Proud Lakota Winyan: Finding my Voice.

Han Mitakuyepi / Hello, my relatives!

It’s been an exciting couple of years: I’m a new mom to 4 month old twin girls, a fun 2 year old and I’m married! So much has happened this year that I am truly blessed for. It’s a lot to juggle, and still busy as ever, but sharing in it all with my babies and partner makes it all worth it.

A little about me:
I was born in South Dakota and raised with my tiospaye (my family) in Lower Brule and Chamberlain, SD - I was surrounded by my family, my culture, and ceremonies. When I was 9, I moved to Maine, where I experienced racism for the first time and struggled with my Indigeneity, as a Lakota woman and as a woman of color in a place that did not have diversity or the culture I was raised in. I wanted to fit in, not stick out, and was ashamed of my brown skin. That’s where running showed me, it was about how you show up to the start line and finished - not about the color of your skin. It was a community I felt accepted in. As a fourth generation runner, it connected me to my family but was also my place to escape to and disconnect from Jordan, the Lakota and brown skinned girl. It wasn’t until college that I finally loved me, my brown skin and who I was as a Lakota winyan (woman).

However, I saw something I never saw before growing up. Every time I came back to my homelands in the summers during school, I saw the racism in South Dakota, I saw the health disparities my relatives were experiencing, and other racial, social, and economic problems. Despite having this perspective, I saw the beauty of my relatives, of the community, and the resilience that is present not only here with my relatives but as I’ve grown up and visited other Nations - that resilience exists in all our communities. That is what I focused on and it gave me hope for a better future that includes Indigenous folx.

This led to my dream in 8th grade of moving to DC and being an advocate for my people, for all Indigenous people. I didn’t know what that would look like, but at that age, it meant getting there and working on the hill to influence policy or working with Native-led organizations. All throughout school and college, I had my running. It is where I felt community and felt that it was up to me, to show up on the start line and do what I could - what I trained for. It was being a fourth generation Brings Three White Horses runner and continuing this family legacy. From running at a D1 level in college - running with New Balance Boston - New Balance Pacers - forming Team 1ndigenous with New Balance and to running with Altra Running Team Elite, RabbitPRO runner, On Running, Garmin Running Ambassador, Janji Field Team Athlete, and Ultimate Direction Ambassador - I am representing Indigenous athletes and relatives, the BIPOC community in these spaces. I will continue to speak and represent my community and advocate for diversity, inclusivity and justice for Indigenous, Black, Brown folx within this spaces. These opportunities of sponsorship are never just for me, it’s for the communities I am part of and representing as well.

HEART WORK:
In 2013, I moved to DC. My dream was happening. I was on the Hill advocating. I was supporting Native led programs and organizations as they were doing what they thought was best for their community. I was there as an organizer and founder of Rising Hearts - which was born out of the Standing Rock and the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. I am an organizer. I am a voice. I am a connector - working to uplift and center Indigenous, Black, and Brown voices within our communities and spaces to demand justice, visibility, and respect as it intersects across all climate - racial - social - and economic justice movements. In 2017, I moved to Tongva lands / Los Angeles, CA to continue this work and be part of community. After 5 years, a new little family of my own, we came back East. Now I am continuing this heart work from Tongva Lands / Los Angeles, CA, back on Piscataway + Nacotchtank lands / DC area, expanding my circle, meeting more amazing and inspiring folx, helping to contribute to the collective expansion of our movements, demanding justice, respect, visibility, and equality. To read up on and listen to more about the work I do and platforms I am creating, click here for a list of publications and podcasts!