The Crowd: Sioux gala functions as benefit and cultural exchange
“Orange County has never witnessed anything quite like this,” said Twila True, co-chair of the first True Sioux Hope gala, held Nov. 12 at the Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach.
True and her co-chair, Donna Pickup, welcomed about 350 friends for dinner and some unusual cultural immersion with the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe members of Pine Ridge, S.D. For True and Pickup it was a very personal event.
True, of Native American lineage, hails from the region, as does Pickup. Pickup recalls a childhood of segregation in a small town of mostly white residents adjacent to the Pine Ridge Reservation.
“Our view of life, our experiences were very limited,” she said. “While we did not interact with our neighbors regularly, we knew our fellow Native American people and considered them to be peaceful and loving. Clearly they were also very poor.
“Our different circumstances were just given, taken for granted. The small town of white citizens was not well off either. Economic hardships were evident, opportunity practically non-existent for both sectors of society.”
Pickup married her first husband at a young age. It was her passport out with her teenage South Dakota beau, who had joined the Air Force. Today she is the wife of Richard Pickup, investor, stockbroker and partner, with extended family, in the ownership of the Balboa Bay Resort, among other properties. The Pickup family success enables Donna Pickup to give back, making a difference in a way that connects her to her youth.
This all came about from a chance meeting with True. The dynamic True, businesswoman, entrepreneur and owner of multiple businesses including Twila True Watch Expo and Polished Perfect Salon, connected with Pickup while working for other civic and charitable pursuits. Discovering their common origins in South Dakota, the pair set out to make a discernible difference for the Pine Ridge tribe, considered the poorest place in the United States.
Before setting out to plan a major fundraiser benefiting the Pine Ridge tribe, True and Pickup funded the creation of an all-girls school on the reservation. It flourishes today, boasting a healthy student body of young girls exposed to a broad education previously unattainable.
True is married to international businessman Alan True. After making their considerable fortune working for many years in Asia, they recently returning to Newport Beach, where they first met and fell in love. A long and steady marriage includes a large family that includes adopted children.
The Trues have become significant donors to O.C. causes, important on the cultural and social map. The recent benefit for the Sioux was a clear example of their impact. Nearly $500,000 was raised from a one-night event, never before heard of on the local radar. Its success results from True and Pickup calling in the troops.
How did it work? First, a committee was formed to invite local power-players. Dana Chou, Jessica Cline, Katie Collins, Alison Cottrell, Debra Gunn Downing, Massy Farzine, Susan Franklin, Summerly Horning, Susan Karas, Deborah Keillor, Irene Martino, Sheila Melillo, Lourdes Nark, Kay Patel, Urvashi Patel, Angie Ripullo, Crystal Strait, Wendy Tenebaum, Nancy Wong and Linda Young all went to work spreading the word.
And it spread effectively. Donor underwriting came in from pharmaceutical boss Milan Panic, the Tenebaum Family, retail giant South Coast Plaza, hospitality investor Pacific Hospitality Group (PHG), Rutan & Tucker LLP, Silvergate Bank, and Pelican Point’s Sally and Randy Crockett. Also writing checks were Linda and Burton Young, Laura and Jesse Turley, Jodie and Paul Pani, Jerry and Yvonne Conrad, among others.
True and Pickup had a special purpose. Their goal was to bring the Sioux people, at least some, to the gala, introduce their culture to this community and bring about an awareness of the conditions under which they live.
Many Americans, predominantly on the West Coast, are under the impression that all Native Americans are well subsidized by government reparations and income from gaming casinos on tax-free Indian lands. Such is not the universal condition.
A contingent of the Sioux Tribe came by bus, some by air, to fulfill the True-Pickup plan. Many had never ventured beyond the reservation, others never out of the state of South Dakota. Seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time was a very special and emotional opportunity for most. They infused the gala with tribal dancing, set up a Native American artisan market featuring handmade goods, shared poetry and speeches describing their lives, and performed for the O.C. audience.
Former tribal President Bryan Brewer joined Bryan Brayboy, special advisor to the U.S. President on the American Indian Affairs, along with Native American actress Tonantzin Carmelo and VIP guests Jim Warne, Martina Garcia and Leynar Gomez and entertainment industry executive Shawn Imitates Dog.
The evening was presided over by the talented actress Julia Ormond, perhaps best remembered for her starring role in the film remake of “Sabrina,” co-starring Harrison Ford. Ormond, a United Nations goodwill ambassador, is also president and co-founder of the Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking (ASSET).
Addressing the crowd, she offered some words of hope:
“I am deeply concerned about the horrific conditions the people of Pine Ridge face every day and hope that I can inspire others to take action so that together we can provide them with a better future.”
Also addressing the dinner crowd were Saunie Wilson, Sioux tribal judge and educator Peter Strong, owner of Racing Magpie, and two of the True family children, Jamie Turning Holy and Brandon True.
To learn more, visit truesiouxhope.org.
B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
