We would like to send special thanks to E2 Consulting Engineers, Inc for their donation to the Reach the Rez effort! We appreciate your support very much!

We are pleased to announce that the Spirit of Sovereignty Foundation has become a sponsor of the 2012 Reach The Rez program. We would like to thank the foundation for their belief and support of the 2012 Reach the Rez program. For more information on the Spirit of Sovereignty Foundation and the great things they are doing for Indian Country please visit their website at: http://www.spiritofsovereignty.org 

The Law Firm of Galanda Broadman - Seattle, Washington.

We are proud to announce that the law firm of Galanda Broadmann, PLLC in Seattle, Washington has become a 2012 Reach The Rez sponsor! We are honored to have the support of Gabe Galanda and Anthony Broadman who offer efficient, large-firm quality legal representation to companies and tribal nations through their law firm. Learn more about the Galanda Broadman law firm by visiting http://www.galandabroadman.com

Indian Eyes, LLC

We would like to acknowledge and thank Roxie Schescke and her company Indian Eyes, LLC for their support of the 2012 Reach The Rez program. Roxie Schescke also proudly serves the Association for American Indian Development as the chair of its National Resource Committee. You can learn more about Roxie by clicking “About” in the menu bar above and then selecting “National Resource Committee” and you can learn more about Indian Eyes, LLC by visiting their website located at http://www.indianeyesllc.com – Thank you Roxie!

By ICTMN Staff October 29, 2011

The story can also be seen on the Indian Country Today website by clicking HERE.

Carmen Davis on ‘Reaching the Rez’ with Litefoot in 2012

The group Reach the Rez (RTR) has announced plans for its 2012 RTR “RISE” motivational tour, which will make stops at 48 reservations around the country and reach potentially 75,000 Natives. Reach the Rez was started in 2005 by the Cherokee rapper Litefoot and his wife Carmen Davis (Makah, Yakama, and Chippewa Cree), who is president of the parent organization Association for American Indian Development, and in that year traveled to 211 communities.

“RISE” stands for Revitalization, Inspiration, Sustainability and Empowerment. At stops on the tour, Indian leaders, entertainers, athletes and others speak and perform, delivering positive messages to the tribal communities. We spoke with Davis (who also runs the Native Style clothing line) about her thoughts on this latest leg of the journey to, as she put it, “inspire and empower our Native people and promote self-reliance and sustainability.”

Indian Country Today Media Network: Now that you’ve been doing this for a number of years, do you hear stories from people who say they were inspired by previous events?

Carmen Davis: Absolutely. We hear from people immediately after a Reach The Rez event is over; expressing to us what it meant to them. You can view the Reach the Rez Documentary film trailer on our website and see the impact its had on people. There are literally hours more of those kinds of testimonials from our Native people all over Indian Country. We still hear today, stories from people nationwide who were helped and strengthened through the messages of the tour back in 2005. In regards to lasting relationships, we are blessed with family on every reservation throughout the United States. And that’s not an exaggeration. To us, it is such an honor to be blessed with that much extended family across the country. It’s also very humbling to know that we have the support of so many people who keep us in their prayers and thoughts. It just makes us want to work harder.

There are people who come up to Litefoot and say, “You changed my life” and “thank you for the encouragement”. One of the most beautiful quotes came from someone who has been following Litefoot from the beginning and she is now a friend but she started out as a fan. Cherrah Quiett, Muscogee Creek Nation Council Representative, posted this to Litefoot’s Facebook page: “Thanks for taking us on this journey with you & speaking the same truths you have from the get-go. Thanks for keeping Tulsa on the map and representin Natives worldwide! I’ve been a fan for over 18 years & look forward to seeing what’s next. Much love brother.”

How did you come up with the idea for Reach the Rez?

After having been on the road with Litefoot from reservation to reservation for the first seven years of our marriage, I was able to develop a very clear understanding of the commonality with regard to the concerns and issues that Tribal Nations across the United States were dealing with. It helped bring clarity as to what was missing and what so many of our Native people were expressing to us, was missing in their lives and in their communities. Litefoot had been hearing the same sentiments expressed to him for twice as many years. So, it was very clear to us what the message of the Reach the Rez Project needed to be in order to promote self reliance and sustainability in Indian country. We just focused on that understanding and built the effort around what we continue to believe is the solution, instead of building an effort that looks for a solution. It’s about doing what you believe to be best for the future of our people, not what people deem to be relevant now.

This is a huge undertaking—how (or perhaps why) do you and Litefoot manage to find the time while keeping up the recording career and Native Style?

Yes, it is a HUGE undertaking, but this project is something we are extremely passionate about. It took us four years to introduce the concept, gather support, fundraise and plan the 2005 Tour. Many of the professional opportunities that Litefoot had presented to him at the time had to be turned down because of his commitment to the Reach the Rez Project. It was very important to him that we accomplish the mission not only because he had made a commitment to so many tribes who believed in him and supported the Reach the Rez Project. In many ways, I guess you could say that he co-signed the effort with his credibility. So there were a lot of personal and professional sacrifices that were made so that the Reach The Rez Tour could even exist. In the beginning, The Reach The Rez Tour was thought of as nothing more than a great concept, and many people deemed it too ambitious or logistically impossible. The success of the Reach The Rez Tour, is a testament to the Reach The Rez message: If the Creator has something for you to do, it is up to you to make it happen, and the only person that can stop you is you. We put everything on hold to ensure the viability and success of the Reach The Rez Tour. We believed in it and we saw it though and it has now helped thousands of our Native people nationwide. I’m pleased to say, we have assembled an amazing team of board members, staff members and a great roster of presenters to carry the initiative forward.

How can a person find out whether the tour is coming to his or her community? Is there a way to request a stop (and if not for 2012, is there a way to request for 2013)?

Yes, there is a contact form on the www.reachtherez.org website and you can request a tour stop.

You now have two sons—the second born just over a year ago. As you move through the journey of parenting, does that inform your instincts about how to accomplish the goals of Reach the Rez?

Yes, having children really gives you a different perspective on the changes you wish to see in Indian country. When the tour started in 2005, we knew we were going to be away from home for the entire year, so we took our son Quannah out of school and homeschooled him. When the tour was over he had to receive tutoring after school for almost the whole next year to catch up in math. He had to make a sacrifice without fully comprehending it.

The RTR RISE Motivational Tour will travel to 48 different American Indian Reservations in 2012 and positively impact the lives of over 75,000 Native American people.

If you would like to learn more about the 2012 RTR RISE program please fill out a contact form above and one of our representatives will reply to you immediately.

If you are interest in including your community on our 2012 schedule or would like more information on how you can help support the Reach the Rez Project, please click on the Contact link above and submit a Contact Form and we will get right back to you!

The California African American Indian Museum explained the inclusion of the Reach The Rez documentary film by saying, “Through the history of our ancestors, these films were put together to cultivate the knowledge of family heritages among Native Americans and African Americans.”

Two additional Native American films were screened as well:

• “Fry Bread Babes” and
• Alicia Woods “American Red And Black: Stories of Afro-Native Identity.”

The Reach the Rez Project greatly appreciates the California African American Museum’s efforts to build positive bridges between the Native American and African American communities and we applaud your work for a better tomorrow.

For more information on the California African American Museum, please visit: www.caamuseum.org.