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Tokata Iron Eyes

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Tokata Iron Eyes
Iron Eyes at a climate forum at the Lakota People's Law Project in 2019
Born2003 or 2004 (age 20–21)[1]
NationalityStanding Rock Sioux, American
Alma materBard College at Simon's Rock
Known for
FatherChase Iron Eyes

Tokata Iron Eyes[2][3] (born 2003/2004) is a Native American activist and member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Iron Eyes was a youth leader of "ReZpect our Water", a campaign against the proposed route of the Dakota Access Pipeline, and served on the board of a sustainable energy group called Indigenized Energy. Iron Eyes is also a singer and songwriter.[4]

Personal life

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Tokata Iron Eyes is the child of Chase Iron Eyes–an activist, attorney, and politician–and Sara Jumping Eagle–a pediatrician and environmental activist.[5]

Iron Eyes attended the Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Reservation and Bard College at Simon's Rock.[6]

According to a statement made by their father in 2022, Iron Eyes is nonbinary.[7] Iron Eyes uses she/they pronouns.[8][7]

Activism

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Iron Eyes became involved in activism at age 9, when she testified against a uranium mine in the Black Hills.[5] At age 12, she spoke in a viral video advocating for action against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which later sparked the social media campaign, "Rezpect Our Water."[5][9] In September 2019, Iron Eyes met youth climate activist Greta Thunberg at George Washington University. Iron Eyes invited Thunberg to Iron Eyes' homelands, and the two held multiple rallies together in North Dakota and South Dakota throughout October 2019. The pair spoke at multiple locations including at Red Cloud Indian School, the Youth Climate Activism Panel in Rapid City, South Dakota, and at Standing Rock High School in Fort Yates, North Dakota.[2][10] Iron Eyes also served on the board of a new sustainable energy group called Indigenized Energy.[2]

Relationship with Ezra Miller

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See also: Ezra Miller § Relationship with Tokata Iron Eyes and alleged messiah claims

In June 2022, Iron Eyes' parents filed legal documents asking a judge to issue an order of protection against actor Ezra Miller on her behalf, due to Miller allegedly using "violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions, and drugs" including marijuana and LSD to hold sway over her. Although Iron Eyes was 18, due to tribal regulations Iron Eyes' parents were still considered her legal guardians.[1]

Iron Eyes' parents claim that an inappropriate relationship began between the pair in 2016, during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, when Miller was 23 and Iron Eyes was 12. They further claim, and photos document, that the year after the two met, Iron Eyes flew to London to visit Miller on the set of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In 2021, they dropped out of school, allegedly to follow Miller. Iron Eyes' parents also alleged in the legal documents that Miller caused bruises on Tokata and that Miller had given Iron Eyes a large amount of LSD in 2020. A response came via Tokata's Instagram account, denying the parents' allegations, declaring herself to be both mentally stable and in contact with a mental health professional.[11][12][13][14]

Their parents' countered by claiming their child does not control their social media. Iron Eyes stated in the video response that it's her own choice not to have a phone.[15][16][17] As of June 10, 2022, law enforcement was unable to locate Miller to serve them with the order.[18] Miller then posted messages on their Instagram account mocking the court's attempts to find them, but has since deleted them.[19]

In August, Miller's former music collaborator Oliver Ignatius stated that he had witnessed Miller verbally abuse Iron Eyes over her wearing makeup. She defended Miller by referring to the incident as "a catty comment" and a part of "queer dialogue"; she called the allegation of abuse "homophobic".

According to a September 2022 Vanity Fair article, the tribal court dismissed the request for a permanent protective order, and the parents say they withdrew their request for custody, believing the odds were stacked against them; the same article reports that Miller claimed to be Jesus, the devil, and the next Messiah, while Iron Eyes believed herself to be a Native American spider goddess. The article also claimed that Miller and Iron Eyes believe their relationship will bring about a Native American revolution followed by the apocalypse.[20]

Awards and recognition

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In January 2020, Iron Eyes was featured on Disney in an episode of Marvel's Hero Project as "Thrilling Tokata".[21] In May 2020, they were named one of the Ms. Foundation's 2020 Women of Vision, and she received the Peggy C. Charren Free to Be You and Me Award.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Court Is Unable to Locate Ezra Miller, Cannot Serve Papers". Vanity Fair. June 11, 2022. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ a b c Nausch, Natasha (October 7, 2019). "Who is Tokata Iron Eyes and why did Greta Thunberg come to the Dakotas to see her?". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Fowkes, Whitney (October 7, 2019). "Who is Tokata Iron Eyes?". KELOLAND.com. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Tokata Iron Eyes". Earth Guardians. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Manus, Tanya (May 19, 2020). "Ms. Foundation honors Tokata Iron Eyes". Rapid City Journal Media Group. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "Parents accuse Ezra Miller of using violence to 'hold sway' over their child". The Independent. June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Tenbarge, Kat (June 17, 2022). "Massachusetts court grants temporary protection order against actor Ezra Miller". NBC News. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  8. ^ tokata (@tokatawin) on Instagram
  9. ^ Petronzio, Matt (December 8, 2016). "How young Native Americans built and sustained the #NoDAPL movement". Mashable. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  10. ^ "Greta Thunberg and Tokata Iron Eyes on the Climate Crisis – Let's Green California". lakotalaw.org. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  11. ^ Tapp, Tom (June 8, 2022). "'Flash' Star Ezra Miller Faces More Legal Troubles". Deadline. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  12. ^ "Parents of 18-Year-Old Claim Ezra Miller Groomed Her, Want Court Protection". TMZ. June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  13. ^ updated, Corey Chichizola last (June 8, 2022). "Parents File Legal Docs Alleging The Flash Star Ezra Miller Is Putting Their Teenage Daughter In Danger". CINEMABLEND. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  14. ^ "18-Year-Old's Parents Say Ezra Miller Groomed Daughter, Who Claims Actor Gave 'Loving Support' and 'Protection'". Complex. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  15. ^ Tapp, Tom (June 8, 2022). "'Flash' Star Ezra Miller Faces More Legal Troubles". Deadline. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  16. ^ Chichizola, Corey (June 8, 2022). "Parents File Legal Docs Alleging The Flash Star Ezra Miller Is Putting Their Teenage Daughter In Danger". CINEMABLEND. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  17. ^ Price, Joe (June 8, 2022). "18-Year-Old's Parents Say Ezra Miller Groomed Daughter, Who Claims Actor Gave 'Loving Support' and 'Protection'". Complex.com. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  18. ^ Saad, Nardine (June 10, 2022). "As Ezra Miller grooming allegations deepen, court 'cannot locate or serve' the actor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  19. ^ Lang, Brad (June 15, 2022). "The Flash's Ezra Miller Deletes Instagram After Posting Memes Mocking Court's Attempt to Find Them". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  20. ^ Miller, Julie (September 18, 2022). "Ezra Miller's "Messiah" Delusions: Inside The Flash Star's Dark Spiral". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 19, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  21. ^ "Women of Marvel Talks Empowering Indigenous Youth with Tokata Iron Eyes". Marvel Entertainment. January 16, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
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  • The Indigenous Youth Fighting Against Environmental Destruction – "'Respect our water, respect our land, respect our people.' On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, 17-year-old Indigenous climate activist Tokata Iron Eyes struggles to balance her personal goals and schoolwork while continuing the fight for Indigenous rights and land back." Video by VICE
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