The Story of Us: Live Filmmakers Panel
Featuring Indigenous and non-Indigenous filmmakers from across Turtle Island
A Community Event Featuring Live Conversations | March 25 & 26, 2023 - Gibsons Public Market
Discover the community-building intersectionality between art, creativity, and healing.
The Story of Us: Live Filmmakers Panel: a free community event that welcomed residents of the Sunshine Coast and visitors to explore the theme “The Story of US” through a panel and talk-back discussion format featuring Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, filmmakers, and creators from across Turtle Island (North America).
Purpose: The purpose of this collective exploration is to deepen understanding of the process of building sacred space, the value of holding space for healing, and the vehicle of art in its many forms to facilitate this process.
Background: On September 28th, 2022, we initiated the first gathering of our Creating Space to Heal community event series called For The Children.
On March 25th & 26th, 2023, a second event was held: a Regenerative Media Filmmakers’ Panel entitled, “The Story of Us”. We invited community members of all backgrounds to share in our passion for all that is possible through transformative storytelling and film, and its role in Creating Space to Heal in community.
Naomi McDougall Jones is an award-winning storyteller, changemaker, and certified death doula.
"If there has ever been a time when the world has more desperately needed stories to heal us forward, I am unaware of it. Stories are the single most powerful lever to shift the world if they are being told by those looking to heal and lead us. This is a conference full of those people and is creating a place for them to talk about how to create the mechanisms by which they can create and share their stories."
Catherine Eaton is an award-winning actor, film director, and an investigator of genius and empathy.
"The stories we tell ourselves tell us who we are, who we can become, and, most importantly, how we are connected. They have the power to heal and transform each of those things, and filmmaking can do that on a global scale, at a moment when we are just waking up to how interconnected we all really are. I can't imagine a better time to hold space for that exploration."
Ecko Aleck is a multimedia performing artist working through the disciplines of spoken word, rap and singing.
She is also a multimedia digital artist working through the mediums of music, sound and video production. Ecko was born into the Nlaka’pamux Nation and raised with the shishalh Nation.
"Everything around us is either medicine, tools or technology. What is the medicine I'm teaching? What are the tools I need around me? And what is the technology I'm going to use to translate that message to our modern times?"
Sami is a Black and Indigenous filmmaker, healer, and activist.
"The division between storytelling and healing is a colonial construct, and we’re understanding this more clearly every day. We’re seeing a shift in people reclaiming their own stories through their personal healing, and watching that ripple into the collective. I’m hoping we can empower everyone to do the same."
The panel was hosted and moderated by Charlene SanJenko of reGEN media, an organization dedicated to inclusive innovation fueled by the compounding power of regenerative media and transformative storytelling.
Re-imagine the future with THE STORY OF US
Panelists discussed the intersectionality of art, creativity, and healing, the revival of the sacred art of storytelling (why and why now), and story as vehicle for transformation, community, and connection.
The weekend kicked off with a Sacred Creativity Ceremony hosted by Coast Flow Yoga on Friday evening, led by ancestral channel, Sami Bass, and medicine woman, Ecko Aleck.
About reGEN media:
reGEN media is an Indigenous-owned, female-led inclusive innovation agency that supports creating and distributing regenerative media projects that shift the narrative to lift society.
About Turtle Island Creative Impact Coalition:
Bringing together filmmakers, storytellers, and creators to explore new pathways of possibility across Turtle Island. The Turtle Island Creative Impact Coalition is an Indigenous-led initiative to coordinate communication, access, and opportunities across Turtle Island where creativity, innovation for impact; regenerative media, and reconciliation-focused, restorative, rural community economic development intentionally intersect.
For further information: charlene@regenimpactmedia.com
The Story of Us includes YOU!
Join the unfolding Story of Us by letting us know how you'd like to support. Complete the following form so that we can get in touch with you about future possibilities for restorative, expanded storytelling.
