‘You Need a Dream To Fix Broken Wings.’

Olympic great Billy Mills (Lakota) believes dreams can come true.

His dream certainly came true when he crossed the finish line of the 10,000-meter race at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo to win a gold medal. Not expected to win, he shocked the world when he came from behind to take first place.

Crossing the finish line and winning gold were longtime dreams for Billy. Seeing it come true changed his life forever.

But it changed more than Billy’s life. That moment propelled him to change the lives of thousands of other Native Americans in Indian Country, as well. In the ensuing years, he became a businessman and a national spokesperson on Native issues.

In 1986, he started a non-profit organization called Running Strong for American Indian Youth. He joined forces with Eugene Krizek, founder of Christian Relief Services. Since then, the organization has raised millions of dollars to help provide basic needs for poor Native Americans. Running Strong helped to feed, provide heat, and educate young Indigenous people.