Rapid City Cohort Participants
Alex Romero-Frederick
I go by Alex Romero-Frederick, Anpo Iyokpi Win in Lakota. I live in Sicangu Lakota Makoce where I run the FR Ranch and produce grass-fed beef and APHA horses. I work everyday on the ranch and create my wearable art when I am not outside with the animals.
Angie Stover
I am Angie Stover, I am Unci, Ina, and all the roles I can be as a woman. I like to create functional beauty in all that I do.
Ashley Pourier
Ashley Pourier (Oglala Lakota), Curator of The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School. Born and raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. After undergrad, Ashley then returned home to serve her community. Her time with the Center has allowed her to support local, Native artists, while continuing to focus on museum studies, collections management and historic and contemporary Native American arts and culture.
Austin Red Dog
Austin Red Dog / Ta Sunka Sica “His Horse is Bad” was born and raised on the Cheyenne River amongst cultural influences of Itazipco/Oohenunpa descendants. He has been involved with aspects of Lakota culture such as; traditional singer/drummer, Lakota language advocate, song making traditions, drum teachings and the creation of drum sticks that are used during traditional ceremonies, pow-wows, and in every aspect of the Lakota life. Austin assisted in building the New Hope Therapeutic Garden which provides cultural activities and therapy through the connection between human interactions with the earth and caring for plants.
Cante Heart
Cante Heart is a proud Lakota/Hochunk, and an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She resides in Rapid City, SD and considers the Black Hills her home. She was raised by a strong Lakota family, and is now raising three daughters of her own. She works as an Organizer, focusing on community and Indigenous Issues. Over the years, she has served her local community and demonstrated a track record of consistent and reliable leadership.
Carl Petersen
Carl Petersen is Oohenumpa Lakota, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe from Parade South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Reservation. They recently graduated from Dakota State University with a B.S. in Computer Game Design. Carl is the Founder of Northern Plains Games a Game Design Studio dedicated to making Video Games in the Lakota Language.
Christopher Bordeaux
Christopher G Bordeaux (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) is married to Deborah and they live in the Slim Buttes/Loafer Camp Community on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. A Retired Educator and Principal, Chris is ED of Oceti Sakowin Education Consortium (OSEC). Chris has served eight terms on SD Indian Education Association Board, three terms on National Indian Education Association Board and currently is a Board member of SD Parent Connection and the Anpo Wicahpi Owayawa-Pine Ridge Girls School.
Clementine Bordeaux
Clementine Bordeaux is a member of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate and grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Clementine is a PhD student at the University of California, Los Angeles in the World Arts and Cultures/Dance department and has a research focus on the intersection of art, culture, land, and activism. In their spare time she collaborates with other artist scholars locally and nationally as well as serves on the board of Cornerstone Theatre Company.
Dawnee LeBeau
Dawnee LeBeau is a member of the Itázipčo and Oóhenunpá bands of the Cheyenne River Lakota Tribe in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. Dawnee is an independent visual storyteller and the proud mother of her children; Ashten and Anjali. She believes that there is relevance in navigating life with lakota ethics.
Elizabeth Lone Eagle
I currently work as a community advocate for Bridger and Takini communities on the Cheyenne River reservation. I'm not very good at describing myself. I prefer actions to words.
Focus Smith
Focus Smith is the Creative Director of Thrive Creative with an unrelenting smile, thorough community educator, advocate, muralist, always a graffiti writer.
Heather Wood
Heather Wood (she/her) Oglala Lakota, single mother of three sons. Currently living in Mniluzahan Otunwahe with my children and my grandmother. Passion is having the honors of working with and for young people in community, particularly around empowerment and the arts.
Jennilee Rooks
Member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Zintkala Waste Win (Pretty Bird Woman), Jennilee Rooks resides in the Eagle Nest district. Mother of 4, Jennilee is a writer, singer, artist and volunteers her time helping different organizations on the Pine Ridge Reservation. She is a senior obtaining her Bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship at Oglala Lakota College.
Jessie Rencountre
Jessie is Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She resides in Rapid City with her husband and four daughters. Jessie is an elementary school counselor and a published children’s book author. She wishes to continue to foster positive change in her community in hopes that her children and the next generation will have a better future.
Joshua Rudnik
Joshua Rudnik, Oglala Lakota, is a PhD candidate in creative writing, focusing in poetry and literary nonfiction, at the University of South Dakota, where he is an associate editor for The South Dakota Review. He serves as Associate Director of Student Success for The Indian University of North America assisting alumni and students in reaching their educational and career goals, and identifying means to best serve and advocate for them. Joshua is an avid reader, father of five cats, and LEGO enthusiast.
Kahomy Souksavath
My name is Kahomy Souksavath, I am half Mnicoujou Lakota and half Lao, I have two beautiful children and a wonderful partner. I have my Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, but my passion is art and food. Our language, arts, traditions, and culture are what drives us to do better for our community and children.
Keith BraveHeart
Keith BraveHeart is a multimedia artist from the community of Pejuta Haka “Medicine Root,” (Kyle, SD) and citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (Titonwan; Oceti Sakowin). He attended Institute of American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM), received his MFA from University of South Dakota (Vermillion, SD), and is currently an arts instructor for Oglala Lakota College. An active artist and advocate for contemporary Native art, he is invested into expansions of community-based arts initiatives across SD, and the Northern Plains region.
Micheal Two Bulls
Micheal Two Bulls is an Oglala Lakota artist from mni luzahan (rapid city, sd). He is also a member of the musical group the wake singers and a printer at pejuta press.
Mikayla Patton
Mikayla Patton belongs to the Oglala Lakota Nation. She was born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation near the Blacks Hills of South Dakota. Patton is a multimedia artist now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She creates work using alternative printmaking methods; traditional beadwork techniques; papermaking and other mix media.
Natalie Stites Means
Natalie Stites Means, JD (Lakota/Dakota) is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and was the first Native American woman to run for the mayor of Rapid City, South Dakota. In late 2019, she founded the HeSapa Voter Initiative, a civic engagement initiative now focused on COVID-19 Community Response and the November election. Following her first bid for political office, she was appointed to the South Dakota Advisory Committee of the US Civil Rights Commission for a four-year term.
Star Means
My most important job is raising my 2 sons with the values and lessons that were instilled in me while growing up. The job that I am paid for though is, I am the Director of the Housing and Homeownership Initiative at Thunder Valley CDC in Porcupine on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation. My belief in economic development starts with my belief in my community and the value each community member's voice brings to the table.
Tosa Two Heart
I am Oglala Lakota, hold a Master of Business Administration, and live in Rapid City (but originally from Kyle, SD). I describe my current artistic expressions as fashion design graphic art. I work in Community Behavioral Health at Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board.
Wanbli Ceya
Wanbli Ceya aka JUQ is an Oglala Lakota singer / songwriter based on the Pine Ridge Reservation. A multi award-winning artist, cultural advocate, & commanding presence. Wanbli wants to see real change in the hearts and minds of his people and humanity in how we coexist on Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth). With a small catalogue under his belt, Wanbli says “I'm becoming no one but myself. Everyone can achieve the same power. It takes reflection, acknowledging personal shortcomings, facing reality, and making conscious efforts to better oneself."