Lisa Thompson-Heth | 2015 National Crime Victims' Service Awards Tribute Video

LISA THOMPSON-HETH: It's such an honor to be able to work with victims, and to be able to listen to them and to tell them that, "You don't deserve any of that– what happened to you." 

Wiconi Wawokiya is located on Fort Thompson, which is the main hub on the Crow Creek Reservation. We're a domestic violence shelter with a co-located child advocacy center. That, in itself, makes it unique. 

I was a victim of a sexual assault. There's a lot of healing that I have gone through, and things that I've experienced that have helped me to become a stronger person, to be able to advocate for other people and to help them. 

I love a challenge. I love a challenge. Like, "You know what? We could do it, 'cause I have faith." 

When I stepped into the director position, I really didn't know anything about grant writing and that. But you know what? Creator God knows about all those things. I'm blessed now that our organization has grown, and we provide a variety of different services and we do a lot of education awareness to the community and try to give them what they want. And it makes a huge difference. 

Sometimes you can't just treat, you know, just the one person. You have to treat the whole family. We see a lot of the hurt and the pain that people go through. But when they learn and grow and they've gotten out of that abusive situation, and to see them, it is so beautiful. 

And here I am. Here I sit. I mean, it just makes everything worth it.