Phyllis Young facts for kids

Phyllis Young, also known as Woman Who Stands by the Water, is an American Indian (Lakota/Dakota) activist. She has worked for her community for over 40 years. She was important in groups like the American Indian Movement (AIM) and helped start the Women of All Red Nations (WARN).

Between 1993 and 2008, Young was on the board of the National Museum of the American Indian. In 1977, she helped organize the first conference for Indigenous people at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She is most known for leading the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016 and 2017.

Phyllis Young's Early Life

Phyllis Young was born on February 24, 1949. She grew up on the Standing Rock Reservation. This reservation is located on the border of North and South Dakota. The Sioux Nation mainly controls the Standing Rock Reservation. Their ancestors were forced from their homes in the 1800s.

Before living on the reservation, the Sioux lived east of the Missouri River. American soldiers marched into the Black Hills, which is sacred land for the Sioux. This went against the Fort Laramie Treaty. The Sioux refused to leave or sell their land, which led to battles. Eventually, the Native Americans had to surrender and were moved to the Standing Rock Reservation.

Boarding Schools and Assimilation

The U.S. government tried to make Native American children adopt American culture. They forced many children into boarding schools in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.

When Phyllis Young was young, she was part of the Native American Urban Relocation program. This program also tried to make Native Americans fit into mainstream American society. Young saw how her people's culture was being taken away. This experience motivated her to work with groups like WARN and AIM.

Young lived in Los Angeles for a short time. She later moved back to the Standing Rock Reservation. When she was in third grade, she attended a boarding school called Fort Yates. This government school was just north of the Standing Rock Reservation. These schools also forced Native American children to adopt American ways.

The idea of making Native Americans change their culture began in 1819. That's when Congress passed the Civilization Fund Act. This act led to the creation of Native American boarding schools. About 357 boarding schools operated across 30 states. Around 60,000 American Indian children lived in these schools.

Attending these schools was required, even if parents didn't agree. When children arrived, they were given American names. Boys were forced to shave their heads. They also had to wear military-style clothes. These programs often used young Native Americans for chores and manual labor. Boarding schools were a big part of Phyllis Young's early life. She was one of the few Native American children who worked hard to stay connected to her culture.

Connection to Land and Culture

Phyllis Young grew up on the Standing Rock Reservation in the 1950s. Her family got food and water from the Missouri River. They also grew crops in the rich land.

When Young was 10 years old, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the Oahe Dam. This dam was built to control water flow and create electricity. Its construction started in 1948 and finished in 1958. The dam flooded her family's land, destroying their home and resources.

The Oceti Sakowin people, also known as Sioux, lived near the Missouri River. Oceti Sakowin means "The Seven Council Fires." These are separate nations that follow the Sioux culture. The Seven Council Fires represent the beliefs of the Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota groups within the Sioux Nation.

The Sioux Nation believes that everything is connected. This includes the earth, stars, sun, moon, animals, and people. They also strongly believe in keeping their languages, traditions, and cultural practices alive. Sioux culture also emphasizes social responsibility. This means caring for each other, especially elders and children.

Growing up in an Oceti Sakowin community shaped Young into the activist she is today. Her cultural background has guided her work for Indigenous rights and environmental issues.

Important Work and Activism

Phyllis Young is a long-time member of the American Indian Movement (AIM). AIM was started in 1968. It was inspired by other groups fighting for justice at that time. AIM is well-known for its 71-day occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota.

One year after the Wounded Knee event, in 1974, Young helped start the Women of All Red Nations (WARN). She founded it with Lorelei DeCora Means, Madonna Thunder Hawk, and Janet McCloud. WARN worked with AIM. It aimed to create more leadership roles for women in the American Indian Movement.

Protecting Indigenous Women

One of WARN's main goals was to stop forced procedures that made it impossible for Native American women to have children. This happened to many women without their full understanding or permission. WARN worked to raise awareness about this issue. They used their newsletter, held conferences, and spoke at international events. Because of WARN's efforts, the government adopted new rules about these procedures. These rules included a waiting period before any procedure could be done.

Fighting for Land and Water

For a long time, companies have taken mineral resources from Lakota lands. Even today, mining operations search for gold and uranium in the Black Hills. This area is sacred to the Lakota people. Many uranium mines have been left abandoned in the Black Hills.

WARN studies showed that radiation from these mines caused health problems for Native American families nearby. WARN co-founder Lorelei Means called this situation "genocide." In 1979, AIM and WARN helped form the Black Hills Alliance (BHA). This group brought together the Lakota people, white farmers, and environmentalists from the Black Hills area.

Radon in the water harmed both people and livestock. Livestock was often how both white farmers and Native Americans made a living. The Black Hills Clean Water Alliance still works today. It focuses on stopping mining efforts that pollute the Black Hills.

Major Achievements

Phyllis Young has been a very important person in fighting for Indigenous rights. She helped start the Women of All Red Nations (WARN) in 1974. She also played a key role in the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. This brought worldwide attention to issues of the environment and tribal sovereignty.

In 1975, Young set up the first International Indian Treaty Council Office at the UN Plaza. In 1977, she helped the Council become an official non-governmental organization (NGO) with the UN Economic and Social Council. This made it the first Indigenous NGO. Young also helped write an early version of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. This document protects Indigenous peoples' rights to their land, culture, and self-governance. Through her work, Young gave Indigenous Americans a voice in global discussions.

Young was on the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. for 15 years. She even served as the Chair of the Board for one term. She helped make important decisions for the museum. She worked to make sure Native American history, culture, and art were shown correctly.

Young was a tribal council member at Standing Rock from 2012 to 2015. As a council member, she worked on policies that helped her community. She supported tribal sovereignty and worked for social and economic development.

She is currently an organizer for the Lakota People’s Law Project. This group helps people who were arrested during the Standing Rock protests. In 2018, Young was chosen for the 2018 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Solve Fellowship with the Oceti Sakowin. This award gave her $10,000 to help bring renewable energy to the Standing Rock Reservation.

Phyllis Young has made big contributions to both Indigenous rights and environmental protection. Her leadership during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests showed the link between environmental concerns and Indigenous rights. She focused on protecting important natural resources like water. Young's actions show her dedication to challenging systems that harm the environment and Indigenous communities. Her work has helped continue important conversations about Indigenous rights and environmental sustainability.

Standing Rock Protests

During the 2016 Standing Rock Direct Access Pipeline protest, Phyllis Young helped keep protesters safe. This protest, also known as #NoDAPL online, started in 2016. It began after Dakota Access LLC started building a 1,772-mile pipeline. This pipeline would carry crude oil from Bakken, North Dakota, to Patoka, Illinois.

People became concerned because the pipeline would run through Lake Oahe. This put the lake at risk of an oil spill. Lake Oahe borders the Standing Rock Reservation. It is the main water source for the area and its people. It is also a burial site for the Native tribes living on the reservation.

Protests started in April 2016. Thousands of people traveled to set up camp on the land where construction was planned. At its peak, the camp had as many as 10,000 people.

Young was a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Council, starting in 2012. The council acts as its own government. It has its own constitution, which was approved in 1959. The council oversees everything related to the land. It passes its own laws and works to help its over 15,000 people. Her experience on the council helped her during the protest.

In the fall of 2015, Young became the official Tribal Liaison for the Oceti Sakowin camp. Oceti Sakowin means "seven council fires." This represents the seven groups of people that make up the tribe, now often called the Sioux Nation. Young's main job was to connect the Standing Rock tribal council with the protesters. She made sure the camp had everything it needed. Young's presence was felt daily. She helped ensure the thousands of people gathered were safe and cared for. She handled issues like camp security and providing restrooms and meals.

For 10 months, Phyllis Young and thousands of others camped to protest the pipeline. In January 2017, the Standing Rock tribal council voted to ask protesters to leave. They were worried about river pollution from trash and the harsh winter weather. Most protesters left. A few stayed until February 23, 2017. On that day, law enforcement entered the camp and removed the remaining protesters.

Even though the protest ended, Young's fight for environmental and Indigenous rights continued. During the 10-month standoff, hundreds of people were arrested. Young, along with the Lakota People's Law Project, helped fight legal battles for those arrested. They made sure they received proper legal help.

Today, the Lakota People’s Law Project works to reclaim Indigenous lands. They also fight to stop threats to Lakota culture. Young now runs her #GreenTheRez initiative with Madonna Thunder Hawk. This campaign aims to bring 50% renewable energy to North and South Dakota by 2030.

In 1956, the Army Corps of Engineers flooded Standing Rock lands. They did this to create the Oahe Reservoir and a dam for electricity. The people of the land were promised free electricity as payment. However, the Army Corps did not keep this promise. Now, the people of Standing Rock pay the highest electricity rates in North and South Dakota.