The Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) gives children and teens the opportunities and tools they need for a future in which they do more than survive—they thrive. We are planting seeds for that future every day, through programs dedicated to holistic wellness, job and life skills, and strengthening the connection our kids have to their Lakota culture. In the process, we are building our young people’s capacity to achieve and serve as both leaders and culture bearers for the Lakota Nation.
While speaking with Juell and Jerica, the Creative Generation team noted the emphasis of dual identity across all CRYP’s Waniyetu Wowapi Lakota Youth Arts and Culture Institute programs, or what the Lakota call “walking in two worlds.” Jerica, the Youth Programs Director, shares that the youth programs are designed to prepare young people to embrace their Lakota heritage while understanding and adapting to the outside culture. This is especially true for social enterprise; CRYP’s programs introduce youth to several outlets for skills training. While participants work in a number of areas, Lakota arts and crafts are emphasized through the lens of entrepreneurship. Art is valuable - as both culture and therapy. “Art was life in the Lakota way - we are all artists,” said Jerica, emphasizing the interconnectedness of creativity to the Lakota values.
While art and creativity exist at the core of these programs’ values, CRYP offers students courses, activities, and supports in several other areas including health, safety, and academics. The program aims to instill pride in Lakota youth on the traditions of the tribe, but also hope to provide relevant skills and resources for a bright future in an ever-changing world.