The Spirit Riders Foundation is a non-profit foundation* that produces multimedia state of the art audio-visual programming to educate, enlighten, entertain and to create positive understanding, hope and action among people and cultures. These materials are designed to foster harmony and understanding by empowering the human spirit, mind and body.

The profits from the Spirit Riders Trilogy will go towards Lakota Youth Education programs.

THE SPIRIT RIDERS FOUNDATION
Lakota Chapter

Communities in need, with an emphasis on their youth, will receive the profits earned from projects produced by The Spirit Rider Foundation. Our goal is to help build healthy, positive and empowered individuals who can contribute to their communities as a whole.

The first communities to benefit from The Spirit Riders Foundation are the Lakota Reservations of Standing Rock, Cheyenne River & Pine Ridge.

Profits earned from the documentary films Spirit Riders . . . Riding To Mend The Sacred Hoop, Peta Yuha Mani and Ride To The Little Big Horn will enable the Foundation to allocate monies toward Lakota Youth Education Programs as advised by the Lakota Board of Advisors. The Board of Advisors oversees the youth education programs on the named reservations.

To assist in providing up-to-date, accurate accounting records of all financial transactions involving grant monies awarded, a Certified Public Accountant will serve as treasurer for the Foundation’s donations to the youth education programs. The treasurer will allocate the funds awarded to the programs and maintain receipts of all program expenses.

As of September, 22, 2005, the Lakota communities have identified the following youth program needs:

—Veterinarian Scholarship Program: The Foundation plans to help fund the training of a Lakota individual to become a licensed veterinarian to serve the needs of Lakota communities. The Lakota Board of Advisors will select an individual from qualified candidates in the Lakota communities.

— Horse Whisperer Training Program: The Foundation plans to develop a horse training program, based on the horse whispering technique, for the Lakota people. Horse whispering involves creating total harmony and communication between horse and rider through a relationship built on mutual trust and respect. The Spirit Rider Foundation believes this training philosophy should be used by all of its program participants, and will engage experienced “horse whisperers” to teach clinics and workshops to help train Lakota youth in the technique.

— Kellyn Hill Scholarship Fund: In recognition of the late Kellyn Hill a youth Lakota Spirit Riders who showed amazing ability, perseverance and compassion. Each year the Lakota advisory board will identify a youth rider who exhibits outstanding qualities both as a horseman/woman and in his/her personal life. The Foundation will help to pay the youth’s higher education expenses.

— Digital Filmmaking Workshops: Moving Cloud Productions, in a joint effort with the Spirit Riders Foundation, will offer Lakota youth the opportunity to learn digital filmmaking. Selected youth will attend workshops using a film production model that includes storyboard development and scripting, filming, editing and all facets of post-production including how to market the finished film. These workshops will help provide Lakota youth with the skills and knowledge to create their own film projects and enhance their job options in the television and film industry.

— Spirit Riders Lakota Chapter Web Site: The Foundation will help create a web site to provide information about the projects listed above as well as other needs existing in the Lakota community. The site will serve as a vehicle for establishing educational, business and charitable avenues for the Lakota people. A web master with the appropriate technology skills will be hired to serve as administrator for the site.

— Lakota Youth Horseback Rides: The Foundation will help fund Lakota youth horseback rides to cover expenses related to the rides. Costs include supplying and maintaining vehicles, trailers, horses and riding gear.

THE SPIRIT RIDERS FOUNDATION
Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – MARIA MENDOZA
Maria is an American Indian Attorney practicing law in Washington DC.

VICE PRESIDENT – NICHOLAS MENDOZA
Nicholas is an American Indian Attorney practicing law in New Mexico.

PRESIDENT – JAMES KLEINERT
James is the Producer/Director of the Spirit Riders Trilogy.

SUSAN WALLITSCH
Susan is an Attorney

SUSAN JACKSON
Susan is president of Turtles Crossing Films,
a Santa Monica based Distribution/film company.

Lakota Board of Advisors

Standing Rock Lakota Reservation
Manaja Hill
Bob Gipp

Cheyenne River Lakota Reservation
Dana Dupris
Karen Ducheneaux

Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation
Mel Lonehill
Alex Whiteplume

Advisor to the Spirit Riders Board
Charlotte Black Elk – Lakota Attorney at Law

The Spirit Riders Trilogy is produced and directed by James Kleinert.
You can contact James by email.
For more information on James' work and for stock footage,
please visit movingcloud.com or email James.

© 2006 Spirit Riders Foundation Inc.
* Spirit Riders Foundation Inc. has applied for 501(c)(3) non-profit status pending approval from the IRS