Commission approves Justice sculpture for future Justice Center

RAPID CITY – “And her name shall be Justice, Mitakuye Oyasin, in memory of all relatives who have gone missing or have been murdered and to the families that have endured the acts of violence committed against their loved ones.” These are the words that will be on the plaque of Justice, a sculpture, who will greet people as they enter what will eventually be the new Justice Center.

Red Ribbon Skirt Society founder Lily Mendoza had presented the project before the Pennington County Commission last month, but some members were uncomfortable with some of the language and felt it was exclusive.

“I think that covers everybody a lot better,” said Mendoza after she read the new wording to nods of approval from Commission members as she presented again tis week.

Building and Grounds Director Davis Purcell explained the request was to place this permanent sculpture of a woman in a red jingle dress off the corner of the staircase of the Administration building. Justice, who is about 5’ 7’’, will stand on a pedestal, “with really good site from the parking lot and Kansas City Street, you will be able to see her from the side street as well,” said Purcell. “You can see all directions. When I stood there, this is the best spot that we have currently.” He did say this is the preliminary location.

As for the wording changes, Mendoza said, “You have to pick your battles.” She told Native Sun News Today she was asked to remove the words “Indigenous”, “two-spirit” and “transgender.” Mendoza said in the end it wasn’t a hard battle to choose. She had spoken about it with other Society members who agreed. She said the project has had wide support from the state’s attorney, the sheriff’s department and those involved in the Justice Center from the very beginning.

Mendoza made some clarifications to the Commission when she spoke on Tuesday morning. “I talked about it last time and I think there was a misunderstanding, that it was too specific as far as identifying populations of individuals that have gone missing or have been murdered. And the Red Ribbon Skirt Society, we work with all families from all walks of life. It’s not just Indigenous. If I get a call or an email it might not be an Indigenous person. I’m not going to turn them away. That’s how we operate as a group of women who act as a society of women.”

Mendoza said that this is how it would be explained to the public “what we’re about as far as justice.” She promised they would not be identifying specific populations. “When I had a conversation with one of the commissioners, I was agreeable to that, very agreeable. Yes, I understand that you are concerned. Because when it comes down to violence against people we need to unite. Because we want anybody that comes here to be able to come here and feel good about that and to be able to stand below her and feel that they’re thinking about me too and haven’t forgotten about us.”

Commissioner Deb Hadcock was very approving and said that Justice is about healing for all relatives, “all people, but for the Native culture the representation of the red dress, the jingle dress, the Native lady, for a lot of people it doesn’t have to be a Native person, it means a lot, the symbols for healing and what you’re putting on that plaque is pretty amazing.”

Hadcock said even though it symbolizes “one of our cultures in our community, Native people, all of that, it doesn’t go to one culture, it goes to all. I just think that’s pretty cool.”

Commissioner Lloyd Lacroix thanked Mendoza for rewriting the language. “Cultural awareness in Rapid City has come a long way since I was a kid.”

Mendoza, who founded the Red Ribbon Skirt Society in 2016, said members don’t get paid but are committed to the crisis. “Eight years ago, we were wondering what we could do, how we could have an impactful presence in our community and in the state so that people can visually see what this crisis is about.” She said they decided on a statue.

They have commissioned South Dakota Lakota artist Rachel Berg who is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. “She grew up in South Dakota and she lives in New York,” said Mendoza. “She created a small-scale sculpture of Justice.”

Mendoza said they won’t be asking for any county or city money and intend to raise the funds for the sculpture on their own. “I feel that it has to come from individuals in our community. When they talked about opening the Justice Center, we had named her Justice already, so it was just the obvious thing for us do this project and have her here in our community. We will be the only ones in the United States that have something like this that is committed to the cause.”

Mendoza explained the symbolism behind the jingle dress and jingle dance when asked by Hadcock. She noted that while originating from the Ojibwe people, the jingle dress and dance represent healing. She said red is the color that spirits can see.

“This is what our communities need and our state needs this too,” said Mendoza. “I think it’s critical that people in our community understand that we are trying to work together as Natives and non-Natives in our community.

(Contact Marnie Cook at cookm8715@gmail.com)

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