Director of Grants
Red Cloud Indian School
FOCUS
Jennifer’s focus area is narrative change with specific focus on her home reservation. The Pine Ridge reservation, home to the Oglala Lakota, is one of the largest land-based reservations in the country and is often featured in regional and national media. All too often, the stories featured about Pine Ridge are largely negative, poverty-driven, and highlight struggle and despair due to the lack of financial resources. This type of coverage often misses or overshadows the historical, cultural, and uplifting stories of innovation, creativity, resilience, survival, and resistance of the people and communities that make up Pine Ridge. Jennifer will gather and share stories from tribal leaders, elders, cultural bearers, and artists who represent and highlight the reservation’s innovation, triumph, and perseverance.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE: Above the Blue Cloud Podcast Series: Uplifting Stories From Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
I would like to create and host the “Above the Blue Cloud” podcast, a podcast series that lifts up 20–24 positive stories from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, located in South Dakota. My podcast will highlight tribal leaders, elders, cultural bearers, artists, and stories of innovation and triumph in an effort to change the narrative about the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Pine Ridge is one of the nation’s largest land-based reservations in the country and is often featured in regional and national media.Pine Ridge has and continues to experience high rates of substance abuse, suicide rates, and chronic health conditions. All too often, the stories featured in media are largely negative and poverty-driven and highlight struggle and despair due to the lack of financial resources. This type of coverage often misses or overshadows the historical, cultural, and more uplifting stories of innovation, creativity, resilience, survival, and resistance of the people and communities that make up Pine Ridge. This negative narrative has continually had damaging effects, especially for the youth. “Above the Blue Cloud” aims to spark new conversations and uproot deeply held negative perspectives.
MORE ABOUT JENNIFER
Jennifer is an Oglala Lakota woman and mother dedicated to healing and building a well community where Lakota youth are rooted in Lakota culture, spirituality, history, traditional teachings, and art.
JENNIFER’S WORK AND VISION
- Rebuilding at Thunder Valley: A Story of the Lakota Nation Rising (Nonprofit Quarterly)
Click here to watch Jennifer’s Legacy Project video.
FOLLOW JENNIFER
