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 SundanceMore about the Sundance Indigenous Program (deadline for upcoming Merata Mita Fellowship program is 10/26/20)June 2020 update from the Sundance Indigenous ProgramMore about Bird Runningwater, Director of Sundance Institute’s Indigenous ProgramDelay of CARES Act funds to Native American tribesFurther delays to Alaska nativesReport on federal COVID-19 response in Indian CountryHistory of Native American vulnerability to pandemicsA Brief History of the American Indian Movement in MinneapolisLocal response of AIM in the wake of George Floyd protestsHistory of AIM's American Indian Patrol responding to police brutalityLong history of native organizing against police misconduct in Minneapolis2011 killing of a Native American man by Derek ChauvinNDN Collective Calls for Closure of Mount Rushmore and for the Black Hills to be Returned to the LakotaWhy McGirt v. Oklahoma was a landmark decision for Native-treaty-rightsNational Congress of American Indians’ Long Standing Opposition to Harmful "Indian" Sports MascotsKey activists: Suzan Shown Harjo, Amanda BlackhorseEffectiveness of the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock in North DakotaThese Are the Defiant "Water Protectors" of Standing Rock“Invisibility is the modern form of racism against Native Americans”Reclaiming Native Truth projectStephanie Fryberg’s research on The Psychological Consequences of American Indian MascotsSarah Shear, Re/presentations of Indigenous Peoples in K–12 U.S. History StandardsList of Federally-Recognized Native Tribes in CAIllumiNative websiteIndigenous Futures ProjectChange the Name campaignIndigenous Peoples' Day 2020 Toolkit & Home-Educational ResourcesIllumiNative’s On-Air podcastNative Americans currently serving in US Congress:Tom Cole (OK-04)Markwayne Mullin (OK-02)Deb Haaland (NM-01)Sharice Davids (KS-03)Filmmaker Sterlin HarjoMolly of Denali (PBS Kids)Creative Producer Princess Johnson on the development of the storyActress Sovereign BillGrandpa’s Drum episodePeabody Award; 2019 Peabody Awards also included winner The Refuge and nominee Warrior WomenMarvel Comics:Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas collaboration on new Werewolf By NightNative American Heritage Month (with images!)Marvel’s Voices initiativeOther graphic novels and comics featuring Native American heritageTelevision:Rutherford Falls – Sierra Teller Ornelas (Peacock)Reservation Dogs Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi (FX)Endeavor Content development deal with producer Heather RaeVisit 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 [email protected]:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet  https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at [email protected]:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet  https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––