“Kwe kakina. Caroline nindijinkaz, nin Anishinaabekwe. Outaouais nitotci, tanjeh kitchi-minendan nindi nonggom. Kitchi migwetch.

I would like to start by thanking the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute, and Ute Tribal Nations for having me as a guest on their traditional and ancestral homelands. I am deeply honored and feel privileged to be named this year’s Merata Mita fellow and to be following in the legacy of such talented Indigenous women that have accomplished groundbreaking work. 

While I never had the opportunity to meet Merata Mita — her vision, commitment and resilience are legendary. When reflecting on the work she has accomplished, I am reminded of the importance of trusting your instincts, working with your community, and that telling our stories without compromise can go a very long way. It is a true honor to walk in the shoes of such a strong, visionary, independent, and determined woman that has blazed a trail for my generations, and those to follow. Her legacy continues to be a source of inspiration for creativity and innovation. It gives me strength, power, and vision. 

It is through art and film that I found a sense of belonging, a sense of purpose and self-confidence. And through my process of becoming a filmmaker, I also realized how movies can be a powerful tool for education, empowerment, and revolution. This acknowledgment from the Sundance Institute comes at a pivotal time for me as I embark on the journey of writing and directing my second feature film. I have always worked towards bringing positive and authentic indigenous representation on screen, hoping to shed light on the chaos of the past, but also offer a glimpse into the future. A future filled with love, compassion, and intention. 

My next film project is no different, titled Thunderbirds. It’s a story based on real events that took place in 1976 during the final months leading up to the permanent closure of an experimental college for indigenous youth in Quebec. Called Manitou College, it only existed three years, but the experience, however brief, deeply transformed the indigenous youth that were fortunate enough to attend. It is said that the government decision to close the college was motivated by fear in the face of the rising Indigenous intelligentsia. Basically, they were scared of a bunch of native youth making art and film. And they were right. Because when we control the narrative, we can achieve great things. 

Thunderbirds is a project that seems incredibly fitting for this Fellowship, considering the impact Merata Mita had not only in film, but also for her community and for the rise of Indigenous voices at large. While I will be focusing on themes of love, friendship, freedom, humor, and sense of belonging in my film, I will keep in mind the struggles and achievements Merata Mita carried through her remarkable career with energy, vibrancy, and ideas of hope for the future. It means a great deal to me to be part of this Sundance native community and to be surrounded by like minded individuals. I am humbled that the work that I’m so passionate about can resonate with others. This recognition will allow me to continue my journey as a filmmaker and enables me to strengthen and further define my cinematic voice. It inspires me to continue to challenge myself and to strive to make impactful work that can be healing, inspiring and transformative. 

I realized I could not have made it here today without the invaluable and continuous support of my community and my peers. I am deeply grateful to the Sundance Indigenous Program, to Adam [Piron] and his team for its support, and for paving the way for Indigenous artists like me to tell their stories. Receiving this fellowship today fills me with the confidence and the inspiration to continue Merata Mita’s legacy. I am proud to be Anishinaabe Kwe and I am proud to contribute to Indigenous cinema. I am surrounded by such incredible Indigenous talents from all over the world. You are truly inspiring. Your voices bring about change, allowing us to dream. These are really exciting times to be making films and to tell their stories. Kitchi migwetch.”

Charlie Ann Harris, a Jackson, Miss., native, was working as a telemarketer when she decided to use the eight hours she spent each day sitting at a desk to develop her artistic talent. 

“To kill the time, I just kind of doodled, which I’ve done most of my life,” she said. “But I started taking it a little more seriously just because for eight hours a day you just repeat the same work, so you get pretty bored. I started focusing more on that and developed my own style and figured I could kind of just see if I could make business with it.” 

Saturday was both Harris’ first time in Starkville and her first time selling her crafts at the Cotton District Arts Festival, an annual gathering with dozens of artisans and food vendors selling homemade creations on University Drive. Harris had colorful skateboards with hand-painted snakes and chains and a painting of a disco ball sitting in front of her booth, waiting for someone to take them home.

“Everything has to be handmade,” said Mary Switzer, executive director of the Starkville Area Arts Council. “It’s a really strict requirement that we have, and we’re really proud of that.”

Artisans and food vendors must apply to have a booth at the festival, and no two booths can sell the same items.

Although no one knows exactly when the Cotton District Arts Festival started, Starkville native Switzer said it’s been a tradition for as long as she can remember.

Dan Camp, who was often called the “mayor of the Cotton District,” started a version of the Cotton District Arts Festival in the 1980s, “but it was not the same” as it is now, arts council program coordinator Juliette Reid said. 

“It was more of a social gathering, and they had musicians and they had artisans, but it wasn’t, like booths. It was more of a gathering of minds, I would say,” she said. “From what I’ve heard recently, the arts council was doing a festival. It was not called the Cotton District Arts Festival, … and then in the early 2000s we were given the name the Cotton District Arts Festival.”

Hundreds of people walked the streets of the Cotton District on Saturday, where beaded jewelry, paintings of pets and flowers, macrame plant hangers, soaps, candles and any type of craft one can imagine were on display. About 95 artisans and 14 vendors sold their creations. 

Jackson native Mary Williams was at a craft show in another city when a customer asked if she would attend the Cotton District Arts Festival. The artist agreed and set up a booth at the festival for the first time. 

She found her passion for making Southern farmhouse creations when she asked her son to build her a birdhouse, but he didn’t have time to do it.

“And I said, ‘A birdhouse, I can do that.’” Williams said. “So, I got a little handsaw and made my birdhouse. And I said, ‘Oh, I like that.’”

After finishing the birdhouse, she put her skills to the test, made other designs from wood and painted them with lively colors. 

Starkville native Tessa Luke was selling her handmade jewelry at the festival for the second time. Beaded necklaces adorned with crystals dangled from displays, catching the light. 

“I really like creating beaded pieces that have, like, dangly, teardrop pieces,” she said, adding that gothic jewelry and rosaries inspire her designs. 

Switzer said hosting a yearly gathering for artists and art lovers in Starkville brings the community together.

“My favorite part is definitely the artisans, and that’s because, you know, I myself am an artist and I know how important to be able to have a way to communicate with people who are interested in art,” Switzer said.