Day 4
November 5th
Eastern Time
Closing and Awards Ceremony
Closing and Awards Ceremony
Join us at the closing of Indigeverse 2023, during which we will announce this year’s festival winners and celebrate Indigeverse with closing remarks from participants and members of the Indigeverse team.
Special Screening: The Duck In
Special Screening: The Duck In
In this film, Edwardson documents the successful protest of the Inupiat of Barrow (now known as Utqiaġvik), Alaska, against federal regulations interfering with subsistence hunting brought by Alaska statehood in 1959.
About the Speakers
Rachael Edwardson
Producer, Director, Impact Producer, Educator (she/her). Rachel is an Iñupiat/Norwegian/Sami woman from Utqiagvik (Alaska) and is a social justice film director/producer. She has directed and produced 8 documentaries, 2 short dramas and 13 episodes for television. Most recently she co-produced the film and impact campaign for In My Blood It Runs and was a collaborating director and co-lead workshop designer and facilitator for Burn, a improvisational short drama targeting youth gang violence in inner city Sydney. She is a 2009 alumni of the Sundance Institute Ford Fellowship for her Iñupiaq Fantasy Trilogy and short film. Her History of the Iñupiaq documentary series was the first all native produced and directed history series in the United States, the educational and political campaigns around the first 3 films contributed to legislative change, educational initiatives, and the declassification of federally held documents. She also works in education and is a cultural safety consultant in Australia and the USA, leading holistic culturally safe and responsive practice in education, film, arts and media, government, health and corporate sectors. Rachel is married to former land rights lawyer and social justice advocate, David Selvarajah Vadiveloo, and together they have three children. She is the oldest daughter of Debby and George Edwardson.
1st Session: Indigenous Creatives LLC
1st Session: Indigenous Creatives LLC
Indigenous Creatives LLC collaborates with Native American and BIPOC artists and entrepreneurs, emphasizing community building and support. Panelists will discuss their work of engaging directly with tribal and BIPOC communities nationwide, supporting emerging talents and entrepreneurs. This also includes working for and alongside countless businesses and organizations that withhold the same mission. The primary goal is support Native American and BIPOC artists and entrepreneurs in taking control of their own narratives, showcasing their talents and knowledge, for the benefit of society and future generations.
About the Speaker
Mikailah Thompson
Mikailah Thompson is a Nimiipuu tribal member currently residing in Washington, D.C.. Thompson graduated from Lewis-Clark State College with a degree in Business & Communication, minoring in Nez Perce Language, Leadership, and Marketing. Thompsons holds the titles of owner of Beadwork By Mikailah, LLC and Indigenous Creatives, LLC as well as host of Quantum Theory Podcast. Her work has been affiliated with brands and organizations such as SWAIA’s Santa Fe Indian Market, Native Art Magazine, Oregon Native American Chamber, First American Art Magazine, Potlatch Fund, First Peoples Fund, the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Discover Your Northwest, and more. What drives Thompson’s work ethic is her determination to make a difference for her people. She has been acknowledged for her speeches touching on race in rural communities, financial literacy, mental health, and entrepreneurism. Thompson has no plans of stopping to achieve her goal of opening new doors and breaking the barriers needed to create change, opportunity, and equality for people of color. Passion, perseverance, and innovation are a few words to describe Thompson and this can be seen through the details she carefully includes in each of her endeavors.