{"id":39617,"date":"2025-12-21T12:39:29","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T17:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/cheyenne-river-youth-project-hosts-71-at-inaugural-oceti-sakowin-youth-conference\/"},"modified":"2025-12-21T12:39:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T17:39:35","slug":"cheyenne-river-youth-project-hosts-71-at-inaugural-oceti-sakowin-youth-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/cheyenne-river-youth-project-hosts-71-at-inaugural-oceti-sakowin-youth-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheyenne River Youth Project hosts 71 at Inaugural Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span><\/div>
\"Miss<\/a><\/p>\n

Miss He Sapa Win (Miss Black Hills), Precious Cook, spoke to attendees at CRYP\u2019s inaugural Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

EAGLE BUTTE \u2013 Native American Heritage Month was action packed as usual for the Cheyenne River Youth Project, but this fall, the nonprofit youth organization did something new. It closed the month of November with a youth gathering dedicated to culture, arts and wellness.<\/p>\n

The inaugural Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference welcomed 71 young people to CRYP\u2019s Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life) Teen Center on Nov. 21-23. Designed to be a hands-on, immersive learning experience, the conference featured 15 workshops and four plenaries, all taught by Native instructors.<\/p>\n

Over three days, Lakota youth participated in workshops focused on traditional roles and responsibilities, ceremonial teachings, music and beat production, songwriting, self-defense, ledger art, language revitalization, food sovereignty, and protecting sacred sites. They also connected with regional cultural leaders, artists and advocates, attended live performances, enjoyed group meals, and engaged in wellness breaks that included yoga sessions.<\/p>\n

According to CRYP staff, the goal was to create a youth-driven gathering that offered cultural education, built practical skills, allowed exploration of new interests, and fostered a sense of belonging and pride.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur young people are hungry for opportunities to learn who they are, to experience and connect with their culture in a meaningful way, and to be surrounded by mentors who believe in them,\u201d said Julie Garreau, CRYP\u2019s founder and chief executive officer. \u201cThis conference showed us just how much potential there is when we create spaces for them to explore, express themselves, and lift up one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the youth perspective, the impact was clear. Post-event assessments revealed that participants most valued self-defense training, traditional ledger art, beat-making and songwriting, and learning about women\u2019s and men\u2019s traditional roles in Lakota culture. Many spoke about \u201cwise teachings,\u201d feeling empowered, and understanding how and why their voices matter.<\/p>\n

Others shared that it meant a lot to them to learn more about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women\/ Relatives (MMIW\/MMIR), food sovereignty and protecting He Sapa (the Black Hills) from destructive mining. One young person wrote that their biggest takeaway from the conference was \u201cthat young people are heard\u2014our voices are powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Art also proved powerful, with another young attendee sharing, \u201cI learned how to tell a story with any art.\u201d A third added, \u201cI loved all the workshops.\u201d<\/p>\n

The conference opened Friday evening with a community meal, a warm welcome from CRYP staff, and performances from Breanna \u201cDidds\u201d Eaglefeather and Talon \u201cBazille\u201d Ducheneaux. Youth had opportunities to meet one another, connect with instructors, and set their intentions for a weekend grounded in culture, learning and mutual respect.<\/p>\n

Over the next two days, participants rotated through the workshops. Lakota elders Manny and Renee Iron Hawk taught youth about traditional wicasa (man) and winyan (woman) roles, offering stories and teachings that attendees described as wise, interesting and \u201cimportant for understanding who we are.\u201d Young women also attended a workshop on the Isnati (Womanhood) ceremony.<\/p>\n

Youth consistently highlighted Gilbert Kills Pretty Enemy\u2019s ledger art workshop and Billy Walters\u2019 self-defense and Brazilian jiu-jitsu workshop as their favorites. Another was music and beat production with Bazille and Didds, which allowed them to create beats, write lyrics and tell their stories.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned to make a beat loop and write my own song about how I feel,\u201d a survey respondent said.<\/p>\n

Additional workshops in food sovereignty, Lakota songs, and Native language course development added depth to the conference programming, while plenaries on MMIW\/ MMIR and protecting He Sapa highlighted current issues facing Native communities. Across all sessions, youth reflected that the conference helped them feel empowered, connected and grounded in their culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe young people who attended our first conference also expressed what they\u2019d like to see in future gatherings,\u201d said Wakinyan Chief, CRYP\u2019s arts manager. \u201cThey want more art and music opportunities, ribbon skirt and beading workshops, drum making workshops, powwow dancing, cooking\u2014and time. They definitely want more time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe learned a lot from the experience and their feedback,\u201d he added. \u201cSeveral noted the value of having optional activities during breaks, and they asked us to offer certain workshops multiple times so everyone would be able to attend the sessions they\u2019re most excited about.\u201d<\/p>\n

As planning begins for next year\u2019s conference, the CRYP team will work closely with youth, instructors and community partners to incorporate their feedback, ensuring that the event grows in ways that reflect what Lakota youth want and need most.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis gathering showed us how much our young people want to learn, create, and be in community,\u201d Garreau said. \u201cThey\u2019re curious, they\u2019re talented, and they care deeply about their culture and each other. We\u2019re excited to build on this momentum in 2026, expand our workshop offerings, and continue creating nourishing spaces where they can feel safe, supported and inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n

CRYP\u2019s youth and teen centers are now closed through the end of the year so the staff can focus on the Wo Ot\u00fah\u2019an Wi Toy Drive, which they anticipate will serve more than 1,200 children across the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation this holiday season. The campus will reopen to the public in January.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow the youth project on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vimeo and YouTube.<\/p>\n

(Contact Heather Steinberger at heather@writeonllc.com)<\/span><\/p>\n

The post Cheyenne River Youth Project hosts 71 at Inaugural Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference<\/a> first appeared on Native Sun News Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/span><\/div>

Miss He Sapa Win (Miss Black Hills), Precious Cook, spoke to attendees at CRYP\u2019s inaugural Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference. EAGLE BUTTE \u2013 Native American Heritage Month was action packed as usual for the Cheyenne River Youth Project, but this fall, the nonprofit youth organization did something new. It closed the <\/p>\n

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