Academics Henry Jenkins and Colin Maclay use their combined knowledge to dig deeper and ask more ambitious questions than most pop culture podcasts out there – not doing recaps or just remaining on the level of entertainment coverage. For them, popular culture offers resources for asking questions about who we are and where we are going, questions that can be political, legal, technological, economic, or social, but often cut across all of the above.
https://www.howdoyoulikeitsofar.org/
episode 73: Increasing Visibility is Existential for Native Communities, with Crystal Echo Hawk
We’re joined by Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and CEO of IllumiNative, a research-driven initiative created and led by Natives that is challenging negative narratives and supporting accurate and authentic portrayals of Native communities in pop culture. IllumiNative builds on Echo Hawk’s massive research project, Reclaiming Native Truth, which laid bare the shocking reality that nearly 80% of Americans (broadly defined) know little to nothing about Native peoples or aren’t even sure they even still exist, and the real-life consequences this “vanishing” narrative continues to have on Native populations. Fortunately, amid the trial and tragedy of 2020 (including the disproportionate impact of COVID on the Navajo Nation), there have been remarkable gains for Native peoples, from the ongoing power rooted in the protests at Standing Rock to the shutdown of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Washington Football Team name change. We see media promise in the first Indigenous Filmmakers Lounge at Sundance in January to Peabody Award-winning Molly of Denali and a host of upcoming shows on various networks, Crystal is cautiously optimistic about the increasing visibility of Native Americans.
Visit the episode page for the full transcript of this conversation!
Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper:
See full panel from the January 2020 Indigenous filmmakers lounge at Sundance
More about the Sundance Indigenous Program (deadline for upcoming Merata Mita Fellowship program is 10/26/20)
June 2020 update from the Sundance Indigenous Program
More about Bird Runningwater, Director of Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program
Delay of CARES Act funds to Native American tribes
Further delays to Alaska natives
Report on federal COVID-19 response in Indian Country
History of Native American vulnerability to pandemics
A Brief History of the American Indian Movement in Minneapolis
Local response of AIM in the wake of George Floyd protests
History of AIM's American Indian Patrol responding to police brutality
Long history of native organizing against police misconduct in Minneapolis
2011 killing of a Native American man by Derek Chauvin
NDN Collective Calls for Closure of Mount Rushmore and for the Black Hills to be Returned to the Lakota
Why McGirt v. Oklahoma was a landmark decision for Native-treaty-rights
National Congress of American Indians’ Long Standing Opposition to Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascots
Key activists: Suzan Shown Harjo, Amanda Blackhorse
Effectiveness of the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock in North Dakota
These Are the Defiant "Water Protectors" of Standing Rock
“Invisibility is the modern form of racism against Native Americans”
Reclaiming Native Truth project
Stephanie Fryberg’s research on The Psychological Consequences of American Indian Mascots
Sarah Shear, Re/presentations of Indigenous Peoples in K–12 U.S. History Standards
List of Federally-Recognized Native Tribes in CA
IllumiNative website
Indigenous Futures Project
Change the Name campaign
Indigenous Peoples' Day 2020 Toolkit & Home-Educational Resources
IllumiNative’s On-Air podcast
Native Americans currently serving in US Congress:
Tom Cole (OK-04)
Markwayne Mullin (OK-02)
Deb Haaland (NM-01)
Sharice Davids (KS-03)
Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo
Molly of Denali (PBS Kids)
Creative Producer Princess Johnson on the development of the story
Actress Sovereign Bill
Grandpa’s Drum episode
Peabody Award; 2019 Peabody Awards also included winner The Refuge and nominee Warrior Women
Marvel Comics:
Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas collaboration on new Werewolf By Night
Native American Heritage Month (with images!)
Marvel’s Voices initiative
Other graphic novels and comics featuring Native American heritage
Television:
Rutherford Falls – Sierra Teller Ornelas (Peacock)
Reservation Dogs Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi (FX)
Endeavor Content development deal with producer Heather Rae
Visit us at howdoyoulikeitsofar.org or share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at howdoyoulikeitsofarpodcast@gmail.com.
Music:
“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.
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In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmet
Spaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeats
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumental
Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceship
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q
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