Hi Everyone, I wanted to pass along a program recommendation that we hosted recently that was well attended and a great program. It is Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience, a one hour documentary by Audrey Geyer. Audrey comes to your library and after the documentary conducts a question and answer section. Audrey is based out of Brighton and can be contacted at: AudreyGeyer@aol.com or 810-772-9628. More about the film: This exciting and compelling one hour documentary invites viewers into the lives of contemporary Native American role models living in the Midwest. It dispels the myth that American Indians have disappeared from the American horizon, and reveals how they continue to persist, heal from the past, confront the challenges of today, keep their culture alive, and make great contributions to society. Their experiences will deeply touch both Natives and non-Natives and help build bridges of understanding, respect, and communication. The tragic history of Native Americans is considered by many to be our “American Holocaust.” This can be seen in the history of the Boarding School Era, during which time Native children were forcibly removed from their homes and placed into boarding schools. Interviewees explain how this past trauma continues to negatively impact their emotional and physical health today and contribute to urgent social problems. To help heal this historical trauma, Native peoples are reclaiming their spiritual and cultural identity. In the documentary, an Ojibwa Firekeeper demonstrates the ancient healing ceremony of the Sacred Fire. Also, a Native American businessman, journalist, artist and youth advocate share how they use ancestral teachings to foster diversity and creativity as well as to educate and initiate social change. The stories shared in this documentary are powerful, startling, despairing and inspiring. They reflect an American history fraught with the systematic destruction of a people. Yet, amidst the debris of suffering and trauma, there is resilience and a profound remembering and healing taking place today, which will also benefit the next Seven Generations. If you'd like to know more about the program or anything else feel free to contact me. It would make a great addition to your program calendar. Thanks, Kelly Kelly Ireland Rembert Outreach Librarian Southfield Public Library 26300 Evergreen Rd. Southfield, MI 48076 (248) 796-4367 krembert@southfieldlibrary.org www.southfieldlibrary.org