10/11/2025
I kept noticing this man at a local coffee shop where I often go to edit. Each time, I’d catch myself thinking, one day I’m going to walk up to him and ask if I can take his portrait.
A few weeks ago, I saw him again. I was completely buried in work, but something in me just knew I needed to ask. So I did. And to my surprise, he immediately said yes—without even seeing my work.
During the session, I asked why he agreed so easily, and he told me it was because he liked my energy. Honestly, that meant more to me than any compliment about my photos ever could.
I loved hearing his story and learning about his culture. Moments like this remind me how grateful I am for the people and experiences my camera continues to bring into my life.
Please take a moment to read below about Steve Laravie Jr. and the incredible work he’s doing through his nonprofit.
Steve Laravie Jr., is a member of the Isanti Dakota and Ponca Tribes in the Great Plains of North America. He comes from the urban American Indian community of Lincoln, NE. Steve has devoted his life to the revitalization and representation of Isanti Dakota traditions and teachings. He has received a Bachelors of Arts in the field of Indigenous and American Indian Studies with an emphasis in Philosophy. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Blue Heron Tiospaye, a 501c3 non-profit that focuses on the activity of ceremonial lifeways, cultural programs, and prairie restoration practices of Indigenous and American Indian people. He pursues cultural advocacy, sovereignty, and issues pertaining to land, mineral, and water rights. He has a passion to ensure the existence and continuation of the original lifeways of the descendants of the original tribal people of North America.
