MIT Solve

Basic Information

Our Solution

Wacinyeya Teca/ A New Hope

Our tagline:

Messages of Hope and Sovereignty in the spirit of Resistance

Our pitch:

1)We are looking to preserve our own nations sovereign mentality, language, histories, and imagery. To breathe life back into our self identity by utilizing and normalizing our own art, media, and messaging. Art and fashion can be the catalyst to reclaiming a positive self image. As well as addressing and giving a voice to issues in our societies. We also wish to continue educating our youth on using art to give voice but also add some degree of professionalism, exposing them to something 'state of the art' besides their cell phones. And asking them to participate in creating messages and imagery they feel are important today. We also seek to provide an option to indigenous businesses, programs, movements, memorials, schools, within the Oceti Sakowin and even beyond. Our solution provides an economic boost to the waning local economy. We are committed to making better decisions with our money and keeping those resources within our nation a little longer. Most spend their money off reservation or outsource to those that have the ability to solve problems or provide services.

2)Our project is requesting a professional garment printer, sublimation unit and an embroidery machine. We've researched several companies and have decided to use an L.A. based company called AnaJet. AnaJet provides the most state of the art and efficient "Direct to Garment" Technology, free tech support, software upgrades and training. Their equipment can print on any fabric, metal, wood, ceramic and plastics. Also we would like to use a Florida company called RiCOMA that make very efficient and durable Embroidery machines.

3) Self Identity is paramount to the health and well being of our nations youth. Inaccessibility seems to be at the forefront of addressing the lack of self identity and self esteem problems. Services are generally provided by a non member to our nation. We feel this will allow us to participate in our own narrative. Not only providing access to art, imagery and knowledge, but also keeping money and resources within our communities for at least one more step. Our cynicism in the system plays a role as well. We feel that seizing this opportunity, we can foster trust in business at the same time preserving traditional values and teachings and accelerating accessibility to our people.

4)Traditional mindsets are very distrusting of economic development. They feel these foreign structures have destroyed the old way of seeing the universe. Banking systems are just as distrusting because of our social structures and norms. Our "giveaway" traditions are in polarity to capitalistic success. Our relatives can barely get a bank loan for a trailer to live in, let alone for an actual home, a business or an idea. If an Indian were to be blessed and an opportunity present itself, we are generally 5-10 years behind the competition in all aspects of the economy. The Oceti Sakowin has been suffering from economic sanctions since the 1851 Laramie Treaty. 168 years of suppression of our abilities to network, trade,and provide.

Our solution's stage of development:

Growth

Where our project is located:

Saint Francis, SD, USA

About Your Solution

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Saint Francis, SD, USA

How we use technology in our project:

Using state of the art tech in screen printing will help tremendously with the efficiency of providing a service. It will also open up our accessibility to markets that usually outsource. Allowing artists to have an indigenous alternative for sharing their messages. Letting US hold the narrative. These products abilities will provide a competitive advantage in pricing.

At the end of the day we would like to provide MEDICINE. Something that will help the people feel good, and healthy sense of pride and hope. This tech will help us all honor the old, in the 21st century.

What makes our project innovative:

Merging traditional mentality with innovative technology is a rarity. Very few in the art and media world have been afforded this opportunity, and those that have, get easily swept away in building up themselves. Forgetting the community that desperately needs exposure to HOW its done and the energy and responsibility that comes with it. Top tech in a grassroots location will provide inspiration and motivation to all that we share this with. Most Importantly to compete with the "knockoff" products that nonmembers appropriate from us. Empowering our talents and voices in art and media, combating cultural appropriation

How our project will be accessible and affordable to our community:

It will save on outsourcing costs. Most with advance tech in this field live nowhere close to here and our relatives have to pay top dollar plus the shipping costs. This will allow a more localized access to their needs. And money staying within local venues can provide better relationships with better deals. Communication and understanding of clients needs can be processed more efficiently. We want to expose the youth to this, have them participate artistically and even receive payments for their creations.

We have made screen printed shirts, skirts, sweaters, etc., with different messages on them, for different events. We've done large banners by hand for protests and marches. How these images and messages have effected people is difficult to quantify. On a local level we have shared many hours at the high school on how to screen print, painting, ledger art. We are very hands on and allowing the youth to dive right in. We currently have some projects lined up to paint murals at programs on the reservation. We will seek to have children to participate in this.

Our future project goals:

Our overall goal is to create and educate. Providing to all an exposure to our own nations messaging and imagery, as well as participating in it.

This spark in artists will be the foundation of future entrepreneurships.

*Expansion of our company or the road map for entrepreneurs

*Internal growth will allow us to pursue proactive solutions

*Bring in local artists from all over the Oceti Sakowin and beyond.

*Fully solar and/or wind powered system.

*Holding the narrative. Indigenous people need to have their own say in who we are.

Highlights from our project:

Our artistic talent in this is SunRose IronShell who has Graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Sante Fe, as well as winning several awards and her own fashion show at the Sante Fe Indian Art Market. "Fashion and design by SunRose +Warrior Status+ is a fashion concept, trademark business focused on Native youth,and cultural sustainability."

She has tremendous access to other native artists who also encourage their own communities in self- identity and determination.

About Your Team

Partnership Potential