The future is now, and it’s looking brighter by the day. Recently, a youth group from the Oglala Lakota Nation — all members of the Lakota Tech High School Student Council — attended a meeting of the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance (GPTWA) to learn and talk about their inspiring efforts to uplift their community. I was honored and encouraged to witness that powerful interaction, the culminating event in a series of activities the students undertook early this year as leaders of their school and future leaders of the Oceti Sakowin (Sioux Nation). You can watch our new video to see them in action!

Watch: future leaders of the Lakota Nation detail their vision. Opening musical track provided by Hundred in the Hand (featuring Tokata Iron Eyes).

My son, Zaniyan Iron Eyes, was joined by fellow student leaders Derrick Merrival, Antoine Running Bear, Wazilya Fuller, Marcel Swallow, Keldon Weston, and advisor Marlin Kingi to address Doug Crow Ghost, Reno Red Cloud, Syed Huq, and Mary J. Gourneau of the GPTWA. The students’ words are eloquent, so again, I urge you to see for yourself what they had to say.

Highlights include recaps of the students’ various community projects, their plans for their own futures, Marcel’s frank and poignant reference to the hurdles faced by young people on the reservation, and his gratitude for the mentoring provided by GPTWA. In turn, the leaders of the alliance, whose membership is composed of people from seven Sioux tribes, conveyed their concerns for all waters in the Oceti Sakowin, from the Big Horn Mountains to east of the Missouri River. I can confidently report that the students took to heart the necessity to protect Unci Maka (our Grandmother Earth).

Many of these same young leaders from Lakota Tech also presented to Lakota Law members at our Membership Event in February. That was such a special interaction, and I’m grateful to every member who listened in. On that note, I’m elated to report that our March membership drive was a huge success! 100 of you signed up, helping us shatter our goal of 60 new members, and I can’t wait to introduce members to other inspiring people from our community at subsequent events. In the meantime, please stay tuned right here, because I’ll have updates to share with you soon about further plans to engage with and support our youth leaders.

Wopila tanka — thank you for supporting us, and my enduring gratitude to you for lifting up our next generations!
Chase Iron Eyes
Director and Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project