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Our History
The History of Native Sun Community Power Development and Electric Nation™
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In 2020, Robert Blake, the executive director of Native Sun Community Power Development, realized it was time to act in the Indigenous-led fight against fossil fuels. As a member of the Red Lake Nation, he felt a strong responsibility to take part in this struggle. After witnessing the brave resistance of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in 2015-2016 and then the indigenous resistance to the Line 3 oil pipeline from Canada that threatened his own Tribe and other Minnesota Tribes (see History of DAPL and Line 3 inset), he was inspired to imagine something transformative. Instead of another fossil fuel pipeline, he envisioned an electric charging station pipeline linking Tribal Nations along the traditional trading routes of Turtle Island (North America).
His vision led to the formation of Native Sun Community Power Development (Native Sun) and, shortly after, the concept of an "Electric Nation." This movement centers on assisting Tribal Nations in achieving energy sovereignty by generating and utilizing renewable energy on their sovereign lands to power their communities and vehicles.
Native Sun became a reality that same year, as Bob and others collaborated with like-minded organizations to engage with Tribes in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota (eventually adding Tribes in Wisconsin and Michigan to the effort). This led to a partnership between Native In 2022, Sun and the SAGE Development Authority in Fort Yates, North Dakota, successfully secured funding from the Department of Energy for the Electric Nation™ program.
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Electric Nation™ has since installed Level 2 and Level 3 public and fleet chargers at community-chosen locations on or near Tribal lands in the Upper Midwest, including Red Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux, Turtle Mountain, Cheyenne River, Pine River, Leech Lake, White Earth, Shakopee, Bois Forte, and Bay Mills. The sites serve diverse Tribal needs, including community centers, youth and women’s shelters, casinos, convenience stores, Tribal government facilities, agricultural centers, and other locations.
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Beyond electric vehicle charging and infrastructure, Native Sun's focus has expanded to include workforce development in sustainable trades and agrivoltaics, which combines solar power with food sovereignty. By utilizing the shared renewable energy available on Tribal lands and developing a Native workforce to deploy it, Native Sun integrates sustainable transportation and energy while helping community members improve their everyday lives, creating a model for sustainable systems worldwide that is guided by local voices.
Building on this foundation, Native Sun is positioning Electric Nation™ to grow beyond its initial funding period of a few years to become a multi-decadal project. This will ensure that all Tribal Nations, surrounding communities, and ultimately Seven Generations benefit from and contribute to a healthy and connected Turtle Island.
Solar Warriors (L-R) Robert Blake, Cody Two Bears, Chief Henry Red Cloud and Otto Braided Hair, Jr.
In the words of Mr. Blake, “When we heal our relationship with the environment, we heal our relationship with one another and ultimately with ourselves.”
The History of DAPL and Enbridge Line 3 that helped inspire Electric Nation™
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Indigenous water protectors from all over Turtle Island and beyond gained world recognition when they opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in 2015-2016—a project that intended to run an oil pipeline across Native lands and under the Missouri River, violating the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868.
