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IllumiNative’s Indigenous House LA spotlights Native changemakers: ‘We need to change the story in order to change the future’
Indigenous trailblazers from across Indian Country gathered in Los Angeles last week to celebrate IllumiNative‘s inaugural Indigenous House LA event.
The Native-led social justice organization, founded by Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee), gathered a robust group of Natives and non-Natives alike at NeueHouse in Hollywood to champion community as well as a select group of honorees who are uplifting Indigenous people and stories. Echo Hawk also shared growth plans for IllumiNative.
“L.A. is Hollywood. It’s the epicenter,” Echo Hawk told In The Know by Yahoo, explaining why the organization chose this location as their second Indigenous House event after Sundance earlier this year.
“When we think about TV and film and media, the statistic is that Hollywood produces 80% of the world’s content. So when we think about changing the narrative about Native people and really moving, re-educating Americans and shifting hearts and minds about how Americans see us, it’s really understanding how important this is as the epicenter when we think about how we need to change the story in order to change the future for our people.”
The event’s honorees included storytellers who are doing just that — Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee [Creek]), co-creator and showrunner of Reservation Dogs; and Jhane Myers, producer of the hit film Prey.
‘We can tell those stories in a good way’
“When I first started IllumiNative, I was like, Sterlin, we can’t tell negative stories. We have to always show ourselves and excellence, and it has to just be so,” Echo Hawk said. “And I think I’ve learned so much from our storytellers like Sterlin that if we’re authentic, if we’re really bringing our people together, we can tell those stories in a good way that they’re so, first and foremost, deeply meaningful and show who we are. But then they can also really reach and touch people from all over.”
In addition to Harjo and Myers, IlumiNative also honored Rep. Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk); climate advocate Jade Begay (Diné/Tesuque Pueblo), director of policy and advocacy at NDN Collective; and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Actors Jana Schmieding (Cheyenne River Lakota) and Bobby Wilson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota), who both appeared in Native-led shows Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls, kicked off the festivities, with the Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo performing at a rooftop party that also included Native businesses such as Prados Beauty, Shy Natives, Jennifer Younger Designs, Morning Mist Soap Co. and Wampum Wear.
How IllumiNative is expanding its reach
An event like this speaks to the growth that IllumiNative has seen in the five years since its founding.
“We’ve always done our best to really understand that we’re in partnership, we’re in relationship with our community,” Echo Hawk said about what’s driving the organization’s growing reach. “It’s not just us in this work. It’s a larger ecosystem of work and people and organizations and tribal nations that we’re working with. And I think it’s also just like being like ambitious and bold and just trying to be not afraid to fail.”
In fact, IllumiNative is set to grow even more. At the event, Echo Hawk introduced Michael Johnson (Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota) as her co-CEO and noted upcoming initiatives that the organization will pursue.
“We’re starting IllumiNative Media, which is a new social enterprise that’s going to be wholly owned by IllumiNative,” Echo Hawk said. “We’re going to be TV and film production company. We’re going to get into film financing because it’s how are we building power, how are we advancing, how are we creating spaces for investment and opportunity for our storytellers.”
Echo Hawk shared her feelings on the organization’s “next big chapter,” saying she has “butterflies in [her] stomach,” particularly from all of the support.
“It feels really good to look out in the audience tonight and just know that we’re not in this alone,” she said. “We’re really within community, and it feels good.”
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The post IllumiNative’s Indigenous House LA spotlights Native changemakers: ‘We need to change the story in order to change the future’ appeared first on In The Know.
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