Growing up is never easy. My life began with me fighting for survival as the umbilical cord slithered around my neck, squeezing the life out of me. My birth was the first time I fought for my life and it wouldn’t be the last. After years of abuse from the hands of my family I… Read more »

Dacotah Hasvold is a member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe. In 2019 he graduated with a degree in Media Communications from Haskell Indian Nations University, where he wrote for the Indian Leader. He followed up his production career at a local web series that focused on Native American issues. He developed his production acumen… Read more »

Educator-Advocate-Filmmaker Jim Warne is a member of the Oglala Lakota. Jim earned a BS from Arizona State University and a MS from San Diego State University. Jim created continuing Education programs at SDSU Interwork Institute from 1993-2015. He has written over 50 million in grants and contracts for universities and Tribal Nations. Currently, Jim is… Read more »

Rahe-Wanitanama (Indigenous Caribbean / Taíno) is a storyteller, craftsperson and tradesperson based in Florida and Jamaica. Affiliation: Dolphin Head Forest Reserve via Askenish, Jamaica. Their goal is to participate in world-building dialogues to help shape narrative identities that promote eudaemonia in diverse community contexts through traditional animation. Shown at Tribeca Film Center, Smithsonian, Anthology Film… Read more »

Ruth-Ann Thorn is a pioneer Native businesswoman and creator. An enrolled tribal member of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians. She brings a voice to Native American culture. Ruth-Ann founded and is still at the helm of EC Galleries (www.ecgallery.com), today. Over 26-years, she had notable gallery locations in San Diego (Gaslamp, Sea Port Village,… Read more »

Ashley Salaz is a Coharie filmmaker living in Oakland, California, and is currently working as a freelance producer on digital and commercial ads for clients all over the Bay Area. Ashley attended the University of Southern California and has written and shot several short films since graduating. In 2010, she was awarded one of ten… Read more »

Ivan MacDonald is an Emmy-winning filmmaker. He is a member of the Blackfeet tribe and currently resides in Montana. He has produced and directed for work ESPN and Showtime. His most recent producing project Blackfeet Boxing Not Invisible premiered on ESPN’s 30 for 30 program and won Best Documentary Short at the 2021 Emmy Sports… Read more »

Tvli ain’t no movie man, but he’s seen a lot of movies. He has also been fortunate enough to be around people who are in the industry and is lucky to have learned from them. Tvli is grateful for being a part of the Native American Media Alliance, and is really happy that such a… Read more »

Justin Deegan is an award winning filmmaker and a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Nation. Justin, began his career as a theatre actor in Fargo, North Dakota. However, he changed his path when he realized that the majority of the film written and produced were by Non-Native American filmmakers. That was the defining… Read more »

Sal’s life has been creatively informed by the unique culture of the Southwestern U.S., and as a Chicano/Yaqui writer, his work often includes Indigenous characters and themes. From a young age, his parents taught him to be socially conscious, and in addition to writing and filmmaking, Sal is a lifelong social activist. Sal’s personal experience… Read more »