Kevin Killer (Oglala Sioux) (born May 4, 1979) is a Native American activist and politician. He served as president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (2020-2022). He served as a Democratic member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2009 to 2017 and the South Dakota Senate from 2017 to 2019, representing the 27th district.[1] He lives in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
Kevin Killer | |
|---|---|
| 44th President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe | |
| In office December 4, 2020 – December 9, 2022 | |
| Vice President | Alicia Mousseau |
| Preceded by | Julian Bear Runner |
| Succeeded by | Frank Star Comes Out |
| Member of the South Dakota Senate from the 27th district | |
| In office 2017–2019 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Bradford |
| Succeeded by | Red Dawn Foster |
| Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 27th district | |
| In office 2009–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Bradford |
| Succeeded by | Steve Livermont |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 4, 1979 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Oglala Lakota College |
In November 2020, he was elected president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.[2][3] He was defeated in his 2022 re-election bid by Frank Star Comes Out.[4][5]
Early life and education
editKiller grew up in Denver, Colorado, where his father Francis (Oglala Sioux) was a CPA.[6] His mother Janice (Kiowa tribe) is from Oklahoma. When young, Killer returned to his father's Oglala people on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation every summer, in order to know them and the land. After his father died when Killer was 20, he was helped by mentors.
Killer graduated from Oglala Lakota College, a tribal college.
Career
editIn 2004, as an aide to then United States Senator Tom Daschle, he had his first experience in politics.[7] The first Tribal College Fellow for Young People For, a youth leadership development organization, Killer expanded the group's tribal college network in 2009 into a Native American-led group called the Native Youth Leadership Alliance.[8]
Killer was first elected to the South Dakota state legislature as a Representative in 2008. He served on the House State Affairs Committee, which has an important role in moving legislation forward, and its Judicial Affairs Committee. In 2016 he was elected to the State Senate from District 27.[7] In 2015, he was a Bush Fellow.[8]
Since 2010 he has been director of the Native American Youth Leadership Alliance, which seeks to build youth leaders among the people of the reservations.[9] Killer has noted that a high percentage of residents on the reservations are under age 18.[7]
In 2019, Killer became a senior fellow at Prism.[10] He is noted as being the co-founder of Advance Native Political Leadership, a non-profit that aims to expand indigenous representation in elected and appointed offices across the United States.[11]
Concurrent to his political work, Killer has been involved as an actor and executive producer on two short films, Running Shadow and Istinma.[12]
Personal life
editHe is in a relationship with Sarah Eagle Heart (Oglala Sioux), a non-profit leader, film producer and activist also from the Pine Ridge Reservation.
References
edit- ^ "South Dakota Legislature".
- ^ "Kevin Killer Elected President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe". Native News Online. Grand Rapids, Michigan. November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ "Unofficial Oglala Sioux Tribe primary results". Native Sun News Today. Rapid City, South Dakota. October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- ^ "Star Comes Out New Prez - Lakota Times". Lakota Times. November 10, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ Nelson, Nick (December 9, 2022). "Oglala Sioux Tribe inaugurates Frank Star Comes Out as new President". KENV. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- ^ staff, Kevin Woster Journal. "Kevin Killer profile". Rapid City Journal Media Group. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- ^ a b c Woster, Kevin (February 17, 2013). "Kevin Killer profile". Rapid City Journal. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
- ^ a b "Leadership in Government Fellowship". www.opensocietyfoundations.org. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- ^ "A call to enter politics becomes a lifelong mission to lift up Native communities". www.ourprism.org. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- ^ "Prism | Kevin Killer". www.ourprism.org. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- ^ "Kevin Killer". IMDb. Retrieved October 29, 2019.