Marcus Red Shirt (they/ them/their; Lakȟota name: Wóuŋspe Khuwá- “Chases Knowledge”) is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They are currently a rising sophomore attending Haskell Indian Nations University working toward a BA in Native American Studies. Marcus is a published poet, spoken word artist, aspiring scholar, and Indigenous activist.
Marcus was actively involved in the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock, North Dakota where they experienced the effects of police militarization. After graduating, they will receive a JD in Tribal Law and MA & PhD in Indigenous Studies. Marcus’ scholarship as an academic will be focused on the intersections of sexuality, queerness, kinship, and colonialism.
Marcus has starred in numerous films, been published in Smithsonian Magazine, performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, was named South Dakota Youth Ambassador by Youth Service America, and has a TEDx talk on Indigenous knowledge and art. Marcus loves meeting new people and hopes to talk and connect with fellow advocates during their time with FCNL.
