Frank Blythe Award for Media Excellence

Every year, Vision Maker Media presents the Frank Blythe Award for Media Excellence. This award, named after VMM’s founding executive director, recognizes outstanding contributions from individuals or organizations who create opportunities that engage and empower Native American and Alaska Native media makers. While this honor has traditionally been awarded to individuals with years of industry experience, this year VMM has chosen to present it to two emerging visionaries who have demonstrated immense promise and the power of their voices.

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JOSIAH W. JONES

Josiah W. Jones (Chickasaw and Choctaw) is one of our Creative Shorts Fellows. Although Josiah did not receive formal film training, he created his first short film, Chipisala’Cho, which earned him the Emerging Filmmaker award at the LA Skins Film Festival in 2021. His CSF project, The Love for the Game, follows Isaac, a young boy caught at the intersection of family, culture, and his love for basketball. Through this narrative, Josiah explores themes of family and how shared passions can bridge generational gaps, helping youth connect meaningfully with their families.

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This past year, Josiah worked with VMM on youth outreach, leading a workshop at the Dream the Impossible Native Youth Conference, where he inspired middle and high school students with a hands-on demonstration of basic filmmaking techniques and the creative freedom found in the film industry.

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KANESIA McGLASHAN-PRICE

Kanesia McGlashan-Price (Unangax̂) attended one of VMM’s first Native Youth Media Projects (NYMP), the Alaska Native Intensive, in 2021. Initially, Kanesia never intended to pursue filmmaking, but discovered a passion they continued to follow. Kanesia returned to the Alaska Intensive in subsequent years, eventually serving as a mentor.

In 2023, Kanesia applied for and was selected by PBS GBH in Boston to participate in a series exploring the unique challenges different communities face amid the global climate crisis. Kanesia used this opportunity to tell the story of their Unangax̂ homelands in Unalaska, Alaska. The 10-minute film, Tides of Tradition, follows subsistence hunter Trever Schliebe (Unangax̂). Due to climate change and warming oceans, the sealion population has declined. Sealions have been a traditional food source for generations, and those most affected by the decline are the community members tasked with feeding the people. Kanesia created a visually stunning film that powerfully conveys the resiliency of Indigenous peoples and the strength they draw from family and the land.