Dakota Shananaquet

Dakota, a resilient and dedicated advocate, is creating a ReEntry Program for the Native American chapter in the Nation Outside NonProfit organization in Detroit, MI. Raised in a traditional and non-traditional Native American culture, Dakota’s Mother and ancestors faced severe sexual, physical, and mental abuse at boarding schools, negatively impacting the trajectory of her life.

Throughout her incarceration, she addressed the lack of religious and spiritual support for Native Americans, highlighting systemic issues within the prison system. Post-incarceration, Dakota focuses on trauma inflicted by boarding schools, advocating for sexual abuse survivors, and creating support systems for children of incarcerated parents, while continuing her education and public advocacy efforts