2020 Dreamstarter® Tia Yazzie uses grant to create Salt Lake City youth support group
Running Strong for American Indian Youth® 2020 Dreamstarter® Tia Yazzie (Navajo Nation) is realizing her dream to create a mental and behavioral health support group for Native youth in her community in Salt Lake City, Utah. Through the creation of her Native Youth Support Group (NYSG), the 24-year-old is creating a safe environment while also […]
Running Strong and Food Sovereignty: Organic Home Gardens, Summer Youth Feeding Program, Smart Sacks, and more
At Running Strong for American Indian Youth® alleviating food insecurity throughout Indian Country, particularly on reservations such as the Pine Ridge and Cheyenne River Sioux Indian reservations, is among our primary missions. That includes supporting gardening programs, such as the Oyate Teca Project’s Medicine Root Gardening program and the Slim Buttes Agricultural Development program, both […]
In Honor of Memorial Day, Looking Back at Two Veterans’ Water Connections
At Running Strong for American Indian Youth® veterans, especially Native American veterans who serve in the military in higher rates of any ethnic group, have a special place in our hearts. That’s why it is particularly gratifying when we can provide veterans on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with our most precious resource — clean […]
May 2021 E-News: Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center, Virtual Dreamstarter Academy, Medicine Root Gardening, and more!
2021 Dreamstarter Academy In early 2020, Running Strong for American Indian Youth announced our sixth class of Dreamstarters: 10 Native youth from across the country to receive $10,000 each to follow their dreams, all unique projects united under 2020’s theme of Health and Wellness. The Running Strong Dreamstarter® program was announced in 2014 to celebrate […]
Carlos, Family of Six, Gets Water Connection After Seven Dry Years
Carlos lives in the Kyle area of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with his wife and their four children, ages 7, 6, 3 and a 5-month old infant. For seven years, the young family could not use the indoor plumbing inside their mobile home to wash dishes in their kitchen sink, bathe in their bathroom, […]
May 21, 2021 | News You Can Use!
Welcome to the May 21, 2021, News You Can Use! This week, catch up in the latest Native representation in popular culture with Vogue Mexico’s Alaska Native covergirl, Quannah Chasinghorse; Teton Saltes’s journey from rez basketball player to New York Jets’ offensive linesman; and Indigen-ized updates to the classic computer game Oregon Trail. [visual-link-preview encoded=”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”] […]
Samantha, Mother of 2, No Longer Walks for Clean Water
At Running Strong for American Indian Youth®, for decades we have been providing running water to thousands of households on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, first by the truckload, and then by digging deep water wells. Today, we are connecting homes to the main water service line which runs through the reservation ensuring that families […]
2021-2022 Dreamstarter® Teacher Applications are Open!
Since 2016, when we at Running Strong for American Indian Youth® initiated our Dreamstarter® Teacher program to help teachers and other educators such as librarians, counselors, coaches, etc., meet unmet needs in their classrooms or schools, 66 teachers have received $1,000 grants to do just that. Each year, Running Strong selects up to 25 teachers […]
May 7, 2021 | News You Can Use!
Welcome to the May 7 edition of News You Can Use! President Biden declared May 5 to be National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day; Secretary Haaland moves on her taskforce to address MMIW; NASA works with the Cherokee Tribe to create a space-based curriculum; and more in this week’s News You Can Use! […]
Water Update: After Arsenic Contaminated Their Well, Two Elders Get Help from Running Strong
At Running Strong for American Indian Youth®, for decades we have been providing running water to thousands of households on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, first by the truckload, then by digging deep water wells and now by connecting homes to the main water service line which runs through the reservation. In some cases, families […]
Road to Tokyo: A trip to Berlin and Check Point Charlie
On a beautiful evening April 1, 1965, after sightseeing all day in Rome, Italy, Patricia and I check into our hotel room in Wembly, England. We are pleasantly surprised to have been upgraded to a small elegant suite. We relax, enjoying a late night dinner, reminiscing about our incredible time in Italy. Exhaustion begins to […]
April 2021 E-News! Slim Buttes Agricultural Program, SmileStrong, Water Projects, and more this month
Slim Buttes Agricultural Development Program to Plant 200 More Gardens With Running Strong’s Help For more than 35 years, Slim Buttes Agriculture has been assisting families on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on the Great Plains of South Dakota establish their own gardens, helping to ensure they access to fresh vegetables and fruits grown in […]
April 23, 2021 | News You Can Use!
Happy Friday, and welcome to this week’s edition of News You Can Use! This week we learn about Secretary Haaland’s actions to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, celebrate Earth Day with “green” tribes across the country, and read rave reviews for NBC’s new Rutherford Falls starring an Indigenous cast. [visual-link-preview encoded=”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”] [visual-link-preview encoded=”eyJ0eXBlIjoiZXh0ZXJuYWwiLCJwb3N0IjowLCJwb3N0X2xhYmVsIjoiIiwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGVjaHJlcHVibGljLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlLzMtbmF0aXZlLWFtZXJpY2FuLXRyaWJlcy11c2Utbm9raWEtdGVjaC10by1icmluZy00Zy1hbmQtNWctdG8tcmVtb3RlLXRvd25zLWluLWZvdXItc3RhdGVzLyIsImltYWdlX2lkIjotMSwiaW1hZ2VfdXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGVjaHJlcHVibGljLmNvbS9hL2h1Yi9pL3IvMjAyMS8wNC8yMi9iNjk0ZDA0NC0xNTY4LTRmZGQtYmU4My1lY2FiOGExOWMxNmQvdGh1bWJuYWlsLzc3MHg1NzgvZTM1MDcyZDEyZDE4YjBmMGVkNmU2ZjNjMmNmODg1OGIvc3RhbmRpbmctcm9jay10b3dlci5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IjMgTmF0aXZlIEFtZXJpY2FuIHRyaWJlcyB1c2UgTm9raWEgdGVjaCB0byBicmluZyA0RyBhbmQgNUcgdG8gcmVtb3RlIHRvd25zIGluIGZvdXIgc3RhdGVzIiwic3VtbWFyeSI6IlRyaWJlcyBpbiBPa2xhaG9tYSwgTm9ydGggYW5kIFNvdXRoIERha290YSwgYW5kIENhbGlmb3JuaWEgd2lsbCB1c2UgaGFyZHdhcmUgb3JpZ2luYWxseSBkZXNpZ25lZCBmb3IgcHJpdmF0ZSA1RyBuZXR3b3Jrcy4iLCJ0ZW1wbGF0ZSI6InVzZV9kZWZhdWx0X2Zyb21fc2V0dGluZ3MifQ==”] [visual-link-preview […]
SmileStrong Kits keep Native American children smiling bright with dental care
In 2015, Running Strong for American Indian Youth® Dreamstarter™ Cristin Haase (Cheyenne River Lakota), then a dental school candidate and today a dentist treating Native children, educated us about the dire need for proper dental care in Indian Country, particularly among young children. Cristin inspired us to take action, so in 2016 we initiated our […]
April 17, 2021 | News You Can Use!
Welcome to the April 17 edition of News You Can Use! This week we are highlighting the Yuchi Language Project, one of Running Strong’s partners, who is featured in a national article about preserving Native languages; we mourn the death of one of the first leaders of the Dakota Access Pipeline resistance; visit a 17,000-year […]
April 9, 2021 | News You Can Use!
Welcome to another week of News You Can Use from Indian Country! The newly-created Space Force has sworn in its first Indigenous female intelligence officer; Lakota youth call on President Biden to cancel the “Black Snake” pipeline; a 1,000 year old rock carving by Creek and Cherokee peoples is discovered to have been vandalized; and […]
Dreamstarter® 2020: Bailey and Clyson look to the example of 2017 Dreamstarter® Gold Riel LaPlant
Running Strong for American Indian Youth® 2020 Dreamstarters Bailey Chalfant, Northern Cheyenne) 22, and Clyson Igarashi-Marquez (Native Hawaiian) 18, are eagerly looking forward to attending virtually attending the Dreamstarter Academy this month after last year’s event had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey’s dream, Nehtonetomohtahe — How Are You Feeling?, is to […]
April 4, 2021 | News You Can Use from All over Indian Country!
From all of us at Running Strong for American Indian Youth, we hope you are enjoying this Sunday. Read about current news from Indian Country, including the inspiring story of how one health professional created a symbol of resilience from Covid-19 supplies; Secretary Haaland’s first few days in office; and more news from across the […]
Dreamstarter® Year 6: Updates on Lindsey, S’Nya, and Dante
Although, for the most part, our 2020 cohort of Running Strong for American Indian Youth® Dreamstarters’ projects had to be put on hiatus for the past year due the COVID-19 pandemic, they are eager to resume their programs this year in a safe and cautious manner. Later this month they will attend the Dreamstarter Academy, […]
March 2021 E-News: Extended Heat Match, World Water Day 2021, Women of Running Strong, and More
After a Prolonged Winter, Heat Match is Completed Through Running Strong’s Heat Match Program Pine Ridge residents are eligible to receive a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $100 to go towards paying for their propane tanks to be filled or applied towards their electric bill. Running Strong coordinates with three local energy vendors to make the match […]
Road to Tokyo: After the Tokyo Olympics, New Friends and New Races Appear
After setting a new American indoor 3 mile record on February 19, 1965, my indoor track and field season is basically over. In reality however, I still have two more indoor races left. The next one is a 3 mile race on April 3rd in Wembley, England at the USA vs Britain indoor track and […]
Celebrating the Women of Running Strong: Rose Fraser and Katsi Cook
At Running Strong for American Indian Youth® we acknowledge and revere the strength of power of all women, particularly those Native women we work closely with and depend on to be our eyes and ears throughout Indian Country, It is these women through who we are able to help meet the needs of Native American children, families and elders by […]
March 26, 2021 | News You Can Use!
This week, read the inspiring story of an Osage Nation elder who is encouraging his fellow tribal elders to receive the coronavirus vaccine; check out the progress on a Native American voting rights bill as it passes through the Montana House committee; and, take a deep dive into the world of Native American coffee roasters […]
Slim Buttes Agricultural Program Takes Root for the 2021 Growing Season thanks to Running Strong Supporters
For more than 35 years, Slim Buttes Agriculture has been assisting families on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on the Great Plains of South Dakota establish their own gardens, helping to ensure they access to fresh vegetables and fruits grown in their own backyards. “Slim Buttes Agriculture remains committed to helping home gardeners despite the […]
March 19, 2021 | News You Can Use!
This week, history is made as Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) is confirmed to lead the Department of Interior, making her the first Native American to ever hold the position! We also take a ST. Patrick’s Day dive into the long friendship between the Choctaw Nation and Ireland, learn about the largest return of human […]
March 12, 2021 | News You Can Use!
This week we look forward to the final vote on Rep. Deb Haaland’s Secretary of Interior nomination, read the details on the oil pipeline that has Native activists banding together, and take a look back at some of sports’ most memorable commentating outbursts — can you find a familiar name? [visual-link-preview encoded=”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″] [visual-link-preview encoded=”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″] [visual-link-preview […]
RELEASE: Running Strong for American Indian Youth and Oyate Teca Project Announce Construction of New Community Center in Kyle, South Dakota
Running Strong for American Indian Youth to fund 19,000 square feet expansion WASHINGTON, DC – The Oyate Teca Project and Running Strong for American Indian Youth have announced the launch of their plans to construct the Oyate Ta Kolu Ku Community Center addition to their office in Kyle, SD, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. […]
Celebrating The Women Of Running Strong For American Indian Youth®: Loretta Afraid of Bear Cook
Loretta Afraid of Bear Cook has a long history of commitment to her Oglala Lakota people on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, as well as to Running Strong for American Indian Youth®, where she has served on the Running Strong Advisory Board for many years. In 2016, Loretta made history as part of a delegation […]
Celebrating the Women of Running Strong for American Indian Youth®: Faith Spotted Eagle
Faith Spotted Eagle (Tunkan Inajin Win – Standing Stone) was born in Lake Andes, South Dakota in 1948 at a time when opportunities for Native women were practically nonexistent. But Faith had faith that she could make a significant improvement in the lives of her fellow members of the Yankton Sioux Nation by attending American […]
March 5, 2021 | News You Can Use from Indian Country!
Read the inspiring story of students running 180 miles for land protection, see the latest updates on Rep. Deb Haaland’s quest to become the first Native Secretary of the Interior, watch a clip from an Oscars-potential short film about the hidden history of Waikiki Beach, and more in this week’s News You Can Use! [visual-link-preview […]