Native American Heritage Month Film Series: "A Hidden America: The Children of the Plains"

This documentary presents a gripping segment about young people of the Oglala Lakota Sioux on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.  Interwoven with the segments on the young people were discussions of the crippling rates of alcoholism, unemployment and diabetes.

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, located in the southwest corner of South Dakota, is one of the 565 federally recognized Indian Nations in the United States. It is home to an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 people, most of whom identify as Oglala Lakota Sioux. The reservation is 2.2 million acres, roughly the size of Connecticut, and the residents boast a rich cultural history and deep-seated spirituality.

Unfortunately, the Oglala Lakota on Pine Ridge now live amidst levels of poverty that rival that of the third world. 47% of individuals on Pine Ridge are living below the federal poverty level, 65%-80% of the adults are unemployed, and rampant alcoholism and an obesity epidemic combine with underfunded schools to help make it a rough place to grow up.

But in the midst of such economic despair, there are youth across the reservation who are breaking through the hopelessness with huge dreams and powerful stories.

All events are free and open to the public unless noted otherwise.  For more information about past and current events, visit our web site at wright.edu/ana or call the Asian and Native American Center, (937) 775-2798.