Sie erhalten die Möglichkeit, sich über aktuelle Situationen bei den Indianern Nordamerikas in Englisch zu Informieren und an entsprechenden Hilfsaktionen teilzunehmen.
Evelin Červenková
Begründerin der Lakota Oyate Information
You have the possibility to inform yourself about the current life of Native Americans and you can take part in helping actions.
Evelin Červenková
Founder of the Lakota Oyate Information in East-Germany
Von: One Spirit jbaker @ nativeprogress.org
Date: Di., 21. Okt. 2025
Subject: Critical Need: Food for the Lakota
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Supporting the Lakota
CRITICAL NEED: Food on the Reservation
Children and families shouldn't have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from, but that's the reality for many on Pine Ridge Reservation. Many Lakota families rely on One Spirit's food pantries as the only place they can get fresh, nutritious food.
Now, however, our food pantries are running dangerously low, and we need to restock before people go hungry.
We're asking all our donors to please donate to help us restock the food pantries now, ahead of winter. We need $15,000 to restock all three of our food pantries. If everyone reading this gave even just a few dollars, we could hit our goal right now.
Volunteers Needed
We have a special volunteer opportunity available to help One Spirit.
We are updating our website, and we need volunteers willing to review it and provide feedback. As the volunteer, you will be given an opportunity to preview the new site, share your feedback with us, and help shape the future of One Spirit's communications. No expertise in marketing, websites, or user experience is required.
If you're interested in this volunteer opportunity, please email Nathan Kraatz at nkraatz @ nativeprogress.org with the opportunity you're interested in, your contact info, and any relevant experience you may have.
Email Us
Winning the Gold Medal on Pine Ridge
The Lakota Empowerment Group provides critical job training and home repairs to an area in dire need of both good–paying jobs and improved housing.
Recently, one of our volunteers spoke to Ricky Gray Grass and Eddie Spears, who oversee LEG, to understand what drives the group and the vision that they have for the young adults under their tutelage.
One Spirit | PO Box 3209 | Rapid City, SD 57709 US
Von: Chase Iron Eyes, Lakota Law info @ lakotalaw.org
Date: Mi., 15. Okt. 2025
Subject: Happy belated Indigenous Peoples' Day
To: Evelin Cervenkova lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Dear Evelin,
A very happy belated Indigenous Peoples' Day to you and yours! I hope you'll understand and forgive us for being a day late with this email after taking the day off yesterday to spend time celebrating with our families. Truthfully, I've been champing at the bit to say something about this holiday this year, in particular, given the American president's recent culture war complaints about the supposed erasure of Christopher Columbus.
For more on that — and my direct response in the Associated Press — I urge you to read this AP article and watch this video on my Instagram feed, which has more of the thoughts I shared with the reporter. And, if you want to help us advocate to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day nationwide, you can take action right here.
We who pay attention to history know that Columbus and those who followed him are hardly the ones suffering from erasure. American schools still teach our young ones to credit him with "discovering" Turtle Island — which, of course, had already been our homelands for time immemorial. And it's worth noting that Columbus, himself, was a master of erasure. In his journal, he famously marveled at the ease with which he could enslave and subdue the Indigenous people who welcomed him to our shores.
Despite Trump's nonsense, nobody is erasing Columbus. How could we? His impact was and will always be lasting. Rather, we ask that, instead of lionizing a man responsible for countless deaths, we recognize what really happened. We ask that on Indigenous Peoples' Day — and every day — we take time to think about what was lost as a result of his exploration. And, most importantly, we ask for recognition of the enduring power, resilience, and contributions of Indigenous cultures and people.
Wopila tanka — my gratitude to you for your own contributions to the cause!
Chase Iron Eyes
Executive Director
Lakota People's Law Project
Sacred Defense Fund
Lakota People's Law Project
P.O. Box 27
Santa Fe, NM 87504
United States
The Lakota People's Law Project is a part of the 501(c)(3) Sacred Defense Fund, a Native-led Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice nonprofit (Federal Tax ID #99–2707481). Your contributions are deductible for tax purposes as allowed by law.
Von: One Spirit jbaker @ nativeprogress.org
Date: Mi., 1. Okt. 2025
Subject: Defiantly Positive
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Join Us in Being Defiantly Positive
Life on Pine Ridge Reservation continues to be hard and uncertain for so many Lakota.
Every day, we receive calls requesting food, clothes, firewood, and critical repairs to homes before winter comes. For weeks, we have been pushing hard to meet urgent needs while continuing projects that will ultimately lead to Lakotan self–sufficiency. We're grateful to all of you on this journey with us, and we are especially thankful that you have continued with us even when times are, at best, uncertain for many.
We strive to avoid negativity and maintain a positive outlook. Indeed, our momentum is increasing. We have more programs, and we improve the lives of more people than ever before. Yet, even as we move ahead, we continue to uncover needs, such as the dire condition of the houses in which many grandparents, elders, families, and children live.
Thankfully, our work and your support give us hope and strength. It's easier to avoid negativity when we see a family get needed renovations done to their homes, when a family gets food for their table, when young people learn to enjoy life through camp experiences, and when young people in the training program in Minnesota see the food truck business they are preparing to bring to the Reservation written up in the news media as "the Best Place to Eat."
So please: accept our heartfelt thanks for helping us create and sustain positivity on the reservation. The Lakota people have a mantra that they use daily that helps to promote kindness—Mitakuye Oyasin. It means, "We are all related." Thank you for proving that compassion unites us and that we all share in one spirit.
One Spirit | PO Box 3209 | Rapid City, SD 57709 US
Von: Darren Thompson, Lakota Law info @ lakotalaw.org
Date: Mi., 1. Okt. 2025
Subject: Indian Country fights back against Hegseth
To: Evelin Cervenkova lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Lakota Law
Dear Evelin,
Today's National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding School Survivors is another solemn reminder of how we acknowledge and learn from the past. The National Day of Remembrance began in Canada and is acknowledged in the States to honor the generations of Native and First Nations children forcibly removed from their homes to be sent to boarding and residential schools. Many of these institutions were government funded and many were church funded, but all were responsible for the oppression of Indigenous culture, language, and spirits.
And still — last week — we were given another reminder that those at the federal level continue to deny the truth. This past Thursday, as reported on our Last Real Indians Native News Desk, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that soldiers who were awarded Medals of Honor for their 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee of nearly 300 Lakotas — including defenseless women and children — will keep them. Hegseth's announcement, made on X, followed a review requested by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in 2024.
Many tribal leaders and organizations issued statements condemning the announcement, largely pointing out that the decision is not reflective of real American history — nor our shared values. People are simply asking for a correction in awarding the slaughter of women and children at Wounded Knee. This should not be a complicated issue.
Thankfully, our voices are being heard. After LRI Native News published our story on Hegseth's announcement, Yahoo News and many others republished comments made by Lakota Law director Chase Iron Eyes. That's important, because mainstream media often forgets to include voices from Indian Country, even on the issues that directly affect us. I see it as a simple equation: if you're writing about a community, include that community's voice.
While the announcement to rescind the Wounded Knee Medals of Honor was denied by the current administration, and though Hegseth said the decision is final, that doesn't mean this battle is over. There are still other pathways to remove the medals from history. For instance, we can and should tell Congress to pass the Remove the Stain Act. It also took far too long to end the political imprisonment of Leonard Peltier — but through tremendous, coordinated organizing and continued discussion and pressure, we got there.
Soon, we'll publish an op-ed on LRI Native News from South Dakota Senator Red Dawn Foster detailing the steps it took to pass the resolution in the South Dakota State Senate asking Congress to investigate the Wounded Knee Massacre and next steps we can take to rescind the medals. We'll also have much more to say later this week on the pattern of governmental overreach currently eroding our human, civil, and constitutional rights.
Indigenous residents of Turtle Island have long known these struggles. And we also know that when things look grim, you can't give in, give up, or lose faith. So I thank you for standing with us. Let's keep fighting together.
Miigwech — my enduring gratitude to you as a fellow member of this movement!
Darren Thompson
Director of Media Relations
Lakota People's Law Project
Sacred Defense Fund
Lakota People's Law Project
P.O. Box 27
Santa Fe, NM 87504
United States
The Lakota People's Law Project is a part of the 501(c)(3) Sacred Defense Fund, a Native–led Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice nonprofit (Federal Tax ID #99-2707481). Your contributions are deductible for tax purposes as allowed by law.
Von: One Spirit jbaker @ nativeprogress.org
Date: So., 21. Sept. 2025
Subject: Thank you
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Summer Camp Has Kids Flying High
Summer camp is a time for fun, friendship, and personal growth. For the Lakota children at Camp Marrowbone, it's a place where they can feel safe, build character, and learn important life values. The camp provides a nurturing environment where kids can participate in activities like the Grand Marathon, a relay race with over 30 different stations, and cabin life, where they can bond with their peers and counselors.
One camper, Iyahnna High Hawk, said that at camp she learned, "how to be nice, kind, generous, brave, and have wisdom."
Thank you to all the generous donors who made these transformative experiences possible. We hope you will continue to support this and other projects like it in the future.
Lakota Empowerment Group Restores Home
The Lakota Empowerment Group recently finished restoring a home near Porcupine, SD! Restoring this home, developing the LEG employees skills, and building an economy of skilled tradesmen is only possible thanks to donors like you. Thank you for your support!
There are many more homes that need fixing. Our inboxes are constantly full of people asking for help with their homes. If you can spare it, please consider helping us restore the housing stock on the reservation. It will not only give someone the dignity of a home—it can keep them warm in the brutal winter.
Help Build Local Solutions to Local Problems
Thank You for Building Lakota Self Sufficiency
The work we do, from repairing substandard housing while teaching critical trade skills to sponsoring wonderful summer camp experiences, is only possible because of your donations and support.
Thank you for everything you make possible.
Wopila!
One Spirit | PO Box 3209 | Rapid City, SD 57709 US
Von: One Spirit jbaker @ nativeprogress.ccsend.com
Date: Mo., 8. Sept. 2025
Subject: They're Cutting People's Hours on the Rez
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
We Need Your Support
Recently, we have heard reports that the tribe is having to cut people's working hours–mostly by eliminating one day of work per week. For everyone. Additionally, a lot of programs on the reservation that fed, housed, and employed people have been cut. Even though One Spirit does not have grants from the federal government, we are experiencing downwind effects–like food banks having fewer resources to help. Our supporters have to be cautious since the future is so uncertain for many of us.
We'll be honest. The next year is going to be hard. Winter will come soon and, with it, subzero temperatures and snow. Many homes still lack adequate–not to mention safe–heating. Families reach out to us every day for help with their home and with food. There just aren't enough jobs on the reservation for everyone to meet their needs. People are going to go without, and we are trying to prepare for the worst.
We know times are tough. If you have it within your heart, please consider making a tax–deductible donation at this time. It may make all the difference for a family on the rez.
Wopila tanka!
One Spirit | PO Box 3209 | Rapid City, SD 57709 US
Von: Chase Iron Eyes, Lakota Law info @ lakotalaw.org
Date: Fr., 29. Aug. 2025
Subject: Empower Black Hills land defense
To: Evelin Cervenkova lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Lakota Law
Dear Evelin,
Once again, we are called to defend our sacred homelands from an imminent extractive threat. Right now — and thanks wholly to your support — Lakota Law is fully engaged as a member of an evolving, decades–old coalition dedicated to defeating uranium exploration in the He Sapa, our sacred Black Hills. Current federal and state policy ensures the constant erosion of environmental oversight. And now, the Chord project in Craven Canyon threatens a sensitive ecosystem which includes the Inyan Kara aquifer and its water, vital to local homes and ranches.
Please help us confront and stop the Chord uranium exploration project in Craven Canyon by making a generous donation today. While you're at the page, watch our new video, which draws on archival footage — both our own and that generously shared by our friends at Warrior Women Project — to tell the story of the fight to stop harmful extraction in the Black Hills. It's a coalition effort that goes back decades, including alliances among Indigenous and environmental justice groups and even with ranchers.
As a personal project I care deeply about, I've been consulting with the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance (GPTWA) for years to protect water as our birthright — as a fundamental, inalienable right to human beings and other creatures. Water gives and is life on our planet, and tribes have superior, preceding, sovereign rights to the water we need. Those rights are protected by treaty, by statute, by water settlements, and by the United States Supreme Court. And yet, time and again, we must fight to protect our waters in what seems like an unending life–or–death saga to safeguard ourselves and our relatives from the fascistic corporate machine.
Our modern–day coalition in this incredibly important battle includes our compatriots at organizations like the Sierra Club, Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, and NDN Collective. Lakota Law, however, has a distinct role to play. We represent the sovereign interests of tribal nations as embodied by elders and traditional treaty rights protectors. In my opinion, these are the people with the deepest rights and, spiritually speaking, in the strongest position to defend our homelands and all of Turtle Island from corporate takeover.
My family's history of protecting tribal water rights runs as deep as any aquifer. And at this critical moment, our organization — especially my co-council and I — are incurring steep costs representing the GPTWA, pro bono. But, when it comes to this matter, no cost is too high. I know you stand with us. I'm grateful we can rely on you to help amplify our concerns, equip our team, and empower us to put our best defense forward. I'm so glad we are all together in this existential fight for Unci Maka — our Grandmother Earth — and all she nurtures.
Wopila tanka — thank you, always, for being a land defender and water protector!
Chase Iron Eyes
Executive Director
Lakota People's Law Project
Sacred Defense Fund
P.S. If you can make a donation today to help us stop the Craven Canyon uranium exploration — and all extractive desecration of our homelands — you will have my eternal gratitude. I can never thank you enough for being a friend to Lakota Law and a hero in the movement for sacred land and water defense.
Lakota People's Law Project
P.O. Box 27
Santa Fe, NM 87504
United States
The Lakota People's Law Project is a part of the 501(c)(3) Sacred Defense Fund, a Native–led Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice nonprofit (Federal Tax ID #99–2707481). Your contributions are deductible for tax purposes as allowed by law.
Von: One Spirit jbaker @ nativeprogress.ccsend.com
Date: Fr., 22. Aug. 2025
Subject: Give the Lakota a LEG up
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Empowering the Lakota People
Lakota Empowerment Group Gets Its License
The Lakota Empowerment Group is an important solution to not one, but two problems on the reservation — the lack of good–paying jobs and substandard housing. LEG teaches young adults construction-related trade skills while working on housing repairs on the reservation.
LEG will assist the people of Pine Ridge Reservation and create a new generation of tradespeople who can support themselves and their families with their newfound skills.
Recently, LEG got its business license, which will help it secure paid work on the reservation in addition to grant-based work. This will support its financial stability, but it will take quite some time before LEG can support itself financially. That's why we're asking for donations to continue this vital work. Please help us support a new generation of skilled craftspeople and the Lakota community.
Support Lakota YouthStay, Win a Star Quilt!
Lakota YouthStay is currently holding a fundraising raffle for the program. The prize is a gorgeous, Lakota star quilt handmade by Rosie Plenty Wounds of Oglala, SD.
Lakota star quilts are a tradition carried down from generation to generation. They are frequently given as gifts for graduations, to honor bravery, for someone who has gone above and beyond for the oyate (people), or for special ceremonies and occasions such as weddings.
By entering this raffle, you are helping to support the Lakota YouthStay program, which brings 8 Lakota youth each year from the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota to the greater Medford/Boston for a week of educational and recreational activities, sharing of cultural experiences, and creating beautiful friendships.
Raffle tickets for the star quilt can be purchased via Venmo (@lakotayouthstay), via credit card at www.galabid.com/lakotayouthstay or by scanning the QR codes below. A photo of your ticket stub will be texted/emailed to you. If the winner lives outside the Boston area, the quilt will be mailed to the winner.
An Update about Restoring the Buffalo
Dignity. Financial security. Opportunity. Hope.
Well–paying and meaningful jobs create economic opportunity and break the cycle of poverty on Pine Ridge Reservation. For years, the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation and One Spirit have been working on the Charging Buffalo Meat Processing Facility, a beacon of hope in a food desert and a community that needs employment opportunities. Now, we're entering the final phase of construction that will bring the meathouse to completion. As we enter this final phase, we invite you to learn more about what this work represents and why it matters.
One Spirit | PO Box 3209 | Rapid City, SD 57709 US
Von: International Indian Treaty Council International_Indian_Treaty_Coun @ mail.vresp.com
Date: Di., 19. Aug. 2025
Subject: UN Plastics Treaty Negotiations Stall and With No Path Forward in Sight
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Click to view this email in a browser
PRESS RELEASE
La versión española sigue a la inglesa
August 18th, 2025
UN Plastics Treaty Negotiations Stall and With No Path Forward in Sight
The International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Plastics, International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples Event, held in Room XII at Palais des Nations where the first UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations met on August 9th,1982, co–hosted by IIPFP and the INC Co–Chair, Luis Vayas, August 9th, 2025. Photo credit: Dylan Kava
Geneva, Switzerland: On Friday August 15th at what was intended to be the final session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC 5.2) to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, including the marine environment, INC Chairman Luis Vayas (Ecuador) abruptly declared the session concluded. This closing plenary took place at 5:30 AM. The Chairman declared that no consensus had been reached on a text by the States. He did not announce any future negotiations. The United Nations began work on the "Plastics Pollution Treaty" in 2022 in recognition of the negative impacts on human and environmental health worldwide.
The International Indian Treaty Council's (IITC) delegation to INC 5.2 included Indigenous representatives from the North and Central America, the Pacific and Africa regions. IITC, other Indigenous Peoples delegations from all regions, allied organizations and many State representatives who are committed to an effective Plastics Treaty were shocked and very disappointed by the abrupt end of the "final" INC, with no way forward announced.
"This is a major setback for Indigenous Peoples whose health, ecosystems, traditional food sources and ways of life are undermined by plastics pollution. This failure is also tied to climate change since plastics are produced from petroleum, a main driver of the climate crisis" stated Rochelle Diver, Anishinaabe. Rochelle led the delegation as IITC's Environmental Treaties Coordinator. Rochelle was also selected for a 2nd time to serve as co–chair of the International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Plastics (IIPFP), the Indigenous Peoples caucus established for negotiation and representation in this process.
Although there was strong support from some States, mainly the Pacific Island Developing States (PSIDS), but also from members of the "High Ambition Coalition" made up of 120 States, other oil producing states opposed meaningful solutions that would address the full lifecycle of plastics. The United States and Kuwait forced the shutdown of the closing plenary session, successfully silencing Indigenous Peoples, scientists and civil society organizations who were prepared to deliver closing statements.
Indigenous Peoples from 6 socio–cultural regions were active and persistent in the negotiations and presented proposals to Member States, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the INC Chair. They emphasized the need to incorporate and safeguard the rights of Indigenous Peoples in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in the Preamble and Operative Paragraphs of this new international instrument.
IITC along with other Indigenous Peoples who committed time and resources in this process deeply regret that the participating States failed to reach agreement on a treaty that could provide meaningful and measurable change. IITC remains committed to this process, and awaits the UN’s announcement of the next steps to continue the negotiations. Juan Leon, Maya K'iche, IITC's Biodiversity and Human Rights Program Coordinator also participated in IITC's delegation to INC 5.2. After the abrupt closing of the final plenary he confirmed that "it is necessary and urgent to have a treaty that benefits and guarantees life, human rights, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. But the work on this Treaty must transcend the interests of powerful countries and industries that prioritize their business interests over life and seek to dictate global policies to serve their own economic benefits".
For more information, please contact Rochelle Diver at rochelle@treatycouncil.org
####
COMUNICADO DE PRENSA
Para publicación inmediata
18 de agosto de 2025
Las negociaciones del tratado de la ONU sobre plásticos se estancan, sin vislumbrarse una solución
Foro Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas sobre Plásticos, evento del Día Internacional de los Pueblos
Indígenas del Mundo, celebrado en la Sala XII del Palais des Nations, donde se reunió el primer
Grupo de Trabajo de la ONU sobre Poblaciones Indígenas el 9 de agosto de 1982, coorganizado por el IIPFP
y el Copresidente del INC, Luis Vayas, 9 de agosto de 2025.
Cr´dito de la foto: Dylan Kava
Ginebra, Suiza: El viernes 15 de agosto, durante la sesión final del Comité Intergubernamental de Negociación (INC 5.2) para elaborar un instrumento internacional jurídicamente vinculante sobre la contaminación por plásticos, incluido el medio marino, el presidente del INC, Luis Vayas (Ecuador), declaró abruptamente concluida la sesión. Esta decisión se tomó a las 5:30 de la madrugada. El Presidente anunció que no se había alcanzado un consenso sobre el texto entre los Estados miembros y no anunció futuras negociaciones. Las Naciones Unidas comenzaron a trabajar en el "Tratado sobre la contaminación por plásticos" en 2022, reconociendo sus efectos negativos para la salud humana y el medio ambiente a nivel mundial.
La delegación del Consejo Internacional de Tratados Indios (CITI) ante el INC 5.2 incluyó a representantes indígenas de Norteamérica, Centroamérica, el Pacífico y África. El CITI, otras delegaciones de Pueblos Indígenas de diversas regiones, organizaciones aliadas y numerosos representantes estatales comprometidos con un tratado eficaz sobre plásticos, expresaron su consternación y profunda decepción por la abrupta conclusión de esta "última" sesión del INC, sin que se indicara una vía a seguir.
Rochelle Diver, de la comunidad Anishinaabe, declaró: "Se trata de un importante revés para los Pueblos Indígenas, cuya salud, ecosistemas, fuentes de alimentos tradicionales y modos de vida se ven amenazados por la contaminación por plásticos. Este fracaso también está relacionado con el cambio climático, ya que los plásticos se producen a partir del petróleo, una de las principales causas de la crisis climática". Diver encabezó la delegación como coordinadora de tratados medioambientales del CITI y fue seleccionada por segunda vez como copresidenta del Foro Internacional de Pueblos Indígenas sobre Plásticos (IIPFP), una organización creada para la negociación y representación de los Pueblos Indígenas en este proceso.
Si bien hubo un fuerte apoyo por parte de algunos Estados, principalmente los Pequeños Estados Insulares en Desarrollo (PEID) del Pacífico, al igual que de los miembros de la «Coalición de Alta Ambición", integrada por 120 Estados, otros Estados productores de petróleo se opusieron a soluciones significativas que abordaran todo el ciclo de vida de los plásticos. Los Estados Unidos y Kuwait forzaron el cierre de la sesión plenaria de clausura, logrando silenciar a los Pueblos Indígenas, los científicos y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil que se habían preparado para pronunciar sus declaraciones finales.
El CITI, junto con otros Pueblos Indígenas que invirtieron tiempo y recursos en este proceso, lamenta profundamente que los Estados participantes no lograran llegar a un acuerdo sobre un tratado que pudiera generar un cambio significativo y medible. El CITI reafirma su compromiso con este proceso y aguarda el anuncio de las próximas medidas de la ONU para continuar las negociaciones. Juan León, maya k'iche', Coordinador del Programa de Biodiversidad y Derechos Humanos del CITI y miembro de la delegación del CITI en la INC 5.2, declaró tras el abrupto cierre de la sesión plenaria final: "es necesario y urgente contar con un tratado que beneficie y garantice la vida, los derechos humanos y los derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas. No obstante, la labor relativa a este Tratado debe trascender los intereses de los países poderosos y las industrias que priorizan sus intereses comerciales por encima de la vida y tratan de imponer políticas globales que sirvan a sus propios beneficios económicos".
Para obtener más información, póngase en contacto con Rochelle Diver: rochelle@treatycouncil.org
###
The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) is an organization of Indigenous Peoples from North, Central, South America, the Caribbean and the Pacific working for the Sovereignty and Self Determination of Indigenous Peoples and the recognition and protection of Indigenous Rights, Treaties, Traditional Cultures and Sacred Lands.
El Consejo Internacional de Tratados Indios (CITI) es una organización de Pueblos Indígenas del Sur, Centro y Norteamérica, el Caribe y el Pacífico, que trabaja por la soberanía y la libre determinación de los Pueblos Indígenas, así como el reconocimiento y protección de los derechos indígenas, tratados, culturas tradicionales y tierras sagradas.
International Indian Treaty Council
2940 16th Street, Suite 305
San Francisco, California 94103–3664
US
Von: One Spirit jbaker @ nativeprogress.ccsend.com
Date: Do., 17. Juli 2025
Subject: An Urgent Appeal from Our Director
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
A Letter from Our Director
In our 20 years of working with the Lakota, we have never been this worried about meeting basic food needs on the reservation. Our food pantries are running low and are incapable of meeting the people's needs this summer. Additionally, our diabetic–friendly food pantry just needs food that meets the health needs of people with diabetes and on dialysis.
Federal budget cuts threaten the nutrition and health needs of the Lakota people, who are already short on both. The programs we started to feed the people, empower them, and ultimately build self–sufficiency are in danger. We need your support to continue the food pantries, the buffalo house, the community gardens, our employment programs, the youth center, and our youth programming. Make no mistake: We will continue as much as possible. This is not only the best way forward for the Lakota, but it is also a symbol of resolve and determination to reach a goal that benefits everyone.
We are asking for your help now. It is with you that we have come so far and been able to support the efforts of the Lakota to become self–sufficient. It is also with you that we will be able to meet these new challenges head on and overcome them.
—Jeri Baker
Show Your Support with a Donation
One Spirit | PO Box 3209 | Rapid City, SD 57709 US
Von: Chase Iron Eyes, Lakota Law info @ lakotalaw.org
Date: Mi., 16. Juli 2025
Subject: Video: The Real Rapid City
To: Evelin Cervenkova lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Dear Evelin,
Hau, and a happy day to you and yours. Today, I take you to Founders Park in Rapid City, S.D. In this video — the first in our new series — I begin discussion of the true history behind the Black Hills' largest and, possibly, most troubled town. Please give it a watch!
Watch: I take you to Founders Park for some real talk.
As I think you'd agree, the state of our nation — and the world — is also troubled, to say the least. That's why we've dedicated so much time and energy over the past months to creating content and action opportunities aimed at tackling pressing, society–wide issues. We can't stand idly by and watch, for instance, while our (mostly southern) relatives are harassed, deported, and abused without due process or respect to their human rights and dignity.
That said, I believe it is always worth taking time to explore the conditions — and the colonial history and systemic barriers put in place to keep our people subjugated and subject to those conditions — within our own homelands. Taking a good, hard look at the real history of Rapid City as a microcosm for communities across our territory is an excellent lens through which to explore these difficult but important topics. And, of course, the struggles of Indigenous People locally, nationally, and globally are interrelated. They share so many of the same causes and effects.
Our plan is to release several more of these over the coming weeks, using the setting of Rapid City — often called "Racist City" around here — as a jumping–off point to look at other Native perspectives on history. You'll hear more about my family's struggle, the boarding school era, and much more.
So I hope you'll watch this video and the ones to follow, think on the context and lessons they provide, share with your friends on social media, and even write to tell us your thoughts. Whatever community you call home, we think of you as a relative, and we value your input. We are all in this together, and by staying connected and aware, we will persevere through the challenges we face. By acknowledging and learning from our past, we can create the future we need for ourselves, our children, and the generations to come.
Wopila tanka &mdash thank you for your attention, your voice, and your solidarity
Chase Iron Eyes
Executive Director
Lakota People's Law Project
Sacred Defense Fund
Lakota People's Law Project
P.O. Box 27
Santa Fe, NM 87504
United States
The Lakota People's Law Project is a part of the 501(c)(3) Sacred Defense Fund, a Native–led Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice nonprofit (Federal Tax ID #99–2707481). Your contributions are deductible for tax purposes as allowed by law.
Von: One Spirit jbaker @ nativeprogress.ccsend.com
Date: Mo., 14. Juli 2025
Subject: Empowering the Lakota People
To: lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Another Year of Lakota YouthStay in the Books
And that's a wrap! Bryson, Tobias, Blake, Talicia, Alex, Mya, E’Leighcya, and Kaycee are back home on the Pine Ridge reservation after participating in this year's wonderful Lakota YouthStay visit.
As always, the youth had a fabulous tour of the Boston area. This year, the youth went to the New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Singing Beach, Museum of Illusions, and Spectacle Island. Lakota YouthStay also toured Tufts University, including a visit to its Indigenous Center, and participated in photography, art, and sculpture workshops.
The Lakota youth had a great vantage point at this year's Red Sox victory over the Colorado Rockies. The youth, their host families, and LYS organizers were generously gifted with an executive–level luxury box near home plate and Wally, the Green Monster, even made a special visit to meet the youth! How awesome is that?
The youth had so many wonderful experiences, but by far the best one is the beautiful friendships made between the youth, their host families, the co-leaders, and everyone involved in Lakota YouthStay. This year's LYS was a fantastic success, and it was all made possible by generous donors like you! We are already planning for the 2026 Lakota YouthStay—our 10th year, and we hope for your support!
Support Lakota YouthStay with a Donation Today
Thanks for Supporting Lakota Campers!
Last week, we asked you to support the Lakota youth who were going to Camp Marrowbone, and we are overwhelmed with the generosity you've shown!
Thanks to you, several campers will have the equipment, clothes, and materials that they need to enjoy camping this summer. We will use your donations to benefit the campers as they head off to Camp Marrowbone. We still have a few outstanding needs at this time. If you'd like to be a part of making this summer one to remember for our campers, please visit our Amazon wishlist.
There's also another way you can help. Our staff on the rez drive many of the campers to camp, putting miles and wear and tear on their personal cars. Please consider making a tax%ndash;deductible donation so that we can cover their costs for delivering the campers safely.
Lakota Empowerment Group Gets to Work
The Lakota Empowerment Group was hard at work recently in Pine Ridge! They replaced siding, downspouts, gutters, and even put in a wheelchair ramp—all while learning vital trade skills that are sorely needed on the reservation.
Many people on the reservation need assistance with trades–related work, whether that's replacing the skirting on their trailer, replacing or repairing a roof, or fixing busted plumbing. However, they often lack the funds necessary to pay for the repairs they need and have to make difficult choices about food, medicine, housing, and utilities. When they do have the funds, it's a challenge to find people who are qualified to do the work.
This group, which was initially funded by a donation from our friends at One Spirit Germany, is teaching a group of young adults the carpentry, plumbing, concrete work, and electrical trades. Along the way, they're getting to work on real issues at real homes.
If giving to help those who are trying to break the cycle of poverty is important to you, please give today to the Lakota Empowerment Group. This group will not only put people on the path to prosperity, it will alleviate the impacts of poverty on others while doing so.
One Spirit | PO Box 3209 | Rapid City, SD 57709 US
Von: Chase Iron Eyes, Lakota Law info @ lakotalaw.org
Date: Mi., 9. Juli 2025
Subject: Video: Ann Coulter's racist rhetoric
To: Evelin Cervenkova lakotaoyateinfo @ googlemail.com
Dear Evelin,
Have you heard about the latest open calls for genocide from right–wing influencers? This weekend, quickly following Trump confidant Laura Loomer's unconscionable tweet suggesting feeding 65 million Latino people to alligators, conservative pundit Ann Coulter weighed in to target Natives. In response to an anticolonial statement made by an Indigenous professor, she tweeted, "We didn't kill enough Indians."
Watch our video: Watch my video about Coulter's genocidal remark.
There's just no excuse for this kind of rhetoric. Especially at a time when political tensions are already so high, stoking the fires of violence will only harm us further. When the worst elements of our society are on full display and those who display no regard for human lives, rights, and dignity control the levers of power, it's important that we come together in common cause to raise our collective consciousness and make our homelands a better place.
Coulter — and the world — should really listen to what Indigenous People and our allies have to say, which is why I recorded this latest installment of our Original Homegrowns video series: This is Our Country. Yes, we are often critical of federal policies, but there's nothing more American than dissent. It's part of our shared American identity to work toward the creation of a 'more perfect union.' As an important piece of that puzzle, we have to tear down systems of racist oppression and replace them with ones that work for everyone. At Lakota Law, we aim not to harm this land and those who live here, but to protect them.
If you don't yet follow us on Instagram, now is a great time to start! In addition to the content we produce, you'll see that the comments sections yield some good discussion. For instance, we're grateful to actor and activist Mark Ruffalo, who responded to one of our posts about Coulter to say, "Well. It shows you where they are and who they are. Truly sociopathic, hateful and wildly cruel. Let's keep building a better world together." Thank you, Mark! We couldn't have said it any better ourselves.
Wopila tanka — thank you for your attention and solidarity!
Chase Iron Eyes
Executive Director
Lakota People's Law Project
Sacred Defense Fund
Lakota People's Law Project
P.O. Box 27
Santa Fe, NM 87504
United States
The Lakota People's Law Project is a part of the 501(c)(3) Sacred Defense Fund, a Native–led Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice nonprofit (Federal Tax ID #99–2707481). Your contributions are deductible for tax purposes as allowed by law.
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