After months of collaboration, planning, and building, the Akisni Warrior Lodge officially had its Grand Opening inside the walls of James River Correctional Center on September 30, 2024!
Check out some of the media coverage from the big day:
Joining us in celebrating were First Lady, Kathryn Burgum, Lieutenant Governor, Tammy Miller, North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Director, Colby Braun, and many other incredible supporters and partners of our program.
What started as a program exclusive to Alaska led by the Southcentral Foundation, quickly progressed to dreams of bringing the highly successful program to the lower 48. Southcentral and F5 Project started conversations in 2023 and, with the additional financial start-up support from the Helmsley Charitable Trust, were able to bring it to the James River Correctional Center. The program emphasizes Native American traditions and history, using tools such as Native languages and sweat lodges to create a therapeutic community to help inmates confront their past and find a path forward. The hope is that if the program continues to succeed it will be able to spread to other states.