Phyllis Young facts for kids
Phyllis Young is a strong leader from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She has worked for over 40 years to protect the rights of Native American people. She is best known for her important role in the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
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Phyllis Young: A Voice for Native Rights
Standing Up for Water Protectors
From October 2015 to September 2017, Phyllis Young worked for the Standing Rock Tribe. She helped organize the Oceti Sakowin Camp. This camp was a gathering place for thousands of people. These people were called "water protectors." They came together to stop the building of the 1,172-mile-long oil pipeline.
Working for Native American Rights
Phyllis Young has been a member of the American Indian Movement for a long time. This group works to protect Native American rights. She worked with other important Native American leaders, like Russell Means.
In 1978, she helped start a group called Women of All Red Nations. She created this group with Madonna Thunder Hawk.
From 1993 to 2008, Young was on the board of the National Museum of the American Indian. This museum helps people learn about Native American history and culture.
In 1977, she helped plan the first conference for Native Americans at the United Nations. This important meeting took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
Helping Create Important Laws
In 2007, Phyllis Young helped write a document. This document later became the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. This declaration is a set of rules that protect the rights of native peoples around the world. The United Nations General Assembly later accepted it.
Continuing Her Work Today
Phyllis Young was a member of the tribal council at Standing Rock from 2012 to 2015. A tribal council helps lead the tribe.
Today, she is an organizer for the Lakota People’s Law Project. This group helps "water protectors" with legal issues. They provide legal help after the Standing Rock pipeline protests.
Bringing New Energy to Standing Rock
In 2018, Phyllis Young was chosen for a special program. It was the 2018 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Solve Fellowship. She was one of only six people chosen. As a Fellow, she received $10,000. She used this money to bring clean, renewable energy to the Standing Rock Reservation. Renewable energy comes from sources like the sun or wind.
