New Mexico

United World College – USA announces upcoming speaker John Trudell, who will be speaking on Native American Issues.

John Trudell is an acclaimed poet, national recording artist, actor, and activist whose international following reflects the universal language of his words, work, and message. Trudell writes “As human beings, we find ourselves in a dimensional reality where we feel powerless to deal with the various situations we find ourselves in. As human beings, it is time to take responsibility for the power of our intelligence and use the power of our intelligence to think clearly and coherently and create solutions to the problems we are confronted with.”  Musician Bonnie Raitt says of Trudell “He stands alone as the most effective Native American activist we have today.”

John Trudell (Santee Sioux) was a spokesperson for the Indian of All Tribes occupation of Alcatraz Island from 1969 to 1971. He served as the Chairman of the American Indian Movement (AIM) from 1973 to 1979. In February of 1979, a fire of unknown origin killed Trudell’s wife, three children and mother-in-law. It was through this horrific tragedy that Trudell began to find his voice as an artist and poet, writing, in his words, “to stay connected to this reality.”

In 1982, Trudell began recording his poetry to traditional Native music and in 1983 he released his debut album Tribal Voice on his own Peace Company label. A subsequent album, AKA Graffiti Man, was released in 1986 and dubbed the best album of the year by Bob Dylan. AKA Graffiti Man demonstrates Trudell’s singular ability to express fundamental truths through a unique mix of poetry, Native music, blues and rock.

In addition to his music career, Trudell has played roles in a number of feature films, including a lead role in the movie Thunderheart and a major part in Sherman Alexie’s Smoke Signals. The 2005 documentary Trudell chronicles his life through the dynamic blend of art and politics.

John Trudell will be signing books and CDs following his presentation. This event is free and open to the public.