News n Updates
Jaclyn Roessel
2010 Winds Scholar
In early June the Winds Scholarship Committee was delighted to choose Ms. Jaclyn Roessel as the first Winds Scholar.
Jaclyn is a graduate of Arizona State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History. She elected to remain at ASU and continues her graduate studies there, where she has begun her studies in pursuing a Masters Degree in Public Administration. She continues to work full time to help with tuition & daily costs.
Ms. Roessel was 'born and raised in Arizona on the Navajo Nation.' She is currently secretary of the Native American Alumni Chapter at ASU and is deeply involved in the many service programs there, as well as the American Diabetes Association, where she volunteers to help in the fight against diabetes.
"I am also an active member of the Team Diabetes Committee, part of the American Diabetes Association in Phoenix. I joined Team Diabetes after (a family member) was diagnosed with diabetes. I felt helpless. In aiding him to come to terms with his condition, I realized the disproportionate impact that my Indian community has felt from diabetes."
"It is my hope that the Master of Public Administration program at ASU will help achieve my goal of becoming the first Navajo to be named as director of the Heard Museum or even the National Museum of American Indian. In addition to my interest in museums, I also have a strong interest in tribal government. Part of my plans involve one day returning to my home, the Navajo reservation. It is the place that has shaped the person that I am, and I want to return home so that I can share the person I hope to become with my people."
Jaclyn will update WnT readers with her progress, thoughts and dreams throughout the coming year. I know that you will join us in congratulating her in this award. We are proud to have Jaclyn as a contributing writer to Whisper n Thunder as we watch her in her journey!
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Art Supplies Needed for Kids Summer Program on Cheyenne River Indian Rez
A variety of art supplies and funding is needed for Cheyenne KIDZ & TEENZ 4 ARTZ. Please consider donating to this worthy probram for youth on the Cheyenne River Indian Rez. Thank you to Star Burdick for making this opportunity available to all of us to help be a positive voice for kids! For more information go to link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/star-burdickii/list-of-art-supplies-needed-for-cheyenne-kidz-teenz-4-artz-at-the-cheyenne-river/131355733546538
or send your donation to:
"Cheyenne Kidz & Teenz 4 Artz" Program / Funding
c/o Mr. Louie Blue Coat
P.O. Box 780
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
mail art supplies to:
"Cheyenne Kidz & Teenz 4 Artz" Program
c/o Mr. Louie Blue Coat
Hway. 63 North
B I A Route 2
House #9
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
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An Invitation to Native Youth
Greetings! I hope that you have seen Whisper n Thunder’s Children n Youth pages, and perhaps read the January issue’s story on Native actors in the movie, New Moon. These pages were a good start, and there’s more to come. They include an article on Avatar on the Young Adults page - written by a young adult in England!
But now...we need your help!
If you are a Native student, Whisper n Thunder would like to publish your writings. We want to have a page or two that’s dedicated to you – the writers of today.
Want to be published? Want to be able to share with others around the world what you have to say? Send in your work to Whisper n Thunder. We’ll have a look and be in touch! Stories – fact or fiction, poetry, artwork (art work / photos - need to be sent in a .jpg format) – its up to you.
The world needs to know you're there and you have something to say. What do you have to tell us? You are neither too young or too old. Your voice is important and needs to be heard.
The choice is yours.
Send your work to bkfidlin@hotmail.com for the upcoming July
issue ~ Thank you!
Banner Graphic: www.firstpeople.us
Seattle Shooting
Recently John T. Williams, a Native woodcarver in Seattle, was shot by law enforcement. Williams, a local woodcarver known to many, had knife and wood in hand, according to reports. However he did not stop when asked to do so. Later it was learned he is partially deaf. Area Native activists are calling for justice. Read more at the following link:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/102171019.html
Longest Walk 3 - Northern Route, Indigenous Walkabout (Reversing Diabetes)
February 14, 2011
Help bring awareness of the devastating effects of diabetes and how it can be reversed by changing diet and lifestyle. This disease is at epidemic levels across America,and throughout Indian Country.
We will hold community talks along the way about reversing diabetes, and heart disease. We will be advocating for major changes in our eating habits, while promoting beneficial exercise programs. Our goal will be to REVERSE DIABETES AND RAISE THE CONSCIOUS OF AMERICA THAT WE MUST HALT THE WORST DIET IN THE WORLD.
The Longest Walk is an Indian spiritual walk, a historical walk; and it is a walk for educational awareness to the American and the World communities about the concerns of American Indian people.
Thank you and be well Brothers and Sisters,
Chris Francisco, Northern Route Coordinator(503) 515-6239
http://www.docudharma.com/diary/22830/the-longest-walk-3-reversing-diabetes
If you are interested in financially supporting the walk, please research further with Chris and check out the walk on Facebook at Longest Walk Northern Route.
Whisper n Thunder is not liable concerning donations made to outside organizations and recognizes this is solely the decision of said donor. Thank you.
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Strong Native Womens Voices on Facebook
~ Linda Lou Flewin
Strong Native Womens Voices Club on Facebook was born one February morning in 2010, out of two women's desire to have a safe place to talk about things that women do, to air any problems or just to have some fun. Since then it has grown to just under 3,000 members of Strong Native Women from all Nations right around the world as well as on Turtle Island. It has the right mix of news, music and educational youtube videos as well as a serious discussion page. It has become the ultimate on-line Strong Native Womens Voices on-line magazine forum and goes from strength to strength. New ideas are being developed all the time on how to carry it forward and keep the members interest. These included an Agony Aunt column, Elders Wisdom with true Elders talking, a special guest column, Gardening, Child & Healthcare.
There isn't and as far as I am aware never has been a place either on the internet,r adio or TV, anything for the Strong Native Women of the Nations to air their views. Native Women are the Earth Keepers and Life Givers of the Nations and it is something that is badly needed in the old traditional manner of a talking circle, but done in the modern way. It provides many who are either at home with young ones or alone, with support in many ways, as well as a time out for the busy ladies.
It is the hope of myself and my wonderful Admin that this can be developed further as we are having such a wonderful response so far from our many Strong Native Women members.
Here is the link of the site.
http://www.facebook.com/search/?post_form_id=2dd12b997677e327f2228461b8015555&q=Barbara+Lindsay+Rosow+&init=quick&ref=search_loaded#!/pages/Strong-Native-Womens-Voices-Club/281837013946?ref=ts
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MTV show The Dudesons: Cowboys and Findians
By Stephanie Deplanque
Editor, Whisper of Art
Op-Ed
In a society where some already struggle to make people realize they still exist as human beings and that caricatures and stereotypes are only making things worse while the government still acts like an ostrich with its head in the sand, this kind of television programming doesn’t have its place on our screens. The only thing that this kind of TV show can do is increase the ignorance of already ignorant and blind people.
In a perfect world, this could help to open the narrow minds of many people toward the wrong that stereotypes can do and make them realize their own mistakes. But in this world, this programming only reinforces the already stereotypical idea that many Americans have of Native Americans. This “successful” TV show will encourage young people to mock and in turn ridicule American Indians and their culture, as if this was needed in a time where we still fight to have sport team names such as “Redskins” changed and Indian mascots eliminated.
I understand that this can be seen as entertainment, but it goes beyond everything we stand for, and even in the name of liberty of expression there are limits when it becomes offensive. This show does exactly that, it crosses the line. It singles out one people and makes a mockery of their beliefs, spirituality and culture for entertainment purposes. I suspect that if they were mocking and caricaturizing another culture the way they do in this show, the public opinion and the media would have been infuriated. It would have been shocking and anything but funny, but when it comes to Native Americans, it seems like many Americans find it acceptable… Well, it is not!
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SEVA Foundation Announces Native American Community Health Program
A PREVENTABLE EPIDEMIC: Type II Diabetes rates are higher for Native Americans than any other group in the world, affecting more than 50% of adults in many communities.
Like the worldwide smallpox eradication efforts that inspired Seva’s beginning... the diabetes epidemic and other chronic health issues in Indian Country disproportionately affect vulnerable, low-income people and are largely preventable. See link below for more information.
See More Seva Foundation: Native American Community Health Program
