On Friday, November 12th, the inaugural cohort of NDN Collective Radical Imagination artists converged virtually for Part I of the Radical Imagination Virtual Festival, hosted by NDN Collective Director of Communications Sarah Manning. All 10 of the artists joined roundtable discussions in three different programs. Topics included the healing power of art, it’s impact on community, and how each artist’s Radical Imagination project, as well as work going forward, are deeply rooted in a more just and equitable future.
NDN Collective President and CEO Nick Tilsen shared opening words to kick off the festival, followed by a musical performance by Ojibwe Hip Hop Artist, Mic Jordan. NDN Foundation Managing Director Gaby Strong delivered an introduction of the inaugural cohort, and the program was closed out with performances by Sicangu Lakota Musical Artist Frank Waln, and Duckwater Shosone Artist, Tanaya Winder.
Program 1 featured Roundtable discussions with the following artists:
Selina Martinez (Yaqui), Architect
Simon Sedillo (Genízaros), Filmmaker
Joaquin Reyes Maldonado (Maya), Visual Artist
“One year ago 10 artists and creatives from across Turtle Island, the real Indigenous regions beyond the post-colonial borders of so called United States, Canada, Mexico, and Island Nations, embarked upon their own creative journey as storytellers in various forms to radically imagine a just future,” said Gaby Strong, NDN Foundation Managing Director. “They did this while being grounded in and connected to their communities and while also expanding their community, audiences, amplifying and changing narratives; All of this during a global pandemic, during one of the most uncertain transformational, and revolutionary times.”
PROGRAM 2 FEATURED ROUNDTABLE discussions with the following artists:
Thomas Ryan RedCorn (Osage), Photographer
ISAAC MURDOCH (ANISHINABE), MULTIMEDIA ARTIST
CARA ROMERO (CHEMEHUEVI), FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY
Marianne Nicolson (Musgamakw Dzawada’enuxw First Nations), Visual Artist
“I knew if we could support Indigenous storytellers to radically imagine the future then it would inform our work in building movements for change, for building communities that are a reflection of our values as Indigenous People, and things that could actually create meaningful, long lasting change,” said NDN Collective President and CEO, Nick Tilsen.
PROGRAM 3 FEATURED ROUNDTABLE discussions with the following artists:
D.A. Navoti (Hopi/O’otham/Zuni/Yavapai-Apache), Poetic Prose Writer
Deenaalee Hodgdon (Deg Xit’an Athabascan and Supiaq), Podcast Producer
Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu (Native Hawaiian/Kanaka Maoli), Cultural Practitioner and Filmmaker
The Radical Imagination Virtual Festival will continue for the next 4 Fridays, showcasing short films featuring in-depth interviews with each artist.
On Friday, November 19th, the virtual event will highlight video features of Cara Romero at 11:00 am MT and D.A. Navoti at 12:00 pm MT, as well as the announcement of NDN Collective’s 2022 Cohort of Radical Imagination Artists. Join us for the Part II of the Radical Imagination Virtual Festival, streaming on NDN Collective’s YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook channels.
