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Signed by Shepard Fairey
and Aaron Huey
Artist's Statement: I made
this image based on a photograph by Aaron Huey (National
Geographic photographer) in support of this project. Proceeds
go to Pine Ridge Indian Reservations
To hear the whole story
check out Aaron’s 2010 TED
talk on the Lakota and their fight to get back the Black
Hills of South Dakota.
A few facts about the Pine
Ridge Indian Reservation:
In 1980 the Supreme Court
ruled upon the longest running court case in US History,
the United States vs Sioux Nation. The court determined
that the treaties with the Sioux had been violated when
they were resettled onto P.O.W. camps, and 7 million acres
of their land were opened up to prospectors and homesteaders.
These camps are now called “reservations”.
The grim statistics on Native
Reservations today are the equivalent to that of a 3rd world
country, revealing the legacy of colonization and treaty
violations. Unemployment on the Reservation fluctuates between
80-90%. Many are homeless, and those with homes are packed
into rotting buildings with up to 5 families. More than
90% of the population lives below the federal poverty line.
The life expectancy for men is 47 years old – roughly
the same as Afghanistan and Somalia.
Aaron’s ever-evolving
Pine Ridge project gives voice to social injustice and a
forgotten history. It empowers the Lakota and other tribes
who fight for recognition of the past in order to help give
them a chance to move forward.
The sales of this print
will go directly to pay for a campaign to educate the American
public about the issues that face not only the Lakota, but
every indigenous tribe in the US. Your involvement will
help raise the visibility of these images by paying for
advertising that will take the story straight to the public—to
the sides of buses, subway tunnels, and billboards, ultimately
benefiting grassroots non-profits working on Reservations
across the US. Help remind the world that the Lakota and
other Native people are still here and demand to be heard.
With your help the message will be so loud that it cannot
be ignored. |
