Things to Watch During Native History Month

My friend, Lee Dingus, is a Seneca artist and educator who has contributed to this blog in the past. I asked her to specifically share television shows and movies that do a solid job with representation. Indigenous created content is so much more accessible now, but I don’t think people know that. I certainly didn’t, until […]

‘Tis The Season: Seneca Educator Lenora Dingus on New Challenges of Indigenous People’s Day

“it also seems that this is the only time of year Indigenous people and cultures are thought of to any extent by a large part of the population.“ ‘Tis The Season Football; both local and National, INDIGENOUS people’s day – aka Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving and all the fall harvest festivals which often portray negative Indigenous […]

Video: 1986 Short Film Focused on Three Lesbians

This brief film featuring three lesbians discussing their lives in 1986 has been one of the most well received posts on my Instagram feed. Everyone want to know what happened to these three women. I hope to find out! Lesbians (1986) has been digitally preserved by UCLA Film & Televsion Archive in conjunction with Outfest […]

The Legacy of Fire Truck Santa: West Mifflin

The third weekend in December meant more Advent candles, school winding down, and Fire truck Santa. Those of us who grew up with volunteer fire companies often enjoyed a tradition of someone’s Dad/Uncle/Cousin playing Santa. This while they circled every street, distributing lovely treats. The full sized Clark bar was my favorite. For me this […]

Why is Indigenous Peoples Day so important? 

By Lee Dingus, a Pittsburgh based Haudenosaunee – Seneca artist and educator, Founder of Echoes of the Four Directions Why is Indigenous Peoples Day so important?  Indigenous People’s Day recognizes the resilience of my ancestors and the legacy I carry with me, my grandmothers. It is a day dedicated to the impact colonialism had on my […]

In October, LGBTQ+ History Month is an Important Resource

Each October, we celebrate LGBTQ History Month to coincide with National Coming Out Day on 11 October and to commemorate the first and second marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 for LGBT rights. The third march, co-coordinated by Pittsburgh activist Billy Hileman, took place in April 1993. This is something I did not know. […]