The Reach The Rez Tour Comes to Red Lake!

The Reach the Rez Tour, featuring Native American rap artist, actor and motivational speaker, Litefoot continues its campaign across the United States to reach out to Native American youth with positive and uplifting messages.

The Reach the Rez Tour, an unprecedented journey to provide proactive programs and outreach that enrich, educate, entertain, uplift and empower over 200 Native American communities, will conclude in mid-October of this year. The tour has completed over 100 of the events in its schedule and has already empowered thousands of people across Indian Country through the messages given by Litefoot. At each stop of the tour, Litefoot gives a free concert and motivational speeches as he has for over a decade.

The Reach the Rez Tour featuring Litefoot will be visiting Red Lake on Friday, July 14^th at the Red Lake Humanities Center, hosted by the Red Lake Nation Youth Council.  The concert will begin at 7 PM and is free to the public.  For more information, please call the Red Lake Tribal Council at 218-679-3341.

Here are comments from early stops in the Plains Region during the month of June:

Michelle Delorme, Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe: “Chi-miigwech- The words spoken by Litefoot were positive and inspiring to all minds, young and old. Our spirits are as old as we make them to be. I know in my heart that he spoke of truth and meaning. He doesn’t just only say the words but he means them. So many times in life, we become unstructured with faith, prayer, hope, and forgiveness that we unable ourselves to heal and move on. We are given a path of tests in this life by the Creator - Gitchi Manitoobut

he never gives us what we can't handle. He knows that if we have faith, structure,

respect, and discipline we will over come the obstacle-the fight- to succeed. Miigwech”

Susan Davila, Program Director, Standing Rock Boys & Girls Club: I would like to

thank you for visiting our small community. We had a great turnout and had a lot of positive comments about the Reach The Rez Visit. Litefoot is a very moving

speaker he touched a lot of hearts & opened the eyes of a lot of members. I am very thankful for the opportunity to meet such a Great Man. We definitely need more of his words in our life. My mother has been speaking the same words for a while and to hear it from someone else is very reassuring that others believe the same. Once again, thank you.”

Theo Cruz, Santee Sioux Tribe: “Just wanted to say Thank you to Litefoot, he came to Santee, NE on June 9th, 2006. One Week after my 13 year old nephew committed suicide. My mother, sister, my daughter, and I all heard Litefoot speak. and I want to say, thank you for all the beautiful things you shared with us. We needed inspiration at this time of mourning in our community. Thank you again.” Litefoot is already plenty busy with a healthy acting career that includes appearances in “The Indian In The Cupboard,” "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation," "The Song of Hiawatha" and TV spots on "CSI" and "Any Day Now." He is currently the Native American Music Awards “Artist Of The Year” and has recorded 11 albums on his own label, Red Vinyl Records. He has several clothing lines including the popular Native Style™ brand and a new recording label for up and coming Native artists, Litefoot Music Group. All of

which he runs with his wife of eight years, Carmen. And with all of this on his plate…Now, says the Cherokee Nation Of Oklahoma tribal member, it's time for him to give back even more than ever before — to Native American youths across the country. "We educate our children and fill their minds up with everything that we think they need to achieve in this world," Litefoot says, "but what good is that if their spirit's dead? You're filling up an empty shell. It's obviously not getting it all done." Litefoot has quietly grown a big fan base among kids on reservations, says friend and fan Derek Matthews, 54, founder of the annual Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in New Mexico, which is hosting the Reach the Rez fundraising concert stage."He makes a point of going to as many Native locations as he can every year," Matthews says. "The kids don't get anybody else. The kids come out to hear him, they purchase his CDs, they wear his clothing lines. Those are good indications that they are listening."

Inspiring kids on the rez

Others are listening too. Members of tribes impressed with Litefoot's commitment have helped financially back the ambitious Reach The Rez Tour.

"His message is good for our youth, so I help him out on the road every chance I get," says fan Jeremy Whipple, 23, a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in Connecticut. "It's keeping me out of trouble." Whipple believed so much in Litefoot's vision that he helped persuade the Pequot to donate $250,000 to the tour. Marjorie Colebut-Jackson, 44, councilwoman of the tribe, explains: "All of our youth look up to him. He has a unique and inspiring way of speaking to them." Another who was inspired is Winter Benton, 24, a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. "All of my friends are either dead or in prison out there," he says of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation in Wisconsin where he used to live. Benton first heard of Litefoot while going through rehab on a North Carolina reservation. "I had hit rock bottom in my life and was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I started listening to his music ... Litefoot taught me to be positive and proud of who I am." Modestly, Litefoot takes no personal credit: "I try to make them understand that they do have a purpose here on this Earth and that it will be enhanced, it will be fed, it will be brought into existence every single day through their prayers," he says. "Whatever 'prayer' means to them, they need to have that communication with their Creator."

What one reservation’s youth are saying about Litefoot’s message on the Reach The

Rez Tour

As the Reach the Rez Tour traveled throughout the United States last year, one very special stop came in November when the Reach The Rez Tour visited the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona. At San Carlos, Litefoot and all of the Reach The Rez Tour vehicles took part in the San Carlos Veterans Parade. Litefoot walked the entire parade route signing autographs, giving hugs and shaking hands. Monica from San Carlos Reservation said, “I wanna thank Litefoot for coming out on our rez... Teaching us to love & care for one another... He is a nice guy, great singer/actor. Im just so happy cuz I got a chance to meet him when he came to San Carlos.” Also from San Carlos Reservation Tish had this to say, ”Like to say your show was tight. Litefoot is definitely an inspiration to all Native youngstaz out here on our rez (SAN CARLOS) Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us..you've changed some lives (REALLY). We’ll be praying for you and your family…continue to spread the love.” And another youth from San Carlos by the name of Kai, had this to say, “It was a honor

to meet one of the Natives that’s doing the best to let other Natives know that it’s

possible to follow your dream. I give Litefoot much respect after having a little talk with him. But what he told our hood, I’ll tell everyone else…NEVER GIVE UP!!!! Peace Kai-San Carlos Apache. “

"His message is very inspirational," says Cori Silvey, 17, head of the Suquamish Tribe's Youth Council. "The situation here is not as bad as some reservations," she says, "but it's hard to get the youth to participate in activities and Youth Council because you have to be drug- and alcohol-free."

Ernest Stevens Jr., 46, chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association and member of the Reach The Rez Advisory Board who lives in Washington, D.C., agrees.

"A warrior is someone who's a leader, who conducts himself in appropriate ways,

respects his elders and the youth, and lives life to help people. Litefoot ... is a modern day warrior who's doing what he can to change American society, to appreciate the goals our ancestors set for us, but at the same time, accepting and embracing what today's culture brings to us. We need more Litefoots. We need more warriors."