Indigenous Forum – The Power of Our Stories: Raising Consciousness Through Indigenous Media
Opening of the Indigenous Forum: Gregg Castro (T’rowt’raahl Salinan / Rumsien & Ramaytush Ohlone, Culture Director – Association of Ramaytush Ohlone (ARO)
“Talking Story” is fundamental to the Native experience. This panel features two Indigenous women at the helm of films about personal journeys that explore who we are, where we come from, and healing from intergenerational trauma. In addition to the stories behind the films, panelists will discuss how they came to become documentary artists, creative decisions they made to bring stories to life, and practical tips for others, particularly youth, about ways they can share their stories through multimedia. Moderated by Paloma Flores (Pit River/Purépecha) and featuring Jade Begay (Diné), Impact Producer of Sugarcane; and award-winning multimedia artist and filmmaker Siku Allooloo (Inuk/Taíno).
Berkeley Ballroom, Residence Inn
March 29th | 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm
Panelists
Gregg Castro
Culture Director
Association of Ramaytush Ohlone
Gregg Castro [t'rowt'raahl Salinan/rumsien-ramaytush Ohlone] has worked preserving his indigenous heritage for three decades as a writer-activist. He is Culture Director for the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone; the Society for California Archaeology’s ‘Native American Programs Committee’ Chair; and Adviser to the California Indian Conference, California Indian History Curriculum Coalition and American Indian Cultural District of San Francisco.
Jade Begay
Impact Producer
Sugarcane
Jade Begay (Tesuque Pueblo and Dine), who has worked with Indigenous-led organizations and tribes from the Amazon to the Arctic to advance Indigenous-led solutions and self-determination through advocacy campaigns, research, storytelling and narrative strategies, works at the intersections of Indigenous rights and climate and environmental justice to help shape national and international policy. Jade, who was appointed by President Biden to serve on the first ever White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council and was National Engagement Native American Director for the Harris Walz Campaign, is an Impact Producer for the Oscar-nominated film Sugarcane.
Siku Allooloo
Artist, Writer, and Filmmaker
Siku Allooloo (Inuk/Haitian/Taíno), an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, writer, and filmmaker from Yellowknife, NT, Canada (by way of Mittimatalik, Nunavut and Haiti), has had her film and artwork widely featured, including at the Whitney Museum of American Art, The National Arts Centre, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, and DOXA. Her independent journalism, poetry, and creative writing have also been widely published, including in The Guardian, Canadian Art Magazine, and Truthout. A 2025 Artist in Residence at Western Front, Siku is currently leading the production of her first documentary feature, Indigena, as the writer, director and co-producer.
Paloma Flores
