ARTIST
STATEMENT
Four years ago, I received an invitation to document and bear witness to the stories of families who lost loved ones to police violence. We gathered in living rooms, where they shared narratives filled with grief, sadness, and the joy of remembering their loved ones. I understood that I would never have the chance to meet any of those who had passed. During this process, I discovered that I had a cousin who was murdered by the police, who I would never get to know, stripped of the opportunity to connect with him. This profound realization came with the responsibility to hold and share these families' stories, and from that responsibility, this installation was born.
For many within the Native community, the harsh realities of police brutality manifest as a form of modern-day genocide—an unsettling truth often overlooked by mainstream media and society at large. The tragic loss of our relatives at the hands of law enforcement frequently goes unacknowledged, leaving families in silence as they grapple with grief and the haunting specter of trauma.
Through this installation, I aim to amplify the voices of those most deeply affected—family members who carry the essence of their loved ones. By sharing their stories, I seek to humanize these individuals, ensuring that their names and legacies are honored and remembered. This work not only highlights the personal narratives of loss but also sheds light on the pervasive mental health struggles and stigmas that can factor into such violence.
My intention is to create a vital platform for Native voices, inviting viewers to remember those we have lost and continue to tell their story. Through film and storytelling, I hope to foster understanding and awareness, illuminating the resilience of families in the face of adversity. In doing so, I aspire to contribute to a broader dialogue about justice, remembrance, and the urgent need for change.
The featured stories are those of: Dwan M. Belgarde, Paul Castaway, Richie Estrada, G. Ryan Gipp, Braven Glenn, Travis Jordan and Cole Stump.
Four years ago, I received an invitation to document and bear witness to the stories of families who lost loved ones to police violence. We gathered in living rooms, where they shared narratives filled with grief, sadness, and the joy of remembering their loved ones. I understood that I would never have the chance to meet any of those who had passed. During this process, I discovered that I had a cousin who was murdered by the police, who I would never get to know, stripped of the opportunity to connect with him. This profound realization came with the responsibility to hold and share these families' stories, and from that responsibility, this installation was born.
For many within the Native community, the harsh realities of police brutality manifest as a form of modern-day genocide—an unsettling truth often overlooked by mainstream media and society at large. The tragic loss of our relatives at the hands of law enforcement frequently goes unacknowledged, leaving families in silence as they grapple with grief and the haunting specter of trauma.
Through this installation, I aim to amplify the voices of those most deeply affected—family members who carry the essence of their loved ones. By sharing their stories, I seek to humanize these individuals, ensuring that their names and legacies are honored and remembered. This work not only highlights the personal narratives of loss but also sheds light on the pervasive mental health struggles and stigmas that can factor into such violence.
My intention is to create a vital platform for Native voices, inviting viewers to remember those we have lost and continue to tell their story. Through film and storytelling, I hope to foster understanding and awareness, illuminating the resilience of families in the face of adversity. In doing so, I aspire to contribute to a broader dialogue about justice, remembrance, and the urgent need for change.
The featured stories are those of: Dwan M. Belgarde, Paul Castaway, Richie Estrada, G. Ryan Gipp, Braven Glenn, Travis Jordan and Cole Stump.
Sequoia Hauck (they/them) is a two-spirit, queer, Anishinaabe and Hupa filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist and director who creates work that indigenizes the process of art-making. Their work weaves Indigenous epistemologies, indigiqueer identity and the possibilities of Indigenous futurism. They graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a B.A. in American Indian Studies. Sequoia has worked on and offstage with organizations such as Aniccha Arts, Art Shanty Projects, Exposed Brick Theatre, Guthrie Theater, The Jungle Theater, Māoriland Film Festival, An Opera Theatre (AOT), Pangea World Theater, Patrick's Cabaret, Poetry and Pie, Rosy Simas Danse, The Southern Theater, Taja Will Ensemble and Turtle Theater Collective. Sequoia is a 2023 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow and First Peoples Fund Cultural Capital Fellow as well as an Aniccha Arts Artistic Associate.
film maker biography
Angela Blackdeer
