The Lakota were committed to maintaining their ways of life in the Black Hills, and they defended themselves with honor. The victory at Little Big Horn that followed was not a one-off, as history might have you believe. It was one of many, an event that exemplified their abilities as warriors, as they were forced to do time and time again as their lands were invaded and their livelihoods challenged. reports that it will bring the Academy's total number to 8,427. The forward momentum is encouraging, yes, but it begs the question: Why did it take so long to start inviting more women and people of color to begin with? It's possible that there was more to the shift thanwriter April Reign's viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite of her "first steps of freedom", showing her Converse sneakers mid-step. The battle didn’t mark the end of the fight. Our lands and resources were stolen, and we were moved onto reservations, forcing us into poverty that continues to this day. Some say the federal government’s bitterness against the Oceti Sakowin continues because of Little Big Horn, since we defeated the U.S. government militarily on “American” soil. They haven’t forgotten. Let our continued valiant fight to exercise our tribal sovereignty, our demand that our treaties be honored, and our fight to stop them from forcing construction of fossil fuel projects in our homelandsunder the point of a gunserve as a reminder: We have not surrendered.Happy Victory Day.Related: