The history and effect of boarding schools throughout the US and Canada has left many indigenous communities torn apart. Participants will read an essay (2010), by Ojibwe member Theodore Fontaine, who was forcibly taken as a child and endured many hardships in a residential school in Canada. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity to talk in small groups (break-out rooms) about how this reading affected them. Following these discussions, we will look at the positive effects that high school sports have had on indigenous communities. Presenter will discuss personal stories from Coastal Salish members that explore how playing high school sports impacted them. We will also read and discuss the poem by Mojave/Pima member and poet, Natalie Diaz, (2013), “The Top Ten Reasons that Natives are Good at Basketball.” Utilizing these readings, we will discuss how playing high school sports helps bring pride, resilience and optimism to Native people. Participants will be offered a comprehensive list of contemporary films starring Native Americans and involving several sports. This resource list could be useful in a variety of educational contexts.

Cost: One hour presentation $350.
One and a half hour presentation: $500.