Our mission
The Sunrise Project is an offshoot of the Reading Nation Waterfall Project. Currently, there are a total of four tribal communities that are part of the Sunrise Project: The Yurok Tribe, The Pueblo of Isleta, The Fort Peck Tribes, and The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
The Sunrise Project follows the same founding principles as the Reading Nation Waterfall Project. Three tribal community organizations form the three legs of the stool:
- Head Start Organization
- Elementary School Librarian
- Public Library
The “three legs of the stool” analogy is used to illustrate the importance of the participating head start program, elementary school library, and public library within the tribal community. Each leg represents a crucial component and is necessary for the stability and success of the Sunrise Project.
Goals
- Increase access to books and libraries for children and families
- Increase number of books and overall reading with parents/adults at home
- Increase the relevance and use of libraries for Native American communities
- Continue to build a lasting partnership with NIHSDA
Our collaborators
Like the Reading Nation Waterfall Project, Sunrise works in collaboration with several organizations to bring these goals to fruition:
- The National Indian Head Start Directors Association (NIHSDA) – The NIHSDA is the leading voice for American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) children in head start programs, with the mission of preserving indigenous identity. The NIHSDA helps Sunrise develop partnerships with head start program directors by introducing us to potential head start partners. From there, we begin to build a relationship with the head start program, elementary school librarian, and public library librarian.
- Unite for Literacy – Unite for Literacy believes literacy is at the core of a healthy community. They provide free digital access to picture books, with narration offered in many languages. For the Sunrise Project, they donate books. Upon graduation from the head start program, kindergarteners can register to receive books for 25 weeks at no cost.
- Little Free Library Indigenous Library Program – The Little Free Library Indigenous Library Program grants no-cost book-sharing boxes where needed most on tribal lands and in Indigenous communities in the United States and Canada. For the Sunrise Project, they donate Little Free Library boxes, each coming with an initial box of books.
tribal partners
The Yurok Tribe
The Yurok Tribe is the largest Indigenous Tribe in California. Their land is located in northern California, along the Redwood Coast and the Klamath River. There are currently 77 children enrolled in their head start program.
The Pueblo of Isleta
The Pueblo of Isleta is located 15 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, nestled in the Rio Grande Valley with a grand view of the Manzano Mountains to the east. They currently have 115 children enrolled in their head start program.
The Fort Peck Tribes
Most of the Fort Peck Tribes live on or near the Fort Peck Reservation in northeast Montana. The Fort Peck Tribes consist of two distinct Nations, the Assiniboine and Sioux, which are further divided into subordinate bands. Currently there are 118 children enrolled in the Fort Peck head start program.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians calls the Qualla Boundary, located next to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, their home. They currently have 201 children enrolled in their head start program.