News

Indigenous-made films about reciprocity inspire conversation on climate

“In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the first season of original short films made by Indigenous directors on their homelands, presented by Reciprocity Project, a collaboration between Nia Tero and Upstander Project in association with REI Co-op Studios, are now streaming at reciprocity.org and on REI’s YouTube channel.”

Teaching Indigenous Peoples' Day with the Documentary Dawnland

“About a year ago, a mesh orange fence showed up in a section of a park my family frequents. A tree near the mesh fencing was adorned with stuffed animals at its base; signs offered the explanation. The mesh fence was there to demarcate sacred land. This end of the park was a burial site of children who once attended an expansive Indian school in this part of Albuquerque. The school sprawled across acres. A street crossing through the area still reflects this past: Indian School Road.”

Cherokee Filmmaker Brings Short Film Home to Oklahoma's Deadcenter

Reciprocity Project filmmaker, Brit Hensel, is interviewed about her film “What They’ve Been Taught” (Udeyonv). She discusses the importance of language and land in Cherokee culture and her films. ‘The language is everything…Our language is so connected to our food, it’s connected to the place we come from, it’s connected to ceremony.”

Imagine Studios to present 'Dawnland' on March 30

A screening of Dawnland with a panel Q&A is being hosted on 3/30/2022 by The First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist Church, Congregation Ahavas Achim, Unity on the River, Theater in the Open, and Imagine Studios as part of the Newburyport Indigenous Peoples’ Day Initiative.

More than $3.4 million in grants awarded to local arts and culture organizations

Upstander Project is thrilled to be one of the grantees as part of this year’s Boston Cultural Council/Reopen Creative Boston funding!

Cherokee filmmaker Brit Hensel secures place in Sundance Film Festival history

Congratulations to Reciprocity Project team member Brit Hensel who is the first woman who is a citizen of Cherokee Nation to direct an official selection at the Sundance festival!