ADDRESSING MISREPRESENTATIONS AT THE SOURCE

False narratives, stereotypes, and inaccurate representations of Native peoples are far too prevalent across all sectors of society. We worked to address these misrepresentations at the source. Since our founding, we’ve developed strategic partnerships and provided trainings and advised almost 150 Hollywood industry professionals, corporations, media, museums, sports teams, schools and universities, philanthropic leaders, grassroots organizations, Tribal leaders, and Native organizations.
We presented strategies and shared actionable materials to educate industry partners and stakeholders on the benefits of authentic representation and the steps to take to do so. We also provided resources to Tribal Nations, Native organizations, and creatives to support them in owning the telling of their stories.

SOME OF THE ACTIONABLE MATERIALS WE DEVELOPED INCLUDE:

  • “The Time is Now,” a guide for industry professionals who seek to develop accurate stories and characters by and about Native peoples.
  • “In This Moment,” a guide for addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis in media.

RESOURCES

THE TIME IS NOW: THE POWER OF NATIVE REPRESENTATION IN ENTERTAINMENT

With a growing influx of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) content creators, and authentic and engaging Native stories being told through shows like Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs, the time is now to break even more ground in the entertainment industry.

IN THIS MOMENT: A GUIDE FOR ADDRESSING THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CRISIS IN MEDIA

Filmmakers, creatives, artists, and other entertainment industry professionals have an opportunity to bring visibility to the MMIP crisis. For too long, depictions of MMIP in television and film have shown high levels of violence that center the death of Indigenous people rather than the lives they lived before. This guide comes from countless reviews of MMIP content and includes guidance from leading Native creatives and subject matter experts on the best practices around MMIP storytelling.

BE A MYTH BUSTER

Popular culture has created and reinforced many myths about Native communities and Native people that creatives should be mindful of when creating content that includes or centers Native peoples. There is a significant opportunity through your work to clear up the common misconceptions that too often shape Americans’ view of what it means to be Native.

WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT IN NATIVE REPRESENTATION

In the past few years, Native and Indigenous representation has shifted and changed in a positive way. Check out what’s in and what’s out in Native representation.