Ruth Hopkins Ruth Hopkins Ruth Hopkins is a Dakota/Lakota Sioux writer and enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe. She is also a biologist, tribal attorney, former judge, and co-founder of Lastrealindians.com. Ruth resides on the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota. @Ruth_HHopkins
The Federal Government’s Decision To Execute Lezmond Mitchell Is A Direct Affront To Tribal Rule The execution of Mitchell against the will of the Navajo Nation only perpetuates the U.S.’s dreadful history of colonial violence and oppression of Indigenous peoples. Ruth Hopkins Aug 19, 2020
Trump’s Planned Trip To Mount Rushmore Puts Lives And A Fragile Ecosystem At Risk The July 4th event will only serve to endanger the Black Hills National Forest, spread contagion, and continue the president’s pattern of sowing hatred and division. Ruth Hopkins Jun 29, 2020
COVID-19 Infections and Deaths Among Natives Are Underreported. It’s Time For State Health Departments To Step Up. While 80 percent of state health departments are recording race as part of their COVID-19 statistics, around half are not including Natives and are simply labeling them as “other.” Ruth Hopkins May 26, 2020
South Dakota Governor Doubles Down On Her Anti-Native Reputation By Targeting Tribes’ COVID-19 Checkpoints Governor Kristi Noem’s threat to sue two South Dakota tribes shows the callousness of her coronavirus plan, which seems to encourage exposure and prioritize the economy over the lives of at-risk Natives. Ruth Hopkins May 11, 2020