Rural Ethnic Institute
"Come Let us celebrate the differences!"
Rural Ethnic Institute
"Come Let us celebrate the differences!"
About REI
The REI story
In 1975 an amazing thing happened in South Dakota. Three unlikely friends, one Rapid City businessman, one Oglala Lakota leader and one former Peace Corps volunteer--Bill Duhamel, Gerald One Feather and Tom Katus--came together to create a new initiative. They formed an educational non-profit organization, The Rural Ethnic Institute. Though diverse in life experiences, the three had one thing in common; a depth of character and belief to be strong in their own heritage and also be open to working together with people who have cultures and traditions different than their own. Their first project was an extraordinary production of TV documentaries to look at issues facing the Northern Plains region from American Indian and non-Indian perspectives in the same show. Issues ranged from energy development to race relations to historic understandings of treaties signed between the United States and Tribal Nations. The documentaries were spirited and eye-opening. They aired on an informal network of commercial TV stations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and parts of Minnesota and Colorado. The first initiative of REI was the Red/White Dialogue TV series hosted by Tom Katus and Gerald One Feather, brought to television with support of Bill Duhamel and selected broadcast colleagues. As REI grew, projects supported and worked for voter education, community dialogues, and documentation of family stories and histories--all initiatives to celebrate our differences and bring strength to individuals, our communities and democracy.
Our Mission
The Rural Ethnic Institute (REI) was founded in 1975 to enhance greater understanding of ethnic, cultural and racial groups, which comprise rural America by assisting these groups to:
• Reinforce and expand their own ethnic identity and heritage, and
• Expand their knowledge and appreciation of other ethnic groups.
Initiatives are accepted and developed on a rolling basis.
Northern Plains Tribal Voter Education Project
Voting is important
For 20 years from 1984 with the support of Willie Velasquez' Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project to the Northern Plains Tribal Voter Education Project (NPTVEP) in 2004, REI continuously engaged with tribal college and grassroot organizers in voter education projects. NPTVEP, supported grassroots voter registration, education and mobilization through the 16 Tribal colleges in Montana, North and South Dakota. In 2004, a 56% turnout in Montana resulted in the election of eight Native Americans to the State legislature. In South Dakota 5,134 new voters were registered with a record turnout of 65.1%. Since 2004, REI has continuously educated various tribal colleges and community organizers with conference presentations annually at the Lakota Nation Education Conference and previously at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) annual conference.
Our Directors
Dave Archambault, Sr.
Known across the country as the “Indian School Whisperer,” Dave has served the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as Councilman and has served as President of Sitting Bull College. Nationally, he has served as President of the American Indian College Fund.
David Archambault II
Dave served as Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe during opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Dave has been honored by Foreign Policy Magazine as a “Leading Global Thinker,” by the National Congress of American Indians for leadership & by Vermont Law School with an honorary Doctorate of Law. Dave is father of 2 and a husband of over 20 years.
William F. Duhamel
President of Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises (retired); founding Director of REI, & participant in Western Dakotas Pilot Project. Past Chairman, Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce. Served on the NAB Television Board of Directors, The 97 Television Stations Chairman, ABC Affiliates Board, CBS Radio Affiliates Board, and other numerous broadcasting boards.
Marvin Kammerer
President of Kammerer Lakota Foundation and third generation rancher. Hosted international indigenous rights, environmental and peace forums on his ranch, which adjoins Ellsworth Air Force Base. Served as participant in Western Dakotas Pilot Project.
Tom Katus, Managing Director REI
President of TK Associates International, founding Director of REI, oversees development and implementation of all of REI's programs & served as co-host of Western Dakotas Project and coordinated REI’s support to NPTVEP. Former Peace Corps Volunteer in President Kennedy’s first program Tanganyika I, Senior Director, Phelps Stokes Fund & founding Regional Manager for East Africa, African Development Foundation & South Dakota State Senator (2007-08).
Twila Martin Kekahbah, Deputy Director, REI
Former Chair, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, founding co-director of Turtle Mountain Community College. Director of Research and Development, United Tribes Technical College. Former program officer and National Fellow with Kellogg Foundation, Northwest Area Foundation and Fellow and subsequently Trustee of the Phelps Stokes Fund.
Ross Merrin
Ross Merrin has worked on the West Coast as a Film Distributer for MGM, Embassy Pictures and as Vice-President and Managing Director of the Western Division of Sony Pictures Entertainment. He is one of 3 board members of Intermedia-Communications for Social Responsibility and co-founder with Ralph Nader of Earth Fund, a non-profit umbrella group for environmental organizations.
Janine Pease
Janine Pease has served as Vice President for Indian Affairs, Rocky Mountain College, past President, Little Big Horn College and Presiding Officer, Montana Commission on Districting and Apportionment, which has resulted in parity of Montana State Legislators with the percentage of Native Americans in MT. Moderator for AIHEC Conference Native American Empowerment Forums. Coordinated Montana for NPTVEP (2024)