Creator of Netflix hit show “Sprit Rangers,” Karissa Valencia (Chumash/Mexican) shared at last week’s “Real to Reel: BIPOC Media Representation” event how she worked with Netflix to Indigenize not only the stories in the show, but the entire production staff, too. In front of and behind the camera, in the writer’s room, producers, and actors across the country were all brought in from Native American communities and are getting their voice heard – and getting production credit! – for the first time. Valencia went to her tribal elders from the very beginning with her vision for the show to make sure that “Spirit Rangers” was no longer “about us without us,” but a fully Indigenized production. This event was a collaboration with Indigenous@Comcast, BEN@Comcast, and UNIDOS@Comcast. Members can watch the full event recording on NBCUNow!
Kelly Lynn D’Angelo (Tuscarora (Haudenosaunee) and Muscowpetung Cree) speaks during last week’s “Real to Reel: BIPOC Media Representation” event about why it’s “healing” to have Native voices in Hollywood, which was built on Tongva and Chumash territory. D’Angelo, a writer for the Netflix hit show “Spirit Rangers” explained that while their show is intended for a younger audience, it’s a great resource for allies and adults to learn about Indigenous identities, too. This event was a collaboration with Indigenous@Comcast, BEN@Comcast, and UNIDOS@Comcast. Members can watch the full event recording on NBCUNow!
In our recent event “Real to Reel: BIPOC Media Representation,” Karissa Valencia (Mexican/Chumash) described how she incorporates her traditional Chumash stories into episodes of her hit Netflix show “Spirit Rangers.” Whether kids are Native American or not, Valencia told event moderator Chiara Sottile (Karuk) that the lessons are meant to be accessible to everyone, and to also foster Native American pride. This event was a collaboration with Indigenous@Comcast, BEN@Comcast, and UNIDOS@Comcast. Members can watch the full event recording on NBCUNow!
We had the honor of hosting the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States, Joy Harjo (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) for a poetry reading and conversation called “Standing Up With Words.” As you'd expect, she dropped a lot of knowledge bombs during this hybrid event. She discussed how she sees her role as a poet to raise visibility for Native people.
In this reading, Harjo shared the following with us about her time at the Institute of American Indian Arts: "As we practiced our arts, we realized that we had a hand in revising the story of who we are as Indigenous nations, who we were, and who we are becoming."
#NativeAmericanHeritageMonthIsEveryMonth #OurCultureOurStory
Award winning Ojibwe actor Trevor Carroll spoke to the members of the Indigenous@NBCU and Indigenous@Comcast communities in a special event called “The Importance of Authentic Indigenous Representation on Screen.” Carroll plays “John Baker” in the SYFY show “Resident Alien,” and calls for more Indigenous representation not just in media and film, but in the highest halls of power. “We’re multidimensional people, and we want to have opportunities like everyone else,” said Carroll, adding that he wants to see a Native American Prime Minister in Canada and a Native American President in the United States. We couldn’t agree more, Trevor! You can catch Resident Alien on Wednesdays 10/9c on @SYFY! NBCU employees can watch the full event at the link below.
https://www.nbcunow.com/2022/08/18/importance-authentic-indigenous-representation-screen-featuring-resident-aliens
In an exclusive event with Indigenous@NBCU and Indigenous@Comcast members, Tommy Pico (from the Viejas Indian Reservation of the Kumeyaay Nation) talked about the joy of shows like “Resident Alien” and “Reservation Dogs” in how Native Americans can play light-hearted roles and businesspeople, and not just be “dying in a loin cloth somewhere.” At last, Native Americans are playing contemporary roles, not “trauma porn or poverty porn. “We can simultaneously be the most funny and the least funny people on the planet,” said Pico, referring to Native folks. Pico is a writer on SYFY’s “Resident Alien,” which airs Wednesdays 10/9c. NBCU employees can watch the full event at the link below.
https://www.nbcunow.com/2022/08/18/importance-authentic-indigenous-representation-screen-featuring-resident-aliens
Tommy Pico, poet, podcaster, and writer originally from the Viejas Indian Reservation of the Kumeyaay Nation, spoke to the members of the Indigenous@NBCU and Indigenous@Comcast communities in a special event called “The Importance of Authentic Indigenous Representation on Screen.” Pico is a writer for the show, and points out that to depict Indigenous folks accurately is to take “us out of the realm of the metaphorical” and devices, and actually develop well-rounded Indigenous characters. “We’ve been medicine people or we’ve been noble savages,” said Pico, but it is beyond time for Indigenous folks to be fully-developed characters. You can catch SYFY’s Resident Alien Wednesdays 10/9c on @SYFY! NBCU employees can watch the full event at the link below!
https://www.nbcunow.com/2022/08/18/importance-authentic-indigenous-representation-screen-featuring-resident-aliens
Veteran Six Nations’ actor, Gary Farmer, spoke with Indigenous@NBCU and Indigenous@Comcast members in a special event called “The Importance of Authentic Indigenous Representation on Screen” featuring the stars and writer of SYFY’s “Resident Alien.” See part of the exclusive conversation in this clip in which Farmer talks about the lack of communications systems, electronic media, and access to news and film festivals in Indian Country. “There’s a lot of work to do,” to “re-Indigenize” ourselves, said Farmer, who added he is confident that if we support existing festivals and institutions, we will see a lot of promising work from Natives in the next several years. “Resident Alien” has been very intentional in the casting and inclusivity of Indigenous folks on the show. The show airs Wednesdays 10/9c on @SYFY! NBCU employees can watch the full event at the link below.
https://www.nbcunow.com/2022/08/18/importance-authentic-indigenous-representation-screen-featuring-resident-aliens
We are in the midst of a nationwide data crisis, and it’s weakening our ability to identify, report on, and combat the disproportionate number of Indigenous women and girls who go missing each year. Listen to this excerpt of our conversation with Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), Director of the Urban Indian Health Institute and Executive Vice President of the Seattle Indian Health Board, as she explains on Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Day (May 5th), the harm done to Indigenous people when they are misclassified in data. In the words of Indigenous@NBCU co-founder and event moderator Chiara Sottile (Karuk), “If we aren’t quantifying it correctly, how could we possibly make it better?”
“We were sent things to bury our people, not to ensure that they could live.”
The Seattle Indian Health Board is a community health center founded specifically to serve American Indians and Alaska Natives. During the height of the pandemic, this clinic was overwhelmed by the volume of those seeking help, and quickly ran out of PPE. After asking their state and federal partners for additional PPE, they received a box in the mail which filled them with a renewed sense of hope. The box’s contents? Thirty body bags.
Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), Director of the Urban Indian Health Institute, took these bags that were sent to her clinic and turned them into a traditional healing dress that served as a symbol of the beauty of her culture. The dress was featured in Vogue magazine. In this excerpt in conversation with Echo-Hawk on Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Day (May 5th), Abigail explains her personal mantra, which she wrote along the edge of the dress, to the co-founder of Indigenous@NBCU, Chiara Sottile (Karuk).
Together We Rise. #BlackHistoryMonth
Together We Rise. #BlackHistoryMonth
How has coverage of Indigenous communities evolved in recent years?
.
Listen for the answer, part of a conversation between Valari Staab, president of NBCU Local, and @nbcnews reporter Graham Brewer.
Indigenous at NBCUniversal
We are still here, and we are Indigenous at NBCUniversal! In celebration of #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth, we're proud to share some of the faces, voices, traditions and languages at the heart of this growing community.
What does Native American Heritage Month mean to you?
Connor Chee, “Female Rain”
@connor chee and @raye Zaragoza shared their music and paths with us as part of a panel on the power and importance of Indigenous music. Listen to Connor’s song called “Female Rain,” a song that draws on his classical music training and his Navajo culture. @indigenousnbcu #nativeamericanheritagemonth
Connor Chee, “Female Rain”
@connorchee and @rayezaragoza shared their music and paths with us as part of a panel on the power and importance of Indigenous music. Listen to Connor’s song called “Female Rain,” a song that draws on his classical music training and his Navajo culture. @indigenousnbcu #nativeamericanheritagemonth
Raye Zaragoza, “American Dream”
Raye Zaragoza and Connor Chee joined us for a panel discussion on the power of Indigenous music and each performed a song. Listen to Raye’s song to hear her important message about how “hate can’t be the face of the American Dream.” @indigenousnbcu #nativeamericanheritagemonth
