Growing Native Alaska: People of the North

Documentary | Shirley Sneve & Charles "Boots" kennedye

Growing Native is a four-part series focusing on reclaiming traditional indigenous knowledge and food ways to address critical issues of health and wellness, the environment and human rights.

All across Alaska, Native cultures have depended on the abundant natural resources found there to support their families, cultures and way of life. Now these resources are growing scarce, and the people who have relied on them for centuries have to find new ways to adapt. 

57 minutes

Release: November 8, 2018

Expiration: November 7, 2026

Distributor: APT

NOLA: GNAT 102

Rights: Unlimited releases over eight (8) years beginning 11/8/2018;

SCH/1YR (for K-12); and non-commercial cable rights.

Shirley Sneve

Executive Producer
SHIRLEY SNEVE (Rosebud Sioux) works with Indian Country Today in the expansion of their daily newscast to public television stations. She was President & CEO of the Tiwahe Foundation located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota from 2019-2020—an American Indian community foundation that provides micro-grants in Minnesota and directs the Oyate Leadership Network. From 2004 until 2019, she was Executive Director of Vision Maker Media.

Charles “Boots” Kennedye

Producer/Director/Writer
CHARLES "BOOTS" KENNEDYE is a member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and for the last ten years a documentary producer for the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority. Kennedye has headed many of the major projects produced by OETA including a 100-part Oklahoma story collective Centennial Stories, winning his first of five Heartland Emmy Awards.

Chris Eyre

Executive Producer/Host
CHRIS EYRE (Cheyenne/Arapaho) has been described as “the preeminent Native American filmmaker of his time” by People magazine. Eyre is an internationally recognized film and television director and producer who has received many awards, including a Peabody, an Emmy and Brandon Verzal Tyler “Blue” Tarpalechee (Muskogree Creek).

Brandon Verzal

Producer
An award-winning producer, editor and videographer, BRANDON VERZAL has worked in the production industry for more than 16 years. He “cut his teeth” in the sports industry, working as a video producer for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners and Texas A&M Aggies.

Walt Pourier

Vice Chair

Walt is Oglala Lakota and created the logo for Urban Rez. He is Creative Director, owner of Nakota Designs Advertising Designs and Graphics. Executive Director of the Stronghold Society nonprofit dedicated to instilling hope and supporting youth movements through Live Life Call To Action Campaigns.

JORDANA BASS

Project Coordinator​

(Hataža Mani Winga)​

"Cinema Aficionado"

Role: Jordana is excited to engage with different Native/Indigenous communities. Her passion for working with youth will help develop the Native Youth Media Project. She will also assist with the Creative Shorts Fellowship (CSF) to help organize deliverables for filmmakers.