Eriq Swiftwater is 19 years old and a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. As a freshman in college, Swiftwater studies Business Education and plays on his university’s football team. A graduate of Oelrichs High School in Oelrichs, South Dakota, he served as class president, set records in football, basketball, and track, and graduated as class salutatorian, receiving three academic scholarships, and one athletic scholarship to play football Black Hills State University. At the age of twelve, Swiftwater and his five siblings were placed in foster care, and separated into two different homes. He is currently involved with the South Dakota Gear Up program as Youth Guest Speaker, sharing his story and mentoring students in high schools across the reservation. Eriq Swiftwater is a freshman at Black Hills State University.