By Melissa Olson/MPR News

Native Sun Community Development Power CEO Robert Blake announced that the nonprofit organization will soon install a DC fast charger outside the Red Lake Nation Embassy, located near the intersection of Franklin and Cedar Avenues in south Minneapolis.

Blake said charging stations mean access for drivers and cleaner air for the neighborhood.

“I really do believe that that presents a much healthier lifestyle, one that reduces the health disparities that we see in our communities,” Blake said.

Blake said the idea for a network of EV charging stations started a few years back when he protested the construction of oil pipelines in North Dakota and Minnesota. Blake said it was then he knew he wanted to build an alternative “carbon-free” future.

“The whole idea here was that if they’re going to build oil pipelines, we’re going to build electric vehicle charging network pipelines,” said Blake.

Blake said his organization has already installed several charging stations in Red Lake and delivered more than a dozen vehicles to the tribe.

Red Lake band members Paula Prentice and Zoey Cook were guests at an electric vehicle social in June outside Red Lake Nation Embassy.

What’s an electric vehicle social? Think ice cream social—except instead of ice cream, guests can sit inside the demonstration vehicles and learn about the vehicle’s features.

Cook and Prentice weren’t shy. The two friends climbed inside a shiny, new, yellow-green EV van to inspect. Prentice tested out the horn. The van let out a loud, shallow “meep.”

“It’s got the cutest horn!” Prentice said.

Cook admired the van’s interior.

“I think, yeah, that’s a great idea. It’s really forward thinking. It’d be really cool to see our relatives using it, rolling up in electric cars,” said Cook.

The vehicle the two friends tested is part of Electric Nation, a project by Native Sun Community Development Power. The project aims to make affordable, clean transportation available to tribal nations while building green energy infrastructure.

The charging station outside the Red Lake Nation Embassy will connect neighborhood residents to a network of EV charging stations located on tribal lands in multiple states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Red Lake Nation Embassy is located on the ground floor of the Mino-Bimaadiziwin apartment building, sometimes referred to by residents and neighbors as ‘Mino-B.’

The apartment complex is the same place where a man was shot and killed in early May—just a day after three people were killed by a gunman about a mile away. Those events sent shockwaves throughout the neighborhood, which has historically been home to a large Native American community.

Blake said the new EV charging station is an investment in the neighborhood’s future. He said part of the proceeds from the new charging station will be given to Red Lake Nation Embassy to help pay for community programming.

“A lot of times, the outside world doesn’t want to invest in spaces like this, because they feel like it’s too dangerous,” said Blake. “I’m saying that this is the time we need to invest… to continue to support these communities and help them through these rough times,” Blake said.

Red Lake tribal secretary Sam Strong acknowledged the effects of the recent violence on the building’s residents and the surrounding community. Strong made the four-plus hour drive from Red Lake Nation to attend the social event and show his support.

“We’re going to be here to help guide our people out of the negativity that may arise in their lives,” said Strong, “And we’re here celebrating our embassy. We’re here celebrating our move towards sustainability, and we’re never going to stop that either.”

Blake said the new charging station will help all those looking to charge up their electric vehicles save a few bucks.

“It’s like fifteen bucks to fill up your EV.”

Blake said a vehicle like the one Prentice and Cook inspected will soon head up north to Red Lake to be used by one of the tribe’s youth programs.