004 Madonna Thunder Hawk: Indigenous Activist and Leader of the Standing Rock Resistance Movement

Indigenous Women Speak Out

In this episode, we are joined by Madonna Thunder Hawk, a veteran of almost every native American struggle, from the Occupation of Alcatraz, to the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee. Madonna is also a long-time community leader with experience in cultural preservation, economic development, American Indian Rights protection, and environmental justice. She joins us to share her story and journey as a long-standing activist.

What you will hear

• American Indian Movement and Occupation of Alcatraz
• Standing Rock Resistance Movement
• Advocacy for Native Children with Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation and Simply Smiles Project
• Indian Child Welfare Act
• Discoveries of mass graves of Indigenous children at boarding schools
• Madonna’s view on the appointment of Deb Holland as the Secretary of the Interior

Quotes

“We are colonized. We still have the mentality that ‘white is right.’ A lot of people won’t admit that.”

“There’s more to this legal system than we know. We had to find this out so that our children will know that here’s what they’re gonna face as they get older.”

Mentioned

Occupation at Alcatraz

Simply Smiles - sponsorships