Pathstar
“I firmly believe we as people — and I mean all people of all beautiful races — must stand together in each of our individual personal pursuits of a better quality of life. We must not only dream of positive change, but we must take action — with every step we take, every challenge we meet, every event we promote, every person that we involve, every individual, group, and community. The key to a healthier future is to keep succeeding in opening one door at a time and to never give up, because this is a never-ending process.” — Terry Mills, Oglala Lakota, six-time PATHSTAR Alcatraz Swim Week participant
October 14, 2024, marked the 21st anniversary of the first Pathstar swim by Richard Iron Cloud and Armando Black Bear. Their initial swim from Alcatraz to the South End Rowing Club located in San Francisco began an annual adventure now shared by many Indigenous people.
Pathstar’s event begins the week prior to the swim. The founder, Dr. Nancy Iverson, rents a beautiful home for the participants to share where they learn to cook nutritious recipes that will be easy to replicate when they return home. Yoga and meditation, as well as other wellness techniques, are taught by experts hoping to help fulfill their mission, which states:
PATHSTAR is committed to inspiring and revitalizing sustainable health and well-being practices within Native American communities by providing experiential learning opportunities.
KABF gave a seventh grant in honor of Pathstar’s 2024 participants. Five impressive men and women joined the ranks of returning participants who once again chose to face a week of committed exercise, diet and mindfulness. All were eager to learn more and take that knowledge back to their communities.
Jacob Cousin, like all the other four 2024 participants, sees Pathstar as a guiding light to better health, well-being and community. As Cousin told Dr. Iverson prior to the swim: "I’d like to participate in the PATHSTAR Alcatraz Swim Week because I see it as an incredible opportunity to push my physical and mental limits while connecting with other Indigenous leaders who share a commitment to health and well-being. The swim week represents more than just a challenge; it’s a powerful metaphor for resilience, healing, and transformation — values that resonate deeply with me and my work. I am eager to participate in this unique experience to honor my ancestors and to inspire others in my community to pursue their own paths of health and wellness."
Jacob Cousin’s first time with Pathstar was in 2015 as a 17-year-old. A member of the Oglala Lakota and Oglala Sioux Tribe, as well as being African American, Jacob, now 26, is pursuing a Master of Public Health at Brown University.
KABF is honored to be part of the Pathstar community.
For more information, visit their website: www.pathstar.org
