Native Newspaper Needed
Donation protected
My name is Elaine Jones and I am a Member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. I have grown up on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in SD. I have also lived in San Jose, CA for two years and Wagner, SD for a year. I have always returned home. I am pursuing my dream of being a writer and an owner of a legitimate LEGAL newspaper on my Reservation.
I entered the newspaper industry in 2006 as a reporter/photographer. I had never written for a newspaper before. It is very enjoyable work, getting to go to all different kinds of events, meeting new people, getting to see the families' and their children's faces light up when they see photos of themselves in the paper. It is a great experience. Most of all, I love the writing. While living in California I took photography classes which came in handy as I entered my new found profession.
I left the Reservation, in 2011, for Wagner SD. I was a single mother and I wanted to make sure my children had a bright future ahead of them. I had to set a good example. I went back to school and began pursuing my Bachelors in Business Administration at Ihanktonwan Community College in Marty SD (just a 10 minute drive from Wagner).
Upon returning back to Rosebud I met my Husband who completed our family and gave me strength and support to follow my dreams. I took my job back with that first newspaper, this time I was manager but because of short staffing I did almost everything, wrote stories, except sports stories which were writen by a very good seasoned writer. I took care of the office, did the financial books weekly, made weekly deposits. I sold and built advertising. I laid the paper out for print but I always came back to writing.
There wasn't anything I didn't do there. Myself and the other employee did the deliveries of the paper. After leaving the newspaper I took a break from Sinte Gleska University where I was continuing my degree.
More recently I was hired by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Communications dept. to handle the Tribal Newspaper. I was an emergency hire for 90 days which was supposed to turn into a full time position but it did not happen because of short funding. I had plans to make the RST Newspaper, The Sicangu Eyapaha, a legal, self-sustaining business and expand readership to Tribal members off the Reservation thru mail subscriptions but because my time ran out I wasn't able to complete my plans.
I want to start my own Newspaper and I need your help. Todd County, SD is completely covered by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. I want to start a legitimate newspaper that reports the facts and is objective. I want to make it a "legal" newspaper as the only other "legal" newspaper in Todd County, The Todd County Tribune, is owned by a non-Tribal Member from Martin, SD.
I'd like for my people to have a newspaper that is their own. One where they can voice their concerns, be heard.
I want Tribal issues and all other Tribal news better covered instead of one "fluff" piece here and there. I want our culture put out there for all to read. With RST Members being the majority of people living in Todd County, I want us to have our own LEGALLY recognized Newspaper focused on Native News.
I entered the newspaper industry in 2006 as a reporter/photographer. I had never written for a newspaper before. It is very enjoyable work, getting to go to all different kinds of events, meeting new people, getting to see the families' and their children's faces light up when they see photos of themselves in the paper. It is a great experience. Most of all, I love the writing. While living in California I took photography classes which came in handy as I entered my new found profession.
I left the Reservation, in 2011, for Wagner SD. I was a single mother and I wanted to make sure my children had a bright future ahead of them. I had to set a good example. I went back to school and began pursuing my Bachelors in Business Administration at Ihanktonwan Community College in Marty SD (just a 10 minute drive from Wagner).
Upon returning back to Rosebud I met my Husband who completed our family and gave me strength and support to follow my dreams. I took my job back with that first newspaper, this time I was manager but because of short staffing I did almost everything, wrote stories, except sports stories which were writen by a very good seasoned writer. I took care of the office, did the financial books weekly, made weekly deposits. I sold and built advertising. I laid the paper out for print but I always came back to writing.
There wasn't anything I didn't do there. Myself and the other employee did the deliveries of the paper. After leaving the newspaper I took a break from Sinte Gleska University where I was continuing my degree.
More recently I was hired by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Communications dept. to handle the Tribal Newspaper. I was an emergency hire for 90 days which was supposed to turn into a full time position but it did not happen because of short funding. I had plans to make the RST Newspaper, The Sicangu Eyapaha, a legal, self-sustaining business and expand readership to Tribal members off the Reservation thru mail subscriptions but because my time ran out I wasn't able to complete my plans.
I want to start my own Newspaper and I need your help. Todd County, SD is completely covered by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. I want to start a legitimate newspaper that reports the facts and is objective. I want to make it a "legal" newspaper as the only other "legal" newspaper in Todd County, The Todd County Tribune, is owned by a non-Tribal Member from Martin, SD.
I'd like for my people to have a newspaper that is their own. One where they can voice their concerns, be heard.
I want Tribal issues and all other Tribal news better covered instead of one "fluff" piece here and there. I want our culture put out there for all to read. With RST Members being the majority of people living in Todd County, I want us to have our own LEGALLY recognized Newspaper focused on Native News.
Organizer
Elaine Jones
Organizer
Rosebud, SD
