Lakota People's Law Project

Each year, 90% of the 700 Lakota children taken by South Dakota's Department of Social Services are placed in non-Native foster care. Join us to end this practice now!
A recent South Dakota law continues their policy of protecting sexual abusers of Native children! In SD, a sex abuse victim can only sue within 3 years. Now, victims over 40 can only sue abusers, not the organizations that enabled the abuse. Why? A lawyer defending molesters at an Indian boarding school asked the state to help! Read: http://bit.ly/XCeS9O Petition:http://lakota.cc/139N8qK

A recent South Dakota law continues their policy of protecting sexual abusers of Native children! In SD, a sex abuse victim can only sue within 3 years. Now, victims over 40 can only sue abusers, not the organizations that enabled the abuse. Why? A lawyer defending molesters at an Indian boarding school asked the state to help! Read: http://bit.ly/XCeS9O Petition:http://lakota.cc/139N8qK

South Dakota COVERED UP and ENABLES SEXUAL ABUSE of Lakota girls! When four Lakota foster girls in the Mette family’s care testified that they were being brutally raped and abused, state officials didn’t try to protect the girls—instead they tried to protect themselves. Then they accused two child advocates, the foster girls’ most vocal allies, of making the children lie. They also dropped nearly every one of the felony charges against the abusive father. Even worse, the Lakota girls were still returned to the Mette foster family! South Dakota is abusing its power as a protector of children. Please, SHARE this video and SIGN our petition to get Congress and the Justice Department to investigate South Dakota. Watch: http://lakota.cc/17SEfVU Petition:http://lakota.cc/139N8qK

South Dakota COVERED UP and ENABLES SEXUAL ABUSE of Lakota girls! When four Lakota foster girls in the Mette family’s care testified that they were being brutally raped and abused, state officials didn’t try to protect the girls—instead they tried to protect themselves. Then they accused two child advocates, the foster girls’ most vocal allies, of making the children lie. They also dropped nearly every one of the felony charges against the abusive father. Even worse, the Lakota girls were still returned to the Mette foster family! South Dakota is abusing its power as a protector of children. Please, SHARE this video and SIGN our petition to get Congress and the Justice Department to investigate South Dakota. Watch: http://lakota.cc/17SEfVU Petition:http://lakota.cc/139N8qK

From the summit: “The term termination of parental rights is foreign to us as Lakota. We know as grandmothers and mothers that we are the mothers of our sisters children, that is our way.”-Mrs. Phyllis Young, Hunkpapa Lakota; Standing Rock Tribal Council. TRIBE is FAMILY, State is Not! Please sign our petition asking the Justice Dept. and Congress to investigate South Dakota! http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

From the summit: “The term termination of parental rights is foreign to us as Lakota. We know as grandmothers and mothers that we are the mothers of our sisters children, that is our way.”-Mrs. Phyllis Young, Hunkpapa Lakota; Standing Rock Tribal Council. TRIBE is FAMILY, State is Not! Please sign our petition asking the Justice Dept. and Congress to investigate South Dakota! http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

South Dakota redefined “neglect”, and now 95.8% of children seized are taken for “neglect”. The new definition includes homes “whose environment is injurious to the child’s welfare”. This definition is often interpreted by mostly white DSS workers to mean “poor.” POVERTY IS NOT NEGLECT! We need DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDING for tribal foster care! Listen:http://lakota.cc/170RWEu Petition:http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

South Dakota redefined “neglect”, and now 95.8% of children seized are taken for “neglect”. The new definition includes homes “whose environment is injurious to the child’s welfare”. This definition is often interpreted by mostly white DSS workers to mean “poor.” POVERTY IS NOT NEGLECT! We need DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDING for tribal foster care! Listen:http://lakota.cc/170RWEu Petition:http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

The SD governor was too busy to attend the summit, but still got a burrito in Rapid City. We should have brought tortillas to our buffalo feeds! The state gets $72,000 a year in federal funds for every Native foster child, but won’t talk about abuses of Native foster children. Further evidence the tribes need DIRECT federal funding for tribal foster care! Read:http://lakota.cc/16UEuCd Petition:http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

The SD governor was too busy to attend the summit, but still got a burrito in Rapid City. We should have brought tortillas to our buffalo feeds! The state gets $72,000 a year in federal funds for every Native foster child, but won’t talk about abuses of Native foster children. Further evidence the tribes need DIRECT federal funding for tribal foster care! Read:http://lakota.cc/16UEuCd Petition:http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

Thanks to everyone who made it out to the summit on Native foster care in Rapid City last week! It would not have been possible without your petition signatures urging the BIA to hold the summit, and your attendance last wee! But we WON’T STOP there. Please sign our latest petition asking the Justice Department and Congress to investigate a SD cover up of abuse! Read: http://lakota.cc/12QOln4 Petition: http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

Thanks to everyone who made it out to the summit on Native foster care in Rapid City last week! It would not have been possible without your petition signatures urging the BIA to hold the summit, and your attendance last wee! But we WON’T STOP there. Please sign our latest petition asking the Justice Department and Congress to investigate a SD cover up of abuse!

Read: http://lakota.cc/12QOln4

Petition: http://lakota.cc/12qmkC4

South Dakota Officials Miss Historic Meeting With Tribes : NPR

Federal officials met with South Dakota’s nine Sioux tribes on Wednesday for a historic summit in Rapid City. A year in the making, it was an effort to address long standing concerns over the high number of Native American children the state places in white foster homes. State officials, however, didn’t show up for the meeting.

Buffalo statues in Rapid City, South Dakota. (at Best Western Ramkota Hotel)

Buffalo statues in Rapid City, South Dakota. (at Best Western Ramkota Hotel)

Prairies Edge. This is where they drop off the 18 year olds that “age out” of the foster care system in South Dakota. It’s located in downtown Rapid City close to the “Indian side” of town/the river. (at Prairie Bottle Market Wine And Liquor)

Prairies Edge. This is where they drop off the 18 year olds that “age out” of the foster care system in South Dakota. It’s located in downtown Rapid City close to the “Indian side” of town/the river. (at Prairie Bottle Market Wine And Liquor)

Share your stories, let your voice be heard! Do not let the racial injustice continue. Keep families together and the children safe. #biasummit #southdakota #icwa #nativeamerican #icwalaw #lakota #lakotasioux #sioux #indian #lakotapeopleslawproject #lastrealindians #nativeamericanindian #instagood #picoftheday #photooftheday #beautiful #Overgram #instagood #photooftheday #igers #picoftheday #instadaily #instagramhub #likeback #pleaselike #instahub #iphonography #iphoneonly #bestoftheday #igdaily #jj #instagramers #shoutout #fslc (at Best Western Ramkota Hotel)

Share your stories, let your voice be heard! Do not let the racial injustice continue. Keep families together and the children safe. #biasummit #southdakota #icwa #nativeamerican #icwalaw #lakota #lakotasioux #sioux #indian #lakotapeopleslawproject #lastrealindians #nativeamericanindian #instagood #picoftheday #photooftheday #beautiful #Overgram #instagood #photooftheday #igers #picoftheday #instadaily #instagramhub #likeback #pleaselike #instahub #iphonography #iphoneonly #bestoftheday #igdaily #jj #instagramers #shoutout #fslc (at Best Western Ramkota Hotel)