Oaye Luta Okolakiciye (Moving Forward in a Sacred Way) is a Lakota-based nonprofit that promotes Indigenous approaches to healing from substance addiction, mental health challenges, and daily life struggles. Founded in 2015, the organization serves communities across seven states. Its primary focus is on Rapid City and surrounding tribal reservations where Indigenous peoples are overrepresented in youth and adult corrections, crisis centers, emergency room visits and high school dropout rates. In a region besieged by extractive mining, carbon pipelines, wildfires, and flash flooding – and the highest percentage of Native Americans living below the poverty line – OLO works to instill hope and promote wellness. Drawing on his 35 years in addiction and mental health work, founder Gene Tyon explains, “I could see the current system of helping youth and adults simply was not working. I wanted to serve youth in the Oaye Luta way – to reconnect them to traditional values and enhance their identity development.”
OLO offers a cultural community-based approach to substance and alcohol addiction and behavior health management. Among their many opportunities are Inipi (purification ceremony), Wopansi (spiritual assessment), and Woapiye (healing ceremony). Photo: oayeluta.org
Living in and coming from the community, the all-Indigenous team, 8 staff and 2 cultural advisers, brings first-hand understanding of addiction and historical and inter-generational trauma to their healing efforts. From their Rapid City office, they serve soup and meals, fellowship, and guidance daily and run 12-week programs that blend practical support, like financial training, independent living skills, legal advice, and job preparation, with traditional Lakota teachings and ceremonies based on seven sacred laws: compassion, humility, wisdom, generosity, fortitude, bravery, and respect. Working with the Rapid City Schools – where 75% of Indigenous youth drop out before 12th grade – OLO provides culturally responsive prevention, intervention, and continuum of care support to all 330 Native freshmen and their families at Rapid City Central High School. Looking ahead, OLO plans to build a residential center focused on rebuilding not just individuals but whole families and cultural connections.