Over a decade has passed since the initial proposal of a Rapid City-indigenous community center. Now it approaches reality with a looming hearing and fundraising push.
Organizers say it’s a project well over 70 years in the making — a community center catering the large indigenous population of the Black Hills, while offering other community members a place to learn and engage.
Cante Heart is the executive director of He Sapa Otipi, the organization seeking to build this center. While they have six acres and $9 million in Vision Fund grant money, the work isn’t yet finished.
“We do need to match the funds in order to access them, so we’re launching out capital campaign," Heart said. "Right now, we are raising $3 million to access those funds, and it’s primarily for construction only.”
Heart said this represents a chance at community healing.
“All the way back to the Winona Club for a group of grandmothers who cared about their community — who wanted a better community — because of the high tension between race relations in Rapid City," Heart said. "There never was a great relationship between Natives and non-Natives, so we believe it’s up to us as the new generation to create a new relationship in Rapid City. We thank all of the grandmothers and those who have created efforts to create a community center that’s been long needed for over 70 years.”
The Winona Club long advocated for a center of this kind in the mid-20th century, alongside the Sioux Addition Civic Association. He Sapa Otipi seeks to at last complete that vision.
“It’s really going to bring our community together and highlight that we are more alike than we are different, because we all want a better future for our children, we want a safe place for our families to grow up and raise our children," Heart said. "That’s something we all have in common. This place will really highlight our Lakota values and what we practice every day. It’s important that we share our Lakota ways with our community.”
The plot of land is found just north of the Uptown Rapid shopping mall, and the timeframe is dependent upon funding. A link to additional information about the center can be found on the He Sapa Otipi website.