Support Claudia after car accident

Hello friends, I'm fundraising on behalf of my former student and friend, Claudia Iron Hawk. A woman ran a stop sign and ran into Claudia, totalling her car. The woman was uninsured. Both she and Claudia's insurance company have been unwilling to cover the damage, not to mention other costs like towing and possible upcoming legal expenses. These expenses and the lack of transportation is creating financial hardship for her to the point where her food and housing security is at risk.

I got to know Claudia when she taught the D/Lakota language and culture class that my kids took when she was an undergraduate student. It was a very impactful learning experience. She graduated with a double major in Anthropology and Native American and Indiginous Studies, winning awards for academic excellence and community service. She is now on her own in Berkeley CA, far from her home in Cheyenne River, doing a PhD program at UC Berkeley. Claudia is doing amazing and important work there focused on D/Lakota language revitalization. Many of us are so proud of her for her achievements in this prestigious program and of her commitment to contributing to her community. It's enraging to think that someone else's irresponsible act is now becoming such a major obstacle for her to overcome.

As a higher education professional, I know how a set back like this can impact a student's ability to complete their degree. Claudia is resilient, and I'm sure she will persist and overcome, but she should be able to focus on her important mission and goals instead of worrying about meeting basic needs. Please, join me and pitch in what you can to support her through the difficult time.

The funds raised through this GoFundMe will go towards the costs associated with the accident (such as towing, legal fees etc) and transportation costs.