2025 Voice of Change Awarded to Diana Burd of Browning, MT

Posted Aug 28, 2025

Western Native Voice

When Diana Burd accepted the Voice of Change Award, she did so not for herself but for her community. As a member of Two Powers Land Collective—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to honoring Amskapi Piikuni horse culture—Diana is the founder of Holding Hope SAR, an initiative of the Collective focused on search and rescue work. Her journey is both deeply personal and profoundly communal.

The seeds of the Collective were planted in loss. Diana’s son, Wyatt, died by suicide. Wyatt, who shared a deep love for horses, is honored as a co-founder of the Collective alongside his three sisters. “Our mission is to show up,” Diana explained during an interview. “To be there when people need us most.” What began as a response to grief has grown into a movement centered on mental health, addiction support, and community self-reliance.

Diana and her team have stepped into spaces where others turned away. Through Holding Hope SAR, they’ve trained in search and rescue operations, collaborated with local authorities, and spoken openly about the crisis of mental health and addiction in Native communities. This work is dedicated to the memory of Baby Arden and her mother, Arbana Pepion, whose lives continue to guide the Collective’s commitment to community safety and care. Diana also emphasizes the importance of traditional practices like talking circles for young people, where stories and healing can be shared without judgment.

Her advocacy reaches beyond the community level. Diana has testified before lawmakers, urging them to see the human impact behind legislation. She knows firsthand the power of effective messaging—how framing an issue in the right way can turn resistance into collaboration. “It’s not just about what we’re fighting for,” she said. “It’s about helping others understand why it matters to all of us.”

The Collective has now developed a statewide policy coalition made up of grassroots community representatives from all Montana tribes. This coalition is working together to address urgent issues including Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), addiction, and systemic barriers to justice.

Despite limited resources, Diana has kept the work alive with support from Indigenous funding streams—including the Heart2Heart Foundation, Seventh Generation Fund, and Social Justice Fund Northwest—as well as personal contributions and the strength of her community. Nearly every dollar that comes in goes straight back out—to families, to youth, and to programs that save lives.

When asked what keeps her moving forward, Diana pointed to her daughter, Dr. Lynn Mad Plume. “She’s my biggest mentor,” Diana said with a smile. “She tells me not to give up, even when I doubt myself. And she’s right—the work is too important.”

The Voice of Change Award is more than recognition of Diana Burd’s efforts. It is a reflection of her resilience, her ability to turn grief into action, and her unwavering commitment to lifting Native voices. Through her leadership, her powerful testimony, and the work of the Two Powers Land Collective, she demonstrates that meaningful change begins with one person’s choice to stand up—and to keep standing—for family, community, and future generations.