Patricia Akicita Winyan Richards walks the Earth as a living prayer—her feet rooted in the soil, her heart open to the sky, and her hands extended in service to all living beings. Known by her Cheyenne name Moke', meaning Warrior Women, and honored with the Lakota adoption name Akicita Winyan, she carries the warrior spirit not as one who wages war, but as one who stands in fierce, unwavering love for Mother Earth and her creatures.

Her spiritual path has been shaped by the wisdom of many traditions, including nine years as a devoted practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism under the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in India. Those years wove into her being a deep reverence for all sentient life—a thread that runs through everything she does.

That reverence called her into action. From October 2016 through February 2017, Patricia answered the call of the water and stood as a Water Protector at Standing Rock—one of the most sacred and historic acts of collective prayer and resistance in modern times. It was there, in ceremony and solidarity, that the Lakota people recognized her warrior heart and welcomed her through adoption, gifting her the name Achita Winyan.

Her sacred work has carried her across the waters of the world. In January 2020, Patricia traveled to Morea, where she spent two weeks in prayer with the Whales—a profound communion that opened a transmission she had not anticipated. From that holy stillness, she began singing an Ancient Song, one that seemed to rise from the deep memory of the Earth itself. In February 2021, she was called to Nantucket, where she held Ceremony to honor and grieve all the Whales slaughtered for their oil and bones—bones that were once fashioned into the hoops of women's skirts—returning dignity and prayer to those whose lives were taken.

Throughout her journeys, Patricia has been met by tribal peoples from many nations, each asking whether she belonged to their Tribe. Her answer has always come from the same quiet place of truth: "I belong to the Rainbow Tribe." When they say they have never heard of such a Tribe, she explains that she represents the red, the yellow, the black, and the white—all people, all bloodlines, all children of the Earth united. She carries the prophecy that the world will be healed, and she feels deeply called to anchor prayers from as many sacred places across the globe as possible. She believes the animals will be exponentially supported and honored as these prayers activate important grid lines that have become distorted—restoring what has been lost to the land, the creatures, and the collective heart of humanity.

She is an Elder and Earth Walker—one who moves through this world carrying prayers for Mother Earth, for the waters, for the winged ones, the four-leggeds, and all creatures who share this sacred home. Her life is her offering.

Patricia has now been called to East Africa to bring her prayers to specific nature reserves as well as women caretakers from April 1 through June 15, 2026. The funds raised will support her travel, food, and accommodations, enabling her to carry out this divine mission for the animals, the land, and the women who care for them. As a veterinarian, Earth Walker, and co-founder of Veterinarians International, I can tell you the animals need these prayers now more than ever. Having witnessed decades of crimes—from poaching, to trafficking, to family separation—I am asking for your humble support to provide my Elder Patricia with the necessary funds she needs to carry out this mission. I also welcome you to send her your prayers to bring with her, to be delivered to Africa's wildlife. This is a time to give back, as the animals have given us so much.