Join us for a night of film screenings, mental health promotion, and traditional dinner as we kick off Mental Health Awareness Month at WWU. In collaboration with Children of the Setting Sun Productions, Northwest Indian College's Center for Health, and WWU's Office for Student Resilience.

We welcome mental health advocate and professional basketball player Lakota Beatty to share her story in the film Lakota, from award winning filmmaker Kyle Bell. We will also be screening Native Transformations in the Pacific Northwest featuring stories from Bella James and others, alongside work from NWIC's Center for Health.

In addition, a traditional salmon dinner will be served to those who register (while supplies last). The film screenings and dinner will be followed by a speaker panel featuring Lakota Beatty, Kyle Bell, Bella James, and Charene Alexander (NWIC) as they share stories of Native Connections and Indigenous Resilience for mental health promotion.

Space is limited so PLEASE REGISTER HERE for this event and to receive additional communications and updates (in addition to WIN). FREE PARKING in LOT 9G.

This event is intended for all participants, including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation, etc.) please contact Brandon Joseph at josephb2@wwu.edu or (360) 650-2127. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

Tentative Agenda:

4:00pm Opening Welcome

4:10pm Opening Film - Native Transformations in the Pacific Northwest from Children of the Setting Sun Productions

Film Description and Trailer: Native Transformations in the Pacific Northwest follows four individuals from three tribes in the Pacific Northwest, as they share their experiences of strengths and resilience to overcome the impacts of the opioid crisis.

5:00pm Traditional Salmon Dinner provided by Seawolf Surf & Turf (Lummi)

5:30pm Feature Film - Lakota from Kyle Bell

Film Description: After the sudden passing of her younger sister, Lakota Beatty walks us through her personal journey of spiritual healing and wellness by staying connected to her Native identity and using the sport of basketball.

Lakota Trailer

6:00pm Speaker Panel and Q&A

More about the featured storytellers and filmmakers:

Kyle Bell

Kyle Bell (Thlopthlocco Creek Tribal Town) is an Emmy award winning Director, Editor and Cinematographer based in Tulsa,OK. Bell is a 2019 Sundance Indigenous Program Alumni, 2020 Tulsa Artist Fellow, and is the Rolex Protégé to cinema legend Spike Lee. He is the filmmaker behind the short documentary Lakota. He is working on a new documentary short to be executive produced by film director Kathryn Bigelow.

Kyle Bell & Spike Lee - Rolex Mentorship Program

Lakota Beatty

Lakota Beatty is an enrolled member of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma. She is also Dakota of Spirit Lake and Standing Rock, North Dakota and the Assiniboine and Gros-Ventre tribes of Fort Belknap, Montana. As an award winning high school All-American, Lakota went on to play Division I basketball while earning her degree. As a mental wellness advocate and Licensed Professional Counselor in-training, Lakota travels to different communities speaking, hosting basketball camps, and bringing light to mental health. She plans to open up her own practice that will serve Indigenous people with a blend of western, holistic, and traditional medicine.