Kendra Elk Looks Back

Kendra Elk Looks Back is currently a freshman at Dartmouth College. Kendra grew up in a quintessential Rosebud household—members of her family spoke Lakota and ate food from government commodities. At a young age, Kendra found herself living with a white foster family and attending a predominantly white elementary school - where she was bullied and teased for her heritage and appearance; Kendra eventually returned home to Rosebud, but nothing was the same. Her life took another turn to the worse during high school after the death of her mother, from whom she adopted everything - her interest in the medical field to her knowledge and dedication to Lakota culture. Kendra is a Lakota speaker who believes in the revitalization of the language, as it is important to keep her culture alive as generations pass. At Dartmouth College, Kendra promises to continue to unapologetically occupy colonial spaces, advocate for Lakota people, and leave her mark in a system that was not originally designed for people like her.