Modern Native American Profiles

Interesting Native Americans doing wonderful and amazing things in todays society.

Kateri Walker

Kateri Walker is a tribal member of the Anishinabe Nation. Her father is from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan and her mother is from the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, Ontario, Canada; she is also of Belgian descent. After her senior year in high school Kateri entered into the Chemical Engineering program at Michigan Technological University. By her third year, however, she was ready to pursue her dream of performing and transferred to the University of Michigan. Read more...

Sonya Lynn Flores

Sonya Lynn Florez was born and raised on the Pala Indian Reservation in Southern California. "Growing up on the reservation made me the person I am today. I come from a long line of strong women. So for me, growing up in Pala with my mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother showed me the kind of woman I wanted to be." Read more...

Steven Judd

Steven Judd is a staff writer and Disney/ABC Fellow on the new Disney XD single-camera comedy series "Zeke and Luther." Judd was inspired to write and direct film to offset the stereotypical portrayal of American Indians he saw as a child. Judd began his own production company, Restless Natives Motion Picture Production Company, and has produced several projects including the independent film, "American Indian Graffiti: This Life Thing," the short-film spoof "MAC v. PC with a Native Twist" for NBC/Universial and "Silent Thunder," a PBS documentary.
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DuCross Bros

The DuCross Bros. have their crosshairs set on being at the top spot of jock talk. These lively identical twins are well on their way to becoming the first native duo on mainstream sports radio and have aspirations of becoming the next "2 Live Stews" of ESPN fame. Shaun and Tristen DuCross were born in Santa Ana, CA to Canadian parents in 1985. Their father, a Mohawk of the Iroquois tribe, belonging to the Turtle Clan, was raised on the First Nations reserve Kahnawake in Montreal, Canada. They are 25 % blood quantum Mohawk and full of the fire and drive the Mohawks are known for
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Nathaniel Arcand

Nathaniel Arcand's career began 17 years ago when he accompanied a close friend to a photo shoot. Darryl Mork, owner of the Edmonton-based company Darryl Mork Talent Agency, approached him afterwards asked Nathaniel if he had any experience in film or television. Nathaniel was very intrigued by this question, as this was something that he always wanted to do since he was 5 years old. After having a short discussion with Darryl, he gathered some cash together to pay for a portfolio of headshots, and agreed to become one of Darryl's clients. His big break came (after starring in a few smaller roles for local independent filmmakers) when he auditioned for the role of William MacNeil in the hit CBC TV series "North of 60". The rest, as they say, is history.
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Jana Mashonee

With her new album, New Moon Born, poised to burst onto the mainstream music scene, it's no wonder Jana Mashonee is all smiles these days. The album represents a significant departure from her previous endeavors, taking on a decidedly more upbeat rhythm and blues flavor. "The album is about rebirth and new beginnings; it reflects a phase in my life that has taken on a different shape and direction from anything I've done before," she says. "This music conveys my personal truths and beliefs." In addition to providing all the vocals and piano, Jana wrote and co-produced the album.
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Derek Miller

Derek Miller is a dynamic performer. Whether you watch him live or when listening to his studio albums, you get a real sense of an artist striving for the pursuit of perfection mixed with fun. Musician, producer, actor, business entrepreneur...Derek Miller can always be counted on to deliver the best performance.

As the guitarist, singer/songwriter of his two current JUNO Award winning albums Music is the Medicine and The Dirty Looks, Miller has proven he has a knack for blues infected rock, and is always looking to expand his musical horizons. He continues to produce a variety of artists in many genres demonstrating his electrifying instinct and versatility.

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Rachelle White Wind

Rachelle White Wind is Ojibwe/Cree of Deer Clan born in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. Currently she divides her time between Toronto and Los Angeles, where she has spent the majority of her last year.

Although she moved to LA during the writers strike, she hasnÕt experienced the crunch with credits including XIII (NBC), Kissed by Lightning (Directed by Shelley Niro), Elusive (pilot), and Digital Nation (an Aboriginal Peoples Television Network production) all during the past year.

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Sam McCracken

Manager of Nike’s Native American Business

Sam started his Nike career in 1997 as a warehouse worker at the company’s Wilsonville Distribution Center. Shortly thereafter, he was asked by Nike’s director of human resources to “revitalize the organization’s Native American Employee Network, one of several Nike divesity programs. In 2000, Sam became the manager of Nike’s Native American Business.
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Happy Frejo

Happy Frejo is a young native performing artist and member of the Pawnee and Seminole Nations of Oklahoma. Happy travels across the United States to youth conferences, conventions, camps and reservations conducting hip-hop workshops and sharing her messages of Hope and love. Using her gifts and talents, Happy strives to reach out to young people—encouraging them to go after their dreams, believe in themselves and to lead positive, healthy lifestyles. Read more...

Quese


"I’m a sheep in wolf’s clothing,
a wolf in shepherd’s skin
messaging through smoke signals,
satellite and medicine.
Not a veteran, but a young man,
with fist-clenched one hand
With one smile, one cause,
one life, but with one plan.?
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