Jesse Taken Alive: In Loving Memory Ed Schafer North Dakota lost a good leader in 2020 upon the death of Jesse Taken Alive. I [wrote] this on Martin Luther King Day and [contemplated] what good leadership is all about. Out of the downward vortex of mistreatment, broken promises, darkness, anger and hurt on the Standing Rock Reservation, Jesse Taken Alive emerged as a strong and gentle leader. He led peaceful but relentless efforts to bring about change for his people. The person I came to know as Jay carried deep in his heart his Sioux heritage and culture and worked hard to better the lives of those who chose him to lead.