Speakers

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Performers

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Speakers & Performers //

Amy Bowers Cordalis

  • She served her Tribe as General Counsel and was a staff attorney at the Native American Rights Fund. Amy’s family is from the village of Rek-Woi at the mouth of the Klamath River in Northern California. Since colonization, every generation of Amy’s family has fought for Yurok Rights. Her family’s Supreme Court case, Mattz v. Arnett, reaffirmed the status of the Yurok Reservation as Indian Country, laying the foundation for the exercise of the Tribe’s sovereignty and the enjoyment of its federally reserved water and fishing rights. Amy continues her family legacy by focusing her work on Klamath River restoration, including dam removal, water rights, and fisheries issues.

Dallas Goldtooth

  • He is the son of Tom B.K. Goldtooth, the globally recognized activist and founder of the Indigenous Environmental Network. Dallas represents a new generation of leaders who organize using social media to amplify on the ground activism. He travels extensively across Turtle Island to help fossil fuel and hard rock mining impacted communities tell their stories through social media, video, and other forms of communication. Dallas is an Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) media team lead, working with IEN staff, board, and organizational partners from a diverse group of climate justice networks. Along with his many tasks and duties with IEN, he is also a Dakota cultural/language teacher, non-violent direct action trainer, and was one of the outstanding Water Protectors at Standing Rock/Oceti Sakowin Camp fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline. In addition, he is a co-founder of the Indigenous comedy group, The 1491s, a poet, journalist, traditional artist, powwow emcee, and comedian. Dallas’s advocacy and work on issues like the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines has been featured in publications such as The Guardian, Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe

  • Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe is from the Upper Skagit and Nooksack Indian Tribes. Native to the Pacific Northwest she draws inspiration from her Coast Salish heritage as well as her life in the city. She writes with a focus on trauma and resilience, exploring topics around PTSD, sexual violence, and the work her great grandmother did for Lushootseed language revitalization. She writes about loud basement punk shows and what it means to grow up with mixed heritage. Sasha received a double MFA from The Institute of American Indian Arts with a focus on creative nonfiction and poetry. She teaches creative writing at the Native Pathways Program at The Evergreen State College, and has been a mentor for Seattle’s youth poet laureate program. Her memoir Red Paint won the Washington State Book award and has received starred reviews from Kirkus and Shelf Awareness. Her latest collection of essays, Thunder Song, was named essential nonfiction on People Magazine’s Indigenous Authors to Read List, and has received praise from Seattle Magazine, The Seattle Times, and was a must read pick on Bikini Kill front woman, Kathleen Hanna’s Perfectly Imperfect list. Her collection of poetry Rose Quartz is available through Milkweed Press.

Delbert Anderson

  • His work, deeply rooted in his Diné heritage, seamlessly integrates Navajo "spinning songs" of love, healing, and courtship with jazz and funk, thus marking him as a community-minded Indigenous individualist. Through his Delbert Anderson Quartet, Anderson revives the improvised sounds of the Diné circle, blending them with jazz, funk, and hip-hop. His compositions are inspired by Navajo Nation landscapes, historical events, and the desire to preserve and educate about Diné history. Anderson's notable projects include "The Long Walk: 1,674 Days," a poignant composition reflecting on a critical period in Navajo history, and "Manitou," which fuses ancient Native American melodies with jazz and funk. The Delbert Anderson Trio (DAT) showcases DAT jazz standards and original tunes, capturing the essence of his musical beginnings. His commitment to community and education is evident through his "Build A Band" educational program, which teaches jazz improvisation to young students through a Diné and family curriculum, wellness programs, and community outreach initiatives aimed at evoking change for the well-being of all humans. Anderson's achievements have garnered recognition, including multiple awards from Chamber Music America, the Cultural Capital Fellowship from the First Peoples Fund, and the Jazz Road Program at South Arts. His contributions to music and culture have been featured in prominent outlets like The New York Times, JazzTimes, Grammy.com, and NPR.

Notorious Cree

  • Known as Notorious Cree across Instagram and TikTok, James has an engaging  community of over 6M+ people globally. James uses his voice to educate and spread  awareness on the issues impacting Indigenous communities across the globe. As a  traditional hoop and powwow dancer, performance artist, youth workshop facilitator and  public speaker, James advocates to inspire future generations by reclaiming his culture and  encouraging others to do the same. Notable performances include the Winter Olympics, Juno awards, Pan Am Games, Coachella and was a previous contestant on SYTYCD  Canada.

Fawn Wood

  • She made her debut through social media: YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. She has always been loyal to her roots and would often take part in her tribes’ Powwows and Round Dance traditions alongside her parents. She started singing to the beat of big drums from an early age. She began her singing career through nation-wide drumming and singing competitions and eventually earned a spot singing in the 11th Annual Native American Music Awards (NAMMYS). From there, she became well-known and admired by different tribes across the country and signed a record deal with Buffalo Jump Records. She has gone on to be an active social media star and performs live while educating her viewers on Native American music and customs.

    Wood’s music radiates a sense of warmth and belonging and comes from a woman who is sure of her origins. Her songs speak about both negative and positive emotions alike, yet perfectly demonstrate a peaceful balance through symphony. The best way it could be described is that it sounds like nature itself, which Fawn also openly appreciates and advocates for. It’s music that perfectly reflects the connectedness that humans can have with nature. Blood and tradition are shown through her drum work, vocal droning and even throat singing exhibited through her discography, but you can also sense Fawn’s own nostalgia, recounting the stories told by her ancestors and thinking back on moments of her childhood.

Tia Wood

  • She's known for her powerful, soulful voice and iconic sound that blends traditional Cree medicine songs, "Rez life", pop culture, and media with modern R&B. Wood's music is often performed to the beat of a drum and in her traditional languages. She hopes her music can inspire people, especially young fans in Indigenous communities, to show them that they can achieve their goals no matter their circumstances. Wood grew up surrounded by artists, educators, and activists, and often sang and danced with her family on the powwow trail. Her sister is Juno-Award winner Fawn Wood, and her father is known for announcing Hockey Night in Canada in Cree. Wood left her rural home at age 20 to move to Los Angeles, where she became part of a cultural and spiritual movement. She shared her singing on TikTok, where she quickly gained 2.3 million followers and became known for the trend of "Indigenizing" Tik Tok sounds. She also produced viral content with her mom that was both educational and funny. Wood's content includes singing songs her father composed or pieces she wrote herself, and wearing intricate regalia like jingle dresses and ribbon skirts. Her accidental TikTok videos caught the attention of Sony Music, making her one of the first Indigenous women signed to the label. Her first single, "Dirt Roads", is a relaxed R&B track that poetically addresses homesickness and highlights her vocal range.

    Hailing from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada

    , Wood was always destined to make music. Growing up, she often toured the powwow trails, where she would sing and dance with her family—some of whom are members of the Grammy Award–winning group Northern Cree.

The Black Lodge Singers

  • The group consists of Kenny Scabby Robe (Blackfeet), his wife Louise (Yakama), and their twelve sons, with Kenny being renowned for his pow-wow songs and his sons John and Elgin also noted for their songwriting and vocal talent. They have released over twenty albums on Canyon Records and were GRAMMY Award finalists in 1994 for their album "Ancestral Voices," a collaboration with R. Carlos Nakai and William Eaton.

    The Black Lodge Singers are a Native American drum group from White Swan, Washington, who play northern-style music and are based on the Yakama Reservation. The group was formed in 1980 by Kenny Scabbyrobe, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, and his wife Louise, along with their 12 sons. The group has performed throughout the United States and Canada, as well as internationally, and has released more than 30 albums. They are highly sought after as host drums at pow-wows and are considered one of the most respected northern drum groups on the circuit.

    Blacklodge is a 9-time Grammy Nominee based out of White Swan, Washington on the Yakama Reservation. The Black Lodge Singers have won many awards and have been nominated for nine Grammys. Kenny Scabbyrobe is known as a leading pow-wow songwriter, and two of his sons, John and Elgin, are also known for their original songs and singing. The group's music is intended to touch people who may be in need, and they hope that others enjoy it.

    The Black Lodge Singers' song "Electric Pow Wow Drum" was featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe episode "Lowak". Composer James DeMars also met with the group at their home pow-wow to learn their singing style and song structure so that he could write classical compositions for R. Carlos Nakai.

Coast Salish Canoe Families

  • Established in 2005, the group has become a beacon of Coast Salish Pride, most known for their powerful performances. Led by Antone George, a master song-maker and performer, the West Shore Canoe Family plays a crucial role in showing what Lummi Nation heritage is all about.

    Antone George, who has been the Lead Singer and Performer for the West Shore Canoe Family since its inception, brings his coast salish knowledge and native pride for music to the group. The family has performed at numerous events and gatherings, including the annual Canoe Journeys, where they help unite tribes through gathering. The group's performances are not only a celebration of their heritage but also a means of passing down traditions to younger generations, ensuring that the teaching of the Coast Salish people continues to thrive.

    The Coast Salish Canoe Families are more than just singers; they are cultural ambassadors, using their voices and talents to foster a sense of belonging. Their work has been recognized and cherished both locally and beyond, making them an integral part of the cultural landscape of the Pacific Northwest.