Sarah Eagle Heart

Emmy Award Winning Storyteller

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Biography

If you could only use one word to describe Sarah Eagle Heart, it would be storyteller. It is foundational to everything she does, including her fight for social justice and as an advocate for Indigenous People. Read More >

Sarah is a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation and grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where she learned Native American storytelling traditions. She uses her storytelling skills as a public speaker, writer and filmmaker—sharing her traditional cultural knowledge to raise awareness and build strong networks, as well as fight for social justice. In 2019, she won an Emmy Award as a Consultant Producer for her work on Crow: the Legend. Inspired by the Native American legend, the animated short is an interactive tale of community and sacrifice exploring themes of self-discovery and selflessness.

Sarah is an internationally accomplished executive with a diverse background in tribal, corporate and non-profit organizations focusing on communications, marketing, program development, fundraising and advocacy with a unique vantage point to amplify impact. She is also an entrepreneur and philanthropic leader. In 2022, Sarah co-founded Zuyá Entertainment to share stories of her Lakota culture and worldview.

She is co-founder and senior advisor for Return to the Heart Foundation, an Indigenous women-led organization focused on resourcing innovative Indigenous women-led initiatives in the ecosystems of narrative change, healing, climate justice, civic engagement, and restorative and regenerative development. Her narrative change included civic engagement with Sisters Rising working with We Stand United and Justice for Migrant Women, as well as supporting traditional helpers and healers. Their organization has worked with actors and musicians like Anne Hathaway, Brooke Simpson, Mac DeMarco, Marisa Tomei, Mumu Fresh, Taboo, Tonia Jo Hall, Orville Pec, Piper Perabo and Portugal. The Man. She also co-founded the Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.

As a storyteller, Sarah enjoys utilizing innovative approaches and partnerships to amplify stories from grassroots communities, artists and movement leaders. In addition to Crow, Sarah has also produced PSA GOTV campaigns with StandNVote with Ruffalo and Sisters Rising with Hathaway and Tomei. She is currently executive producing a docuseries, producing a horror film and writing a drama film script. Her latest film, Lakota Nation vs. The United States, recently premiered at the Tribeca Festival in New York. She is executive producer, along with Ruffalo. It is scheduled to stream this fall to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in October and Native American Heritage Month in November.

Prior to this role, she served as the Team Leader for Diversity and Ethnic Ministries and Program Officer for Indigenous Ministry at The Episcopal Church, New York, NY. The Episcopal Church serves 2 million members in 16 countries. Under her leadership, The Episcopal Church became the first major denomination to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery focusing programmatic education and advocacy on accurate history, education, cultural teachings, healing and asset-based community development. Sarah supported various denominations in their renouncement of the Doctrine of Discovery, including the World Council of Churches. In 2012, The Episcopal Church successfully presented statements and oral interventions on the Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues with a coalition of NGOs from around the world.

Sarah has been a public speaker for over a decade. She won the 2017 American Express NGen Leadership Award as an emerging leader under age 40 who has already demonstrated significant impact in addressing society’s critical needs. In 2014, she was awarded the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s Top 40 under 40 for those who have demonstrated leadership, initiative and dedication and made significant contributions in business and in their community.

Sarah holds a B.A. in Mass Communications (print and multimedia emphasis) and B.S. in American Indian Studies from Black Hills State University. She also holds an M.B.A. (global management emphasis) from University of Phoenix. She currently volunteers on the boards of Women’s March, PRISM and We Stand United.

Sarah’s writing was featured in the feminist anthology, This Is How We Come Back Stronger released by Feminist Press in the U.K. and U.S. in April 2021. She also wrote a book on healing, leadership and advocacy with her identical twin sister/psychotherapist, Emma Eagle Heart-White. Warrior-Princesses Strike Back: How Lakhota Twins Fight Oppression and Heal Through Connectedness will be published in 2023 by Feminist Press. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

Crow: The Legend - Animated Short Film

Crow: The Legend – Behind the Scenes

Oyate Today Interview

Speech Topics

Native American Storytelling Traditions

Sarah Eagle Heart, a Lakota activist, author and producer, is a powerful storyteller who shares tales told from an Indigenous women’s perspective. In this talk, Sarah tells why Indigenous women are the center of their communities—organizing for their people—and the transformational healing and teaching through Indigenous stories. She also tackles stereotypes, how to create space for Indigenous narrative and why Indigenous women are the key to saving Mother Earth.

The Indigenous Experience

Sarah Eagle Heart is on a mission. A Lakota activist, author and producer, she is dogged about setting the record straight about Native American history through the power of storytelling. And she has done just that. Through her work, she has made a large impact on how Indigenous people are viewed and has brought healing to her people and their history. In this moving talk, Sarah shares the history of Native Americans and some of the great Indigenous leaders. She also connects how these stories and leaders relate to today’s value systems. This talk can be customized to go into specific, deeper topics, such as the forgotten and tragic history of Indigenous boarding schools, intergenerational traumas Native American communities are feeling today and missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Setting the Record Straight on Native American History Through Storytelling

It’s no secret that Sarah Eagle Heart is passionate about her work on behalf of Native Americans. In addition to working as Co-CEO of Return to the Heart Foundation, an Indigenous women-led organization focused on resourcing innovative Indigenous women-led initiatives in the ecosystems of narrative change, healing, climate justice, civic engagement, restorative and regenerative development, Sarah spends her time creating content and space to tackle stereotypes of Indigenous people through storytelling. It’s work that matters. In this talk, Sarah discusses her work on the award-winning animated short Crow: the Legend; working in VR and animation; her current projects with a number of celebrities; and how storytelling can change the narrative and help heal Native American communities.

Indigenous Holistic World Views

Mitakuye Oyasin is the Lakota amen. It means we are all related, we are all connected … to the two-legged, four-legged, winged and Mother Earth. This knowledge is inherent from the time we are born. We are constantly reminded that the world is bigger than ourselves. In this inspirational talk, Sarah Eagle Heart, a Lakota activist, author and producer, shares the Lakota creation stories, the importance of keeping them alive and how they connect to different values and world views.

Transforming Hearts

From the time they are young, the Lakota people are taught everyone is a leader and each person has an opportunity to help their people. That’s something that Sarah Eagle Heart has taken to heart as a Lakota activist, author and producer. In this inspiring talk, Sarah tells the stories of the great Lakota who have come before her, as well as the story of her childhood. She also shares how to transform hearts by the use of narrative and how we can each make the world a better place, no matter where we come from.

Empowering Women

Sarah Eagle Heart and her sister, Emma Eagle Heart-White, had one mission in mind when they wrote their new book Warrior-Princesses Strike Back: How Lakhota Twins Fight Oppression and Heal Through Connectedness: to help other women find a way through the barriers they face. It’s something they are deeply passionate about and have been since they were young. And with women’s rights seemingly slipping away more each day, they’re even more invested in ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment. In this talk, Sarah shares her own journey into activism for women’s rights—from the Indigenous women’s allyship with the Women’s March to the horrendous story of Missing Murdered Indigenous Women to leading the charge for pro-choice rights and women’s empowerment. Sarah also offers solutions and shows her audiences how we can all effectively raise our voices and create transformative social change.

Testimonials

“That was incredible. I wanted to thank you for presenting today. It was a joy and an honor to work with you. This event was by far and all around a success. I'm so excited for your book to be released! Thanks again!!”

- Google