Whitebear was soon elected CEO of the UIATF. At UIATF, he successfully oversaw fundraising (including a million dollar grant from the state) and construction for what would become the Daybreak Star Cultural Center. His brother Lawney Reyes, a sculptor and designer — joined with architects Arai Jackson to design the facility, which opened in 1977. Reyes later became a curator of art and author, writing a personal memoir and a biography of his brother ("Bernie Whitebear: An Urban Indian's Quest for Justice", 2006).