Initiatives that Move American Indian & Indigenous Women Forward 

Joanelle Romero founder of Native Women in Film  was invited by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey on June 5th, 2016 to attend the first  ‘United State of Women’s Summit’ there Joanelle Romero met with congressional members to address Native Women in Film & Television Initiative. The seeds have been planted.

In 2003, began the erase Native actresses being cast on episodic television (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX), and in regards to film, Native women are not usually represented nor written in the narrative in studio films, as leading women, and when done its in the 1800’s keeping us in the past. There was a 23 year wait between ‘Dances with Wolves’ and ‘The Revenant’, Native Women in FILM has brought national attention to this issue and will continue too until we see a change in our industry.” – Joanelle Romero (Media proprietor, an acclaimed actress in film and television, Award winning director, producer, recording artist, singer/songwriter, entrepreneur, humanitarian. Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences member and founder of Native Women in FILM)

Native Americans were not considered citizens of U.S. until 1924. The Nationality Act allowed them to go to war in 1940, but for the most part they had to wait until 1965 (Voting Rights Act) to really have the right to vote across the country. We as Native American women were not viewed as equals and this should be made clear on this day.”

Building the Movement of Indigenous Women & Girls