Sacred Defense Fund

Sacred Defense Fund is a new Native-led nonprofit dedicated to protecting the lands, waters, and communities of Turtle Island. Sacred Defense Fund uses media storytelling, legal advocacy, and community organizing to fight for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. Our team is a collective of land defenders, water protectors, and knowledge keepers dedicated to the strengthening of our sovereign rights and defense of our sacred sites.

Headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sacred Defense Fund fights for Native Nations and their Peoples across Turtle Island, from coast to coast, from the mountains to the river valleys. From advocacy for Native rights and representation, to the preservation of cultural lifeways, knowledge systems, and our communities’ health, Sacred Defense Fund is at the forefront of fighting for justice for Indigenous Peoples, our future generations, and the Mother Earth we all call home.

Support Our Work

Sacred Defense Launch Party | Aug 18th 2024, Santa Fe NM

Sunday, Aug. 18: We held a launch party for the Sacred Defense Fund at Paradiso, Santa Fe! Our heartfelt thanks goes out to all the artists, influencers, and thought leaders who helped us make this an event to remember. We filled the room with music from a stacked lineup of Indigenous performers, stunning couture from Native designers, and a beautiful array of people representing tribal nations and communities across Turtle Island.

Chase Iron Eyes

Executive Director

Chase Iron Eyes is a life long advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental justice. As director of the Lakota People’s Law Project and co-founder of LastRealIndians.com, Chase was a key figure in peaceful resistance against the Dakota Access Pipeline. A member of the Oglala Nation from Standing Rock, he holds degrees in political science, American Indian studies, and law with a focus on Federal Indian Law. Chase’s work emphasizes the intersection of Indigenous sovereignty and environmental protection.

Jiah Dzentu

Director of Operations & Development

Jiah Dzentu (Dene) is a traditional hide tanner, youth advocate, and cultural facilitator from Liidlii Kue, NWT, Canada. They have worked with non-profits around the circumpolar Arctic to build impactful on-the-Land cultural programming for the last decade. Jiah helps ensure that Sacred Defense Fund operates smoothly and efficiently, managing resources and supporting funding initiatives.

Dov Korff-Korn

Legal Director

Dov uses legal strategy and movement building to safeguard Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. His work involves federal Indian law cases heard before the U.S. Supreme Court and proceedings on behalf of cultural practitioners, water protectors, and incarcerated elders. He holds a BA in government from Dartmouth College and a JD from the New York University School of Law, where he was a member of the American Indian Sovereignty Project. Dov is admitted to practice law in New Mexico.

Tokata Iron Eyes

SPOKESPERSON AND ORGANIZER

Tokata (Future) Iron Eyes is a fierce climate activist and member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, advocating for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice from an early age. Raised on Standing Rock and Pine Ridge Reservations, she blends Western and Indigenous teachings to challenge colonization and capitalism. Tokata continues to inspire global action against the climate crisis and fights for land back to Indigenous people.

Darren Thompson

Director of media relations

Darren Thompson is an award-winning journalist, artist, and organizer from the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Reservation in Wisconsin. For over 15 years he has championed tribal sovereignty and environmental justice through media work, including the National Congress of American Indians and Native News Online. Darren studied Criminology & Law Studies at Marquette University, where he also began his journey as a traditional Native American flute player.

Chris Sherertz

Video Editor

Chris is a cinematographer, database developer and video editor working with Native-led organizations, mainly the Warrior Women Project, Last Real Indians and Lakota People’s Law Project since 2008. His approach to visual storytelling centers narrators and the integrity of their narratives, and relationships with the storytellers are what have kept him connected to this work. Since 2016, much of his editing work focused on the Dakota Access Pipeline and related water issues.