Bringing our Youth Back to the Land

Within societies that have been constructed in ways that separate generations and sever connections to storytelling traditions, Indigenous and colonized communities see high rates of teen depression, disenfranchisement, and suicide. In response, projects in rematriation and revitalization of land have emerged to restore this lost connection through research, art, and storytelling. Queer Chamoru writer and interdisciplinary artist Lehua Taitano strengthens her communities as the co-founder of Art 25: Art in the Twenty-fifth Century, current Program and Community Manager at Kearny Street Workshop, and author of several award-winning works that investigate modern indigeneity, decolonization, and cultural identity in the context of diaspora. As an educator, Tongan poet, community organizer, and farmer, Loa Niumeitolu uplifts vulnerable groups in many ways through her work within programs that support Tongan writers, Pacific Islander prisoners and ex-prisoners, and the LGBTQ indigenous community. The talented and inspirational writers of this panel will speak about their contributions toward connecting people across generations, addressing some of the cultural damage that has been done, and re-establishing collective and interconnected communities.