Indigenous Perspectives and Representations in the Media - panel at the Media Democracy Conference

by Ottawa Working Group of the Media Co-op

With Jennifer David, Jocelyn Formsma and Howard Adler (bios below). Moderated by Greg Macdougall.

On Saturday Nov 17, 2012 at the Media Democracy Conference - http://organizingforjustice.ca - University of Ottawa, unceded Algonquin territory. Hosted by Organizing For Justice, and the Ottawa Working Group of the Media Co-op.

Panel Description:
A facilitated discussion on the intersection of Indigenous peoples and the media. What approaches do Indigenous media-makers adopt in doing their work? How well are mainstream and alternative media doing in considering and representing Indigenous perspectives to both Native and non-Native audiences? What work still needs to be done?

Bios:

Jocelyn Formsma is a member of the Moose Cree First Nation and currently lives in Ottawa, ON. Jocelyn has extensive experience in children's rights and youth engagement and has a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Public Administration. She is currently pursuing her law degree from the University of Ottawa and will graduate in 2015. She is a film maker and host of "The Circle", a radio show featuring Indigenous artists and issues, on CHUO the Ottawa U campus radio station.

Jennifer David was born and raised in northern Ontario and is a member of Chapleau Cree First Nation. She has spent her career working in and supporting Aboriginal media in Canada, first at Television Northern Canada, then as APTN's first Director of Communications, then as a consultant with Debwe Communications. Jennifer has a degree in Journalism from Carleton University and currently runs her own First Nation management consulting company called Stonecircle. She recently self-published a book about the launch of APTN: "Original People, Original Television".

Howard Adler is an award winning writer, and an artist that has worked in diverse mediums, including visual art, sound art, stained glass, theatre, dance, video editing, and film. In 2009 he won the Canadian Aboriginal Youth Writing Challenge (19-29 age category) with his video script "Johnny Seven Fires". He is currently the Co-Director of the Asinabka Festival, an Indigenous film and media arts festival that had its inaugural year in Ottawa in June 2012. Howard is Jewish and Anishinaabe and a member of Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation in North-western Ontario.