👤 Vern Ashley

Vern Ashley (Dakota) was the first Tribal President of the Crow Creek Indian Reservation in central South Dakota, and later a member of the Crow Creek Tribal Council. An elder of 95 at the time, it was Ashley who told Diversity Foundation executive director Lyle Rustad what most needed attention at Crow Creek: "It's just a shame we don't keep these graves up, the cemeteries are one of many things that need attention at Crow Creek." That conversation began the Crow Creek Cemetery Restoration project.