He told us the sky is blue

Situated within the San Francisco Bay Area and deeply rooted in my Tohono O'odham heritage, my filmmaking delves into the Urban Indian experience, centering on themes of intergenerational trauma and resilience. As part of the Indigenous diaspora marked by cultural disconnection, family separation, and geographic displacement, my journey included a pivotal phase of reconnecting with my Indigenous family members in Arizona. This experience became a profound education about our tribe, its history, and cultural traditions. In my ethnographic film, anchored in Visual Anthropology, I intricately examine the lasting impact of my father's time at the Theodore Roosevelt Indian Boarding School. I aim to authentically portray these experiences, transcending traditional narratives to cultivate understanding, empathy, and healing. I extend an invitation to audiences to delve into the intricate layers of the Urban Indian narrative, where personal history intersects with academic pursuit, creating a cinematic space that amplifies the often-overlooked stories of resilience within American Indian communities.