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MISSION
The Lakota LockUp Project (Unlocking Our Nations) intends to uplift and revitalize Indigenous People impacted by racialized mass incarceration, inequality, and addiction by applying culture, education, ancestral teaching and innovative approaches to seek justice and healing — including mending affects of historical trauma — and to disrupt Indigenous pipelines into the institutions by advocating for Constitutional and treaty rights promised.
About Us
We believe with help from the world community, we can disrupt the Indigenous pipeline into institutions and provide prevention of, and alternatives to, incarceration for young people.
Our unified efforts will raise up communities and promote resiliency for families and all those affected by the justice system, including those already imprisoned who are facing or serving astronomical prison sentences when Non-Indigenous Peoples with similar criminal offenses serve far less.
By these efforts, we can tackle abusive practices in the Courts and ensure compliance with human and treaty rights for individual Indigenous People. Thus unlocking our Nations and creating sacred change.
A Traditional Calling for Support…
Our ancestors had a spiritual contract of pure hearts and clean minds when people requested support. This spiritual contract reaches across continents and reaches into every human heart for justice and equality. We welcome all who wish to help and bring about change!
As our great Lakota warrior stated many generations ago, we will unite and become one people. We can only accomplish this through unity!
Mitakuye Oyasin! (We are all related)
I see a time of Seven Generations when all the colors of mankind will gather under the Sacred Tree of Life and the whole earth will become One Circle again.
We are committed to…
- Re-establishing cultural thought that expresses generosity, compassion, wisdom, and fortitude while navigating modern times.
- Building up good character and the inner power of each person to re-shape their lives.
- Advocating for alternatives for public safety concerns, rather than punishment or banishment.
- Supporting Foundation changes to grant criteria that do not support the most marginalized, or those affected by the justice system and their families.
- Voicing support for compliance with treaty obligations for Indigenous Peoples. In particular, the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty.
- Obtaining a small portion of land in the sacred Paha Supa (Black Hills) for cultural and healing purposes.
Services and Programs
- Creating resource materials (Know Your Rights) and providing some legal books to prisoners and jails with high population rates of Indigenous Peoples.
- Sponsoring “Talking Circles” that mediate ways to express pain, anger, and conflict. And, creating a space for community communication to take shape and plant seeds of growth.
- Supporting online campaigns and letter writing for the release and assisting with issues affecting the imprisoned.
- Advocating for legal representation for treaty and constitutional violations.
- Alternatives to incarceration and youth diversion programs.
- Re-entry initiatives, including assistance with locating housing.
- Assisting in bail for single parents and supporting bail reform.
Native Amerians are the highest incarcerated nationality in South Dakota
Graph of the Increased Incarceration of Native Americans
Click image below for more information
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