Dreams and Goals for Upijata Arts

Upijata Arts Company was founded in 2019 when two talented women who share a love of dance decided to create a safe haven for others to explore their creative aspirations. The co-founders met @ Re-Member Organization where Ms. Yoli was a secretary and Shannon was a volunteer. They bonded through the art of ballet and from there the Upijata Arts dream was born. Located on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the program developed by co-founders Shannon Beshears and Yolanda Swalley are tailored for the children of Pine Ridge and surrounding areas to help alleviate the effects of both generational and historical traumas.

Dedicated staff and instructors have a dream of expanding the program, and offerings in the coming years as they develop and nurture creativity in the lives of the young participants of Pine Ridge South Dakota. As of spring of 2023 Upijata art is running art classes in a double wide trailer for $50 a day, $300 a month. We hope to purchase a building to renovate and use as a gathering place for the children to explore and express their inner feelings and develop their talents. With limited resources and a dire need for healing from trauma, it is our utmost desire to serve the community as best we can.

The environment in most families on the reservation are in is built with what residential boarding schools were teaching starting in 1860s and ended in the 1930s. At that time it was mostly abuse, rape and punishment in most inhumane ways. Although not all families may feel like this, we still want to be there for those who are struggling mentally and physically. Upijata was made to end all of generational trauma and bring positivity, rebuilding, empowerment and community. Our dream as a nonprofit is to give back for what colonizers have done to the native people of the pine ridge reservation. Reconnecting the native people to their traditional roots through the arts.

With your help we can reach our dream of getting a new building and giving back to native people with a creative outlet or a creative job. A building would help Upijata expand to all four corners of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Creating many more opportunities in diverse classes like, beading, Lakota quillwork, film making, acting, silks, wall climbing, powwow dancing and many more. The young people of today deserve a chance to blossom and grow, we wish to give them the tools to plant seeds of self-esteem and self-worth within themselves and their families.