About — Jordan Marie Daniel

Proud Lakota Winyan: Finding my Voice.

Lakota winyan, Community Organizer + Professional Athlete Advocate + Storyteller: Heart worker + Trail/Marathon + Garmin Running Ambassador + Portugal. The Man Foundation Advisory Member + Runner’s For Public Lands National Advisory Council + ReNew Earth Running Board Member + Public Speaker + #RunningForJustice for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives x Black Lives x Asian Lives x Lives taken or experiencing racial, social and climate injustice + #RunningWithPurpose

Han Mitakuyepi / Hello, my relatives!

It’s been an exciting couple of years: I’m a new mom to 4 month old twin girls, a fun 2 year old and I’m married! So much has happened this year that I am truly blessed for. It’s a lot to juggle, and still busy as ever, but sharing in it all with my babies and partner makes it all worth it.

A little about me:
I was born in South Dakota and raised with my tiospaye (my family) in Lower Brule and Chamberlain, SD - I was surrounded by my family, my culture, and ceremonies. When I was 9, I moved to Maine, where I experienced racism for the first time and struggled with my Indigeneity, as a Lakota woman and as a woman of color in a place that did not have diversity or the culture I was raised in. I wanted to fit in, not stick out, and was ashamed of my brown skin. That’s where running showed me, it was about how you show up to the start line and finished - not about the color of your skin. It was a community I felt accepted in. As a fourth generation runner, it connected me to my family but was also my place to escape to and disconnect from Jordan, the Lakota and brown skinned girl. It wasn’t until college that I finally loved me, my brown skin and who I was as a Lakota winyan (woman).

However, I saw something I never saw before growing up. Every time I came back to my homelands in the summers during school, I saw the racism in South Dakota, I saw the health disparities my relatives were experiencing, and other racial, social, and economic problems. Despite having this perspective, I saw the beauty of my relatives, of the community, and the resilience that is present not only here with my relatives but as I’ve grown up and visited other Nations - that resilience exists in all our communities. That is what I focused on and it gave me hope for a better future that includes Indigenous folx.

This led to my dream in 8th grade of moving to DC and being an advocate for my people, for all Indigenous people. I didn’t know what that would look like, but at that age, it meant getting there and working on the hill to influence policy or working with Native-led organizations. All throughout school and college, I had my running. It is where I felt community and felt that it was up to me, to show up on the start line and do what I could - what I trained for. It was being a fourth generation Brings Three White Horses runner and continuing this family legacy. From running at a D1 level in college - running with New Balance Boston - New Balance Pacers - forming Team 1ndigenous with New Balance and to running with Altra Running Team Elite, RabbitPRO runner, On Running, Garmin Running Ambassador, Janji Field Team Athlete, and Ultimate Direction Ambassador - I am representing Indigenous athletes and relatives, the BIPOC community in these spaces. I will continue to speak and represent my community and advocate for diversity, inclusivity and justice for Indigenous, Black, Brown folx within this spaces. These opportunities of sponsorship are never just for me, it’s for the communities I am part of and representing as well.

HEART WORK:
In 2013, I moved to DC. My dream was happening. I was on the Hill advocating. I was supporting Native led programs and organizations as they were doing what they thought was best for their community. I was there as an organizer and founder of Rising Hearts - which was born out of the Standing Rock and the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. I am an organizer. I am a voice. I am a connector - working to uplift and center Indigenous, Black, and Brown voices within our communities and spaces to demand justice, visibility, and respect as it intersects across all climate - racial - social - and economic justice movements. In 2017, I moved to Tongva lands / Los Angeles, CA to continue this work and be part of community. After 5 years, a new little family of my own, we came back East. Now I am continuing this heart work from Tongva Lands / Los Angeles, CA, back on Piscataway + Nacotchtank lands / DC area, expanding my circle, meeting more amazing and inspiring folx, helping to contribute to the collective expansion of our movements, demanding justice, respect, visibility, and equality. To read up on and listen to more about the work I do and platforms I am creating, click here for a list of publications and podcasts!

Finding her stride helped fourth-generation runner, Jordan Daniel, give her running a new purpose: To raise awareness and draw support for the initiatives she believes in. She tells us about the causes and issues near and dear to her heart that helped her find her stride, how finding purpose can help you find yours, and how to make it meaningful, fun, and fulfilling.

#FindYourStride

Most Recent Participation
127th Boston Marathon 4/15/23

On Sunday, I dedicated my entire race to Andre “Dre” Starr and his family. Andre has been missing since 10/17/22 in Oglala, SD on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Lila philamayaye to my sister @agneswoodward for helping to connect me with the family and blessing this opportunity to run for Dre and help amplify his name, story and his family to hopefully, BRING ANDRE HOME. PLEASE SHARE THE FLIER (see stories to screenshot)!The trail half started out beautiful as we ran towards the sunrise. However, as we entered the sense forest and rugged terrain with all the leaves and holes everywhere, 5 miles in, I rolled my ankle pretty badly. Still, I kept focus to run, to be cautious, and to finish.I ran for me.
I ran for Andre.
I ran for Indigenous communities.
I ran to bring awareness to what’s important to me at a race like this.
I ran to bring attention to post partum runners who are still breast/chestfeeding and needing the support to be able to pump before the race begins.
I ran to bring awareness to the lack of representation of diverse runners I don’t see at Spartan.
I ran with Manahoac, Occaneechi and Saponi lands.
I ran to bring awareness of whose lands we run with and the peoples who are still here and connected with them.
I ran to connect with Spartan organizers to begin the conversations of how we can make this space more accessible, diverse, safe, affordable & inclusive, including the spectators.And lastly, I ran for Čhaské. We are a couple days shy of them being 9 months. They spent 9 months in my womb, running with me, and now, 9 months out. So carrying him across the finish line, to celebrate being a mom, to honor him, and share this moment together, means the world. 9 months later, we are are doing it!We medaled. 1st in age group. 2nd overall female. So much love to my coaches @mountainendurancecoaching_ @margaret_t_spring & @annamaeflynn ! And deep appreciation to my husband @devinwhetstone for driving me at 4:30am and my parents for coming and bringing Čhaské to see the finish and support me!

Kodiak Ultra Marathons 13.1 8/20/22

On August 20, 2022, I participated in my first official race, since 2019 - all thanks to the pandemic and bringing sacred life into this world! I’m 6 months post-partum. I represented my community, I ran for Kaysera Stops Pretty Places who was murdered 3 years ago, and helped bring awareness to her campaign that I’m collaborating on with her family, NIWRC, Sovereign Bodies, Pipestem Law and community.

I also represented my organization Rising Hearts and our Running on Native Lands program to bring a land acknowledgement to this event for the first time.

#JusticeForKaysera // Say her name: Kaysera Stops Pretty Places :heart:

Honored to run for Kaysera and her family for my first race back post partum at the 2022 Kodiak Ultra Marathons in the 13.1 trail race! No expectations. Far from the fitness I want to be at. But bigger purpose in my run on the trails that day. Happy to see my loves at the finish line!

Kaysera was murdered in August 2019 - she was 18 years old. No justice, no answers. She is loved. And her family continues to fight. I’m grateful to be working with the family, @niwrc @sovereignbodies and Pipestem Law to organize the 3rd annual run/walk (virtual and in person). Please sign up for the virtual/in person run and participate in the many actions listed on the registration site:

13.1 Actions to Take:

1.) 8/26: (in a few minutes!!!) Dr. Grace Bulltail (Kaysera’s auntie) hosts Facebook live event with a panel that provides an update on Kaysera's case/introduction to justice actions starting at 12pm CST/11am MST. Join via the #JusticeForKaysera Facebook Page.
2.) 8/27: Join Kaysera’s family for an online screening of MMIP films with a talkback panel.
3.) 8/28: Join Waking Women Healing Institute for a Facebook live event with a panel on MMIP mapping and what has, and has not, been done w/Kaysera’s case. 12pm CST/11am MST
4.) 8/29: Join Kaysera’s family for an in person rally in front of the Courthouse in Hardin, MT. 11am MST
5.) 8/30: Join NIWRC for a Twitter storm at 2pm EST/12pm MST using #JusticeForKaysera
6.) 8/31: Write a letter to Governor Gianforte
7.) 9/1: Sign the Change.org petition
8.) 9/2: Write a letter to Senator Tester
9.) 9/3: Write a letter to Senator Daines
10.) 9/4: Write a letter to MT Attorney General Austin Knudsen
11.) 9/5: Join the Sovereign Bodies Institute for an-person event in Montana. Location and time TBD
12.) 9/6: Write a letter to Sheriff Big Hair
13.) 9/7: Write a letter to Secretary Deb Haaland
.1) 9/10: Write a letter to the FBI

NOTE: Draft letters or petition can be found via registration site or justiceforkaysera.org

** Running on Yuhaaviatam lands or “People of the Pines”, a clan of Maara’yam (Serrano)