a descendant of Chief Iron Lightning. I was born dancing. It makes me feel connected, like I'm in touch with my ancestors and my culture.

And that's when she first got Mini Miss. Ooh, you look like me in there. What does it say on the sheet, 2006? Mini-Me says. 2006. And this is the photo of him from last year. Is this the one from last year? Yeah, my first year didn't turn out well. It's hard to live in Eagle Butte. It's hard to live on a reservation. The houses are not very nice, there is garbage in the yards. Broken and vandalized cars in driveways. Parents don't really take care of their kids, unless, you know, I don't know, unless they have a job. Cheyenne River has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the poorest counties in the country.

That's overwhelming when you think about it. How do we manage? Many of our people turn to alcohol. And more recently, methamphetamine has become a really big problem in our community. But you know, we didn't create the situation here. They put us on these reservations to contain us, control us, keep us segregated. And as a result, we have a population of people who do not have access to economic resources. When you have poverty and addiction, it is very easy to forget that there is a little child sitting next to you who needs to be recognized, hugged and talked to.

Children are a reflection of the environment in which they find themselves. Children need to be seen. They need people to guide them, love them and they need opportunities. My first summer here, my grandmother was reading the newspaper and saw something about internships at the Cheyenne River Youth Project. They were looking for people to work at the cafe that had just opened that summer. Then my grandmother told me, "Hey, I'm going to get you into that." The Cheyenne River Youth Project aims 100% to be a positive influence on the children of our community. Within our facilities we offer internships, wellness programs, arts.

We have a teen center, a gym, a dance studio and a computer lab. We also have the Winyan Toka Win Garden. These are the wax beans, the yellow beans... We are talking about your mental health, your physical health, your education. All these different pieces that help them grow. When CRYP started, there was no youth organization here. And then over the years, as we've evolved, we've learned from our children and our community what the needs are. It is important that we help them understand the history and who we are as a people, as Lakota people. Moving towards the reservations and the assimilation of our people.

All of these things still impact us today. All other nationalities in the United States were free to practice their culture in any way they saw fit, but not us Native Americans. It was against the law. "Kill the Indian and save the man." We're still dealing with it today. Always remember that you are Lakota first. It is important for our young people to remember where they come from. That's what our ancestors would have wanted. We want them to pass it on to their children when the next generation arrives. When you add poverty to historical trauma, it's just kind of a big disaster.

A problem with many of our children is that you reach a breaking point when you don't know what to do. And if there is no one there to support you and help you get through these difficult times, sometimes things happen. In the last month, we had at least two completed suicides. There were something like ten attempts. It is as if we have room for death, but not for life. You have to go into places that are uncomfortable in order to do the work that we try to do with our children. They deserve more. The picture I want to paint is that we have our challenges but we are rising.

Our internships at CRYP provide an outlet for our young people. You know, we're teaching them about the business, they're learning their interpersonal communication skills and how to manage money. They also learn how to write resumes. All those pieces that help a child prepare for the future. Job opportunities are limited on the reservation, so Keya Cafe and the other internships prepare you for different work experiences. We are giving them confidence on how to look for work or maybe they can have their own business. We want you to imagine the possibilities. Oh my god, I'm spilling it. I come here at 7:00 and finish at 2:00, and that was very tiring for me.

But earning your own money makes you feel like you're growing up... It makes you feel independent. Internships help you prepare for life after high school. I'm definitely going to go to college and come back and help my community in any way I can. Because it's a struggle here, but it's my home. My grandmother, her father is Grant Iron Lightning Jr., his grandfather is Grant Iron Lightning Sr., and then I don't remember his father's name, but five generations ago it's Chief Iron Lightning. He could walk anywhere and come back with horses. And that made him a leader of the Lakota people.

And this is where my great-grandfather Iron Lightning was buried. This is Dale Iron Lighting, he was one of my uncles. That's where they gave me my name. Knowing that I come from these great people, I feel like I have to do great things, you know? I want to set a good example for the younger generations, you know? To show you that I had difficulties here, but I did the youth internships at CRYP. I did everything in my power to make something of myself. I like that feeling of doing something well, you know? It makes my people proud and I like to make my people proud.

Our dream and our idea of ​​success and wealth are simply different. I think we see family, culture, tradition, singing and dancing as wealth. Being Lakota, we have had this oppressive weight for all these years. But this generation of children is different. They are proud of who we are. They are proud to be Lakota. They are not afraid to speak. To change what is happening to us. And let the world know that we are still here. They are the next culture bearers, the next leaders. They are a powerful new generation. Wait. I have it. Got it, we're connected!

There are so many things they have overcome. Imagine the possibilities if we can help them grow and give them the skills to go out into the world and thrive.