Neyom Friday

  Doc 'Zach Battiest' , a performance artist and talented music producer, runs his own sound studio in Hollywood, Florida.  As a child, Doc traveled with his family’s gospel tour all over the country developing his ear for music and his eye for dramatic stylings.  He spent his early teens honing those skills before taking time off from the stage.  He returned to his musical roots at age 16, when he began arranging, writing and performing hip hop and rap. Doc’s studio, Midnight Studios, opened in 2008 and was the birthplace of his first musical release, “The Storm.”  He and his brother, Spencer, wrote the music and lyrics and the CD was produced by Midnight Studios. Doc was invited to perform at Hard Rock Calling in London’s Hyde Park in 2008 and 2009 where he thrilled an audience of 100,000 with his passionate drumming, dancing and athleticism.  A gifted musician, he plays the drums, bass and piano but writing and arranging is his focus. Doc, 22, is married with one child and is a proud member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.  He and his family reside in Hollywood.

Native American actress Irene Bedard is best known to audiences as the voice of the title character in Disney's animated feature Pocahontas (1995, with Mel Gibson) Since then, she as starred in dozens of television, film and stage productions. Bedard's acting breakthrough came with the TV movie Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee in 1994. She has starred in Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994), Steven Spielberg’s Into the West, Smoke Signals, and Wildflowers with Daryl Hannah, among others. In addition to on-screen roles, she has lent her voice to the cartoons The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest and Pepper Ann.

Since 2000, Brian Frejo’s highly successful company Created 4 Greatness (C4G) and nationally known hip-hop group Culture Shock Camp, has provided invaluable services and entertainment to more than 200 reservations and urban Indian communities, 150 national and regional conferences, 50 universities and colleges, and 400 cities over the past five years. Through services such as motivational speaking, youth leadership trainings, workshops, performing arts camps, concerts, sporting, community and special events, Created 4 Greatness and Culture Shock Camp combined have touched the lives of more than 50,000 Native and non-Native youth. Brian (Pawnee/Seminole) is a highly talented and multi-faceted individual who is best known for his work as a Drug/Alcohol Free Motivational Speaker, “Cultural Activist,” Youth advocate, Performer, DJ, Mentor & Wellness Trainer . Brian is one of the most sought after Performer, DJ, music producer and promoter in Indian Country. As “Indigenius Shock B” he has performed with some of the most popular acts in music today. Brian also has his finger on the hottest and most up and coming Native music talent that has enabled him to produce a range of successful concerts, tours and special events that has gained him the reputation as one of the premier music promoters and special event organizers in Indian Country. Brian is also honored to be a part of the 2002 Grammy–nominated drum group “Young Bird.”

Actor and stuntman Cody Jones, an enrolled Eastern Shoshone tribal member of the Wind River Indian Reservation, grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and in Texas. As a boy, he dreamed of being a cowboy just like his grandfather. His extensive background in riding and training horses led to a career in stunt work beginning with The History Channel's "Carson and Cody: The Hunter Heroes” in 2003. While filming the documentary, Cody fell in love with movie business and went on to tour the Midwest in a Wild West show. Cody performed grueling stunts for battle scenes in Steven Spielberg’s TV mini-series Into the West. Two years ago, after the urging of good friend and respected actor Steve Reevis, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Upon arriving in Hollywood, he was immediately asked to model for the 2009 Native American Men's Calendar, from which he built a multi-cultural fan base. He went on to perform stunts and stunt riding for several films, including Hired Gun. Cody made his acting debut as Misoun in Dawn of Conviction, a story of brotherhood, loyalty, greed and betrayal in the Dakota Territory in the 1880s, to be released in May. His love of sports and knowledge of Lacrosse landed him a role as a Lacrosse player in the film Warrior, starring Twilight actors Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene. Warrior is due out in theaters later this year. A TV commercial he filmed this year for the U.S. Census continues to air in a number of markets. Most recently, Cody finished up work on the Coen brothers newest film True Grit, the independent film Wuss, and on Steven Spielberg's anticipated blockbuster hit Cowboys and Aliens--all due out next year.  

George Tiger was born in the small Creek Indian community of Yardeka in McIntosh County Oklahoma. A full blood Creek he was born to Coody Tiger and Lela McNac Tiger. He belongs to the Wind Clan and his tribal town is Hickory Ground and a member of Yardeka Indian Baptist Church. As a child, George was diagnosed with the crippling disease polio. His parents were told early on their son would never walk. He not only begins to walk, but also play, run, and jump! The adversity and the hardship he endured motivated him to play sports. He enjoyed playing football and fast pitch softball. He graduated from Morris High School and attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Haskell Indian Junior College, and Northeastern State University. Remembering the values his parent’s taught him, he now serves to help other children succeed in continuing their education as the President of Haskell Indian NationsUniversity National Board of Regents in Lawrence, Kansas.

A member of the Yaqui people of southern Arizona, Gabriel Ayala is at the forefront ofa new generation of Native Americans making a career performing classical music. He earneda Master's Degree in Music Performance from the University of Arizona in 1997, has taught atall educational levels from elementary through college, and serves as a competition adjudicator.Although Gabriel truly enjoys being a teacher his busy touring schedule allows him to only teachin masterclass settings. Ayala performs regularly throughout the United States and has appeared at the Poway Center for Performing Arts, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Museum for the American Indian, and Oscar Meyer Theater in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2010, Gabriel was honored to perform at the Musical Instrument Museum in a series called “Guitar Masters”. Hehas been recognized by the former State of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, now Directorof Homeland Security, for his musical achievements. In addition, he has also been honored as the Artist of the Month for the Indigenous Internet Chamber of Commerce (IICOC). Not only is Gabriel recognized locally and in the United States but has had the opportunity to be the featured performer at the “Festival Internacional de la Guitarra Academica” in Venezuela with Performances in Caracas, Guarenas, Guatire and on National Public Television throughout Venezuela.

Jacob Pratt has also been playing the Traditional Native Flute since he was fourteen years old. He has been self taught and through years of practice has developed his own unique style of music. April 16, 2011 is the official release of his first CD entitled "Eagle Calls." Jacob chose to make a CD simply because there was huge demand from family and friends requesting a CD of his music. In Jacob's live performances his flute music is accompanied by both traditional and personal stories that are related to the flute. He has the ability to cater his stories and music to entertain many different age groups. Jacob has been a mens traditional dancer since he was a very young child. This style tells the story of a warrior who is hunting or in a battle. He has expanded his dancing to include the hoop dance. Jacob uses sixteen hoops to tell a story and depict many different things. With the hoops some of the images that are created include, the ladder of life, horse, bear, eagle, and the earth just to name a few. Lastly Jacob is considered to be a great role model to First Nations youth all across Canada. He chooses to live a healthy drug and alcohol free life style, attends university, and strives to lead by example for young people. Due to his positive life style Jacob is routinely requested to speak at youth and cultural events. Some of the topics that Jacob likes to speak about include, motivational, education, healthy life styles, culture, language revitalization, Striving for success, and many others.

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“No gimmicks.” Such a simple statement. So bold and direct yet hard for most “artists” to accomplish. Contrived ruses have given many music sensations their 15 minutes. That same ploy has taken it away just as quickly. Those who rely on talent and passion; their ability and drive however, don't need a gimmick. Those two words—no gimmicks—perfectly encapsulate Joey Stylez, the world's premiere Native American hip hop artist. From his chameleon-esque sound, clothing and hair styles down to his ongoing adoration for skin art and undeniable good looks, Moosmin First Nations member Stylez is overtaking the world of hip hop with enthusiastic ease. And no damned gimmicks. Originally hailing from Saskatchewan, this internationally-acclaimed rhymer has proven that even in the Great White North, it's possible to overcome oppression. A victim of poverty in his youth despite being relocated to Saskatoon by a hardworking single mother, Stylez (aka Joseph Laplante) was raised low-income in a middle-class neighbourhood. The constant struggling and derision from outsiders determined—or rather forced—his take-no-prisoners attack. “I took to my own means of getting what I wanted,” declares Stylez about his approach to both life and music. “If I had to shoplift or sell something I...whatever...I'd do it by all means necessary. That mindset carried over in a positive way though, and influenced making music for me. If it takes guts, money, sugar or spice, I don't care. It's going to happen. I'm going to get it. I have tunnel vision; my mind set on the prize.”

Mark Trahant is an independent writer, teacher and a “Twitter poet.” He is currently Editor in Residence at the University of Idaho, School of Journalism and Mass Media. He was a 2009 Kaiser Media Fellow and is writing about health care reform with the focus of learning from programs the government already operates, such as the Indian Health Service. Trahant recently completed a monograph on the legacy of Sen. Henry M. Jackson. “Scoop” Jackson waswell known for his work on the environment and in the international arena. Less well known is his legacy on American Indian policy. He was the sponsor of a series of major reforms ranging from the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Trahant was a visiting lecturer for a course he developed called “Twitter & Democracy” at the Universityof Colorado at Boulder. The course raised questions about how a nation can tell its story in 140characters. It explored the relationship between social media and the news media. The course beganwith a history of media change, and then followed how the values of professional media are beingrewritten, ignored or transmitted through social media, including MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.He will teach a shorter version of the class at the University of Idaho in the Spring of 2010 and will participate in the UI’s Borah Symposium. Trahant also writes “news poems” on Twitter, four line rhymesbased on current news events under the handle, “NewsRimes4lines.”