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- By Cheyenne River Youth Project
As 2024 draws to a close, the leadership team at the Cheyenne River Youth Project in Eagle Butte is reflecting on a significant year in its 36-year history. The new year promises to be groundbreaking as well.
According to Julie Garreau, CRYP’s founder and chief executive officer, a new chapter for the nonprofit, Native-led organization officially began last January with the purchase of Wakanyeja Kin Wana Ku Pi (The Children Are Coming Home), a nearly 40-acre parcel of land adjacent to sacred Mato Paha (Bear Mountain/Bear Butte State Park). CRYP held a dedication ceremony for the land on April 26.
“At its heart, this land purchase is all about the cultural health and long-term well-being of our Lakota young people,” Garreau said. “It gives us a foundation so we can bring them here for seasonal culture camps, healing camps, internship activities and workshops, and it serves as a home base for trips to other important sacred places like Wind Cave, Black Elk Peak and Mato Tipila (Bear Lodge/Devils Tower National Monument).”
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Programs Director Jerica Widow organized a young women’s healing camp at the Bear Butte property in early November. She said the camp was one of her favorite experiences of the year, along with a young women’s trip to Pipestone National Monument in August.
“These were small, intimate gatherings, and it was very healing to be with women of all ages,” Widow said. “I remember how Sarah Berndt, one of our youth programs assistants, always stepped up with her peers and took on tasks that might have been overlooked otherwise. It always inspires me when I see her leading.
“It also was meaningful to connect with the girls in my tent during the November camp, and I’ve been able to continue to mentor them,” she continued. “It’s definitely a push for me to continue to do better for them and for my community.”
Arts Manager Wakinyan Chief helped organize a camping trip at Turner Enterprises’ Standing Butte Ranch in July, and he led a young men’s healing camp at the Bear Butte property in August. Like Widow, he said these culturally grounded events proved to be major highlights of the year.
“At Standing Butte Ranch, it was awesome to see the camaraderie build as we observed the bison herd and learned about the ecosystem,” he said. “I loved seeing how excited the teens were to harvest edible and medicinal plants, and it was fun to watch two of our Lakota Art Fellows create a design for our camp T-shirts and backpacks.
“The young men’s healing camp was another amazing experience,” he added. “It was an honor to witness their bravery going into inipi (sweat lodge) for the first time, and to watch them help whenever and wherever needed. It made me feel like we fulfilled our purpose. We also had fun! We laughed a lot on our hikes.”
Another significant milestone for CRYP this year was the 10th annual RedCan Invitational Graffiti Jam, which remains the first and only event of its kind in Indian Country. Not only did the youth project welcome 14 guest artists, its largest group to date, two of them were Māori artists who traveled all the way from New Zealand for the occasion.
“In addition, we welcomed a Native youth group from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Arizona, and Native youth leaders and staff from the American Indian Community Housing Organization in Duluth, Minnesota,” Garreau said. “We also worked with Lakota storyteller Taté Walker to incorporate a spoken-word component into RedCan. The kids really loved Taté’s poetry workshops, and we all loved the spoken-word performances.”
Wakinyan Chief agreed that RedCan 2024 felt special. He worked closely with teens in the Art Internship and Lakota Art Fellowship programs throughout the year, and RedCan was their opportunity to assist the guest artists, show their own work and have a chance to shine.
“They told me what a great experience it was for them,” he said. “That was very fulfilling for me. Through all of our internships and fellowships, our youth start to realize their own potential and recognize the positive impact our programming has.”
Also this year, CRYP harvested nearly 10,000 pounds of nutritious, fresh produce from its 2.5-acre Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden, including 40 pounds of local honey from its new beekeeping operation. Garreau said the youth project will order 10 more colonies for 2025.
Then there is the new employee housing development and the youth employment training initiative. Both projects are vital for building the workforce at CRYP, but Garreau said the youth employees are especially dear to her heart.
“Working in the nonprofit space, we talk a lot about numbers, and we measure impact in terms of data, but nothing compares to witnessing the real-world impact in the life of a child,” she said. “‘We are watching these kids grow, plan their finances, buy their first cars and even rent their first homes. We are so proud of them, and it is an honor to walk alongside them as they move toward their future.”
Next year also promises to be a big one for CRYP. This spring, it will begin construction on a long-awaited Lakota arts and culture center.
“For more than 36 years, we have been empowering our young people through culturally relevant programming, intergenerational mentorship and opportunities to strengthen their connection to both land and culture,” Garreau said. “We dream big, and we want them to do the same. We are excited for what the new year will bring.
“We can’t do this work alone, however,” she continued, encouraging supporters to make a tax-deductible gift by Dec. 31. “Together with our supporters across the country, we can continue offering programs that unleash creativity, build leadership and reclaim our Lakota culture.”
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