Lakota Voice Project highlights hope on Pine Ridge

posted on September 7, 2012

courtesy of South Dakota Public Broadcasting

If someone gave you a camera and asked you to take a picture of "hope" what would you shoot?

That's exactly what a group of Oglala Lakota College students asked some youngsters on Pine Ridge to do--the effort is part of the Lakota Voice Project and it intends to help combat suicide.

SDPB's Charles Michael Ray stopped by an exhibit featuring the grade and middle school students' photographs. On today's Dakota Digest he speaks with some those in attendance and with some of the youngsters behind the camera. You can watch the video HERE.

The Lakota Voice Project is a broad effort aimed at combating suicide in tribal communities.  It involves several groups including Oglala Lakota College,  and assortment of Pine Ridge grade school and middle schools, Including Red Cloud Indian School, The Sweetgrass Project, The Bear Program, and the American Advertising Federation of the Black Hills.   The photo exhibit is tied to the Lakota Voice Project is about to embark on a state wide tour.   Keep an eye out for a location near you in the coming year.

Organizers of this project plan to launch a website to house the entire photo collection later this fall.

WATCH VIDEO