How to Preserve and Sustain Native American Culture and Traditions
October is Native American Heritage Month and the perfect opportunity to explore the vibrant world of Native American culture and traditions. Native American culture is an intricate tapestry woven from the threads of history, spirituality, and connection to the land. Threatened by systematic erasure, it’s a culture that not only deserves respect and appreciation but […]
Celebrating 60 Years of Dreams: Billy Mills’ Return to the 2024 Olympics
“Look at Mills! Look at Mills!” 60 years ago, the announcers’ voices rang out as Billy Mills, a virtually unknown contender, sprinted into first place taking Gold in the 10,000-meter race at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in one of the greatest Olympic victory upsets to date. At the finish line Billy Mills found success and […]
Promoting Lasting Change for Native American Youth on our 38th Anniversary
Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, Running Strong has made it its mission to empower and create a positive impact on our Native American youth. Through our programs and initiatives, we have created an environment that values tribal pride and indigenous knowledge where young people can realize their full potential and make a true impact on […]
From Billy: Wings of an Eagle, the Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills
Dear Running Strong family and friends, I am reaching out with Donna Janell Bowman to introduce you to our new children’s book we co-authored titled: “Wings of an Eagle. The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills” released July 2, 2024. The book is beautifully illustrated by our own highly respected S.D. Nelson, Standing Rock Sioux. […]
“Water is Life”—Dreamstarter Autumn Harry’s “Journey of a Water Protector” Event Grounds Organizers in Honoring the Land and its History
2023 Environmental Justice Dreamstarter Autumn Harry (Numu, Diné) and her mother Beverly Harry (Diné) recently hosted the third “Journey of a Water Protector” gathering in their Kooyooe Pa’a Panunadu (Pyramid Lake) community, during May 30 – June 1, 2024. Autumn’s Dreamstarter project, “The Great Basin Nation Building Initiative,” strengthens and supports ongoing environmental and social […]
Dreamstarter Creative Hope Gamble – Inspiration through Art
Hope Gamble (Diné) of Nazlini, Arizona, was just 14 years old when she was selected as one of the youngest Running Strong for American Indian Youth® Dreamstarters in 2019. That year’s Dreamstarter theme was Entrepreneurship, and she used her $10,000 grant to pursue her dream of H.O.P.E. (Heroes of Positive Endurance), intended as a way […]
Microenterprise Development Program awards micro-loans to 10 new businesses
In 2022, Running Strong for American Indian Youth® announced a new, exciting expansion of our Dreamstarter® program –Dreamstarter Incubator – designed to continue supporting the dreams of Native communities for the long term after their original Dreamstarter projects have concluded. Our first Dreamstarter Incubator is Dreamstarter entrepreneur Josh Smith from the class of 2019. He […]
Mobile market travels hundreds of miles weekly to ensure food security on Pine Ridge
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is vast – over 3,000,000 square miles. The distances families and elders must travel to access healthy food are long and prohibitive for many. Hundreds of families visit the Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center each month to access fresh food grown in our Medicine Root community gardens. They also come […]
Introducing the 2024 Dreamstarter Creatives: Empowering Native Voices
Dreamstarter Creative was first announced in 2021 as a Dreamstarter companion program specifically designed to support Native American arts, crafts, and creativity. So far, we have granted a total of $50,000 to 20 Native American artists to support their artistic journeys. Past grants have supported artists in learning new skills, starting and growing businesses, hosting […]
SUMMER YOUTH FEEDING PROGRAM 2024
Running Strong for American Indian Youth’s Impactful Summer Youth Feeding Program Running Strong for American Indian Youth® has once again proven its unwavering commitment to fighting child hunger on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota. On June 3, the organization kicked off its annual Summer Youth Feeding Program (SYFP), ensuring that approximately […]
“Imagine the impact these 10 Dreamstarters will have on the world” – Billy Mills
“My wife, Patricia, and I recently returned home from the ninth annual Dreamstarter academy, where we had the incredible honor of meeting the new cohort of 2024 Dreamstarter Storytellers. Each of these amazing young people has a profound story to tell. Stories of resilience and love, rich in culture, that will amend history and help […]
Water Scarcity Solutions Flourish on Pine Ridge Reservation
In the heart of the expansive Pine Ridge Reservation, a community once burdened by the heavy weight of water scarcity is now experiencing a remarkable transformation, brimming with hope and promise. While challenges persist, there’s a newfound sense of optimism, all thanks to the water scarcity solutions and tireless efforts of organizations like Running Strong […]
75,000 pounds of produce and more! from family and community gardens on Pine Ridge
According to the planting calendar developed by The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the last spring frost of the year on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwest South Dakota is, on average, May 22, and the first fall frost occurs on September 22 – a total of 123 days. This means gardeners must make the most […]
Dreamstarter’s Mission to Elevate Native American Education
In honor of teacher appreciation week we want to show our love and appreciation for those who inspire and spark change. Running Strong for American Indian Youth is honored to spotlight a group of individuals who are not just shaping minds but also changing lives – our teachers. Through our Dreamstarter™ Teacher Grants, we aim […]
2023 Dreamstarter Update Answering: Why is Environmental Justice Important?
The conversation around environmental justice is more critical than ever and understanding why environmental justice is important becomes a cornerstone for initiatives aimed at creating a sustainable future. A huge supporter of this movement is Running Strong for American Indian Youth®, a shining example of hope and empowerment for indigenous communities. Through its innovative Dreamstarter […]
WičhičhaǧAStrong – Empowering and Helping Native Young Women
Running Strong is working to address what is known as “period poverty,” a widespread issue that affects roughly 500 million worldwide. In the U.S. alone, nearly 17 million women live in poverty – and last year, about 5.6 million could not afford menstrual products, including many Native American women. Running Strong, dedicated to empowering Native […]
Native First Foods…a Sampling of Recipes
From foods found in old-growth forests to the far-reaching lands of the plains and from humid coastal lands to that found in drier desserts, foods grown by Native American tribes across these lands have long fed and created community. Food connects us all through past, present, and future across culture and borders. Despite the […]
Introducing the 2024 Dreamstarter Storytellers
As a follower of Running Strong you likely know the story of our Dreamstarter program; inspired by Billy’s Dream, we created the Dreamstarter program to uplift the next generation of American Indian youth, and help make their dreams come true through a combination of financial support, hands-on mentorship, networking, and communications training. Since 2015, Running […]
Running Strong Presents SACRED Arts Festival in Sacramento this April
SACRED Arts Festival, presented by Running Strong for American Indian Youth®, is a two-day event in the heart of Sacramento that will celebrate Native art, culture, and community. Immerse yourself in live mural painting. Join us for indigenous film screenings and live musical performances. Explore vendor booths showcasing crafts, jewelry, and art. Discover local Sacramento food […]
1 Medicine Root Garden Program: 3 Levels of Gardening Courses, 9 Months of Classrooms and hands-on instruction, over 50 Gardening students, and over 50,000 pounds of produce grown on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
In 2023, the Medicine Root Garden program, operated by our partner on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the Oyate Teca Project, trained or assisted 62 individuals ages 5 to 57 in its mission to “help teach our people how to feed themselves by teaching them how to grow their food,” reported director Rose Fraser. Impact […]
52 families on Pine Ridge will finally have access to running water
(Update on World Water Day, March 22, 2024) Our Mni Wiconi (Water is Life) water line connection program on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation will soon ramp up once the frozen ground on the Great Plains of South Dakota thaws. This will allow our Oglala Lakota contractor to resume digging six-foot-deep trenches and running water […]
Celebrating and preserving native traditions, language, and culture
Celebrating and preserving native traditions, language, and culture are at the core of many Running Strong programs. Creating Healthy Futures for Youth with Brave Heart Society December 2023 marked the 29th anniversary of the partnership between Running Strong for American Indian Youth® and the Brave Heart Society in Lake Andes, South Dakota, on the Yankton […]
Slim Buttes Agricultural Development Program Helps Green Pine Ridge with Community and Family Gardens and First Foods workshops.
In 2023, the Slim Buttes Agricultural Development (SBAG) program on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (founded in 1985) distributed seedlings, tilled gardens, refurbished raised beds, built and distributed planter boxes, conducted workshops about food preservation and how to use food as “medicine” to prevent diabetes, and promoted healthy lifestyles and overall well-being through gardening and […]
Dreamstarter Incubator Expanding and Training Micro-Enterprise Grant recipients on Pine Ridge
In August 2022, Running Strong for American Indian Youth® announced a new, exciting expansion of our Dreamstarter® program –Dreamstarter Incubator – designed to continue supporting the dreams of Native communities for the long term after their original Dreamstarter projects have concluded. Our first Dreamstarter Incubator is Dreamstarter entrepreneur Josh Smith from the class of 2019. […]
Closing the Digital Divide for Elders…a bridge to information and community
On February 11, 2021, the Office of the President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in remote southwestern South Dakota issued comments to the National Telecommunications & Information Administration regarding the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP), stating it “provides an unprecedented opportunity to address the digital divide in Indian Country. “The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare […]
Dreamstarter Creatives show how art is intertwined with much of native culture and tradition
Art is intertwined with much of native culture and tradition. That is why Running Strong provides grants to native artists to create, innovate, and share their artistic expression with their communities. These 2023 Dreamstarter Creative grant recipients each have uniquely crafted artistry to share the interplay between art and the native community. Joe Harjo Joe […]
Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center – What a Year it’s been!
The Running Strong for American Indian Youth® Oyate Ta Kola Ku (Friend of All Nations) Community Center formally opened its doors to the residents of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on February 9, 2023, at an open house where the public was invited to “Come see what will be happening at the new Community Center […]
Young Women Dreamstarters Driving Positive Change and Advocating for a Healthier Earth.
In a time when youth voices have a growing influence, it’s important to spotlight the impactful activism of Native youth who are driving positive change in their communities. Three of our Dreamstarters – McKalee Steen, Anpa’o Locke, and Tillie Stewart— are remarkable young women, each dedicated to tackling pressing issues and advocating for a healthier […]
A Year of Combatting Pine Ridge Reservation Poverty: Stories of Hope From 2023
Across the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, organizations like Running Strong are a beacon of hope, battling generational poverty and increasing access to healthcare, education, and healthy food options. Native American communities across America face persistent challenges due to historical and systemic factors, making the support that Running Strong provides crucial for positive change. As we […]
Over 10,000 Smart Sacks Distributed. 10,000 more to go this semester!
It is halfway through the 2023-24 academic school year. In the first semester alone, over 10,000 Smart Sacks have been distributed! Running Strong for American Indian Youth® initiated our Smart Sacks after hearing from Native educators that their students were returning to school on Monday mornings hungry and unable to focus on their classwork after […]
Warming Hearts and Homes: Running Strong’s Heat Match Program on Pine Ridge Reservation
Updated January 4, 2024: Update: January The first week of 2024 has gotten off to a frigid start with a low temperature of 11 degrees on January 2 and a low temperature of 7 degrees and a high of just 25 degrees forecast for January 8 with winds up to 11 mph which calculates to […]
