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Date Posted: 09:55:16 04/09/01 Mon
Author: Adv Reporter
Subject: Youth told they are all Pre-Judge-Ists

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
YOUTH TOLD THEY ARE ALL PRE-JUDGE-ISTS

Youth told they are all pre-judge-ists

By Heidi Bell Gease, Journal Staff Writer

RAPID CITY — More than 575 students from a handful of states are spending the
weekend at the Indian Youth 2001 Conference, studying issues they will face
as future leaders.


"Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow" is the theme for this year's conference,
sponsored by the Blackpipe Youth Council, Crow Creek Tribal Schools and Lower
Sioux Indian Community of Morton, Minn.


The conference kicked off Thursday with a tipi-building contest,
Lakota-language bowl, hand games and other contests.


Friday, students attended sessions on topics ranging from alcohol to gangs to
racism, before an afternoon field trip to Bear Butte.


Terry Star, a tutor at Todd County High School, spoke to students about
racism and about the prejudice that precedes it. "Who in here is prejudiced,
raise your hand," he said. When a few hands went up, he continued, "The rest
of you are lying."


Star said it's human nature to "pre-judge" things and people. What's
important is that we don't take negative actions based on those
pre-judgments, he said.


Education is the key to understanding others, he said. "It's important to
know our own history ... but equally important to go out and learn about
somebody else's culture."


Star has studied Irish history, and he told students that the Irish were once
considered to be on the low rungs of society, just as Indians were. "They had
it just as bad," he said.


Star said that students at Todd County aren't split by race. Instead, they
tend to form friendships and cliques based on shared interests and musical
tastes. Students are bothered to find that parents and community members tend
to be more divided along racial lines, he said.


"We want to show our community here that we're a family within our walls,"
Star said.


In parting, Star told students to try to overcome their own biases through
education. "Go out and learn about somebody else," he said. "They're just as
scared of you as you are of them."


The conference continues Saturday with more speakers, afternoon visits with
Indian elders and other activities. It concludes Sunday with a brunch and
honoring ceremonies.

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