Sterlin Harjo, writer and director of the popular FX series Reservation Dogs, will join award-winning actor and comedian Tatanka Means for ‘An Evening with Harjo & Means’ at UNC Pembroke on November 8.
Harjo and Means will appear at Upchurch Auditorium inside the James A. Thomas Hall. The fireside-style chat will begin at 7 p.m.
The event is free for faculty, staff and UNCP students with student ID. Admission is $10 for guests. For tickets, call 910.521.6361 or visit uncp.edu/dss.
“I’m very proud of what our office has been able to do over the years bringing some of the most notable Indigenous speakers to UNCP and this year is no exception,” said Abdul Ghaffar, assistant dean of students.
“Sterlin Harjo is one of the most accomplished writers/producers in America today. Tatanka Means is a notable veteran actor and activist whose career is on the rise. I expect this to be a night to remember for our entire community. I am thankful for the support from other offices at UNCP and the Lumbee Tribe, as well,” Ghaffar said.
The event is presented by the Office of Campus Engagement and Leadership, the American Indian Heritage Center, REACH, and Undergraduate Admissions and co-sponsored by the Lumbee Tribe.
“Res Dogs is currently one of the most groundbreaking series in the media, especially for Indigenous people,” said Tribal Chairman John Lowery. “My fellow tribal members and I are excited for Harjo and Means to visit UNC Pembroke. We hope the event inspires our young people to tell their own stories.”
Earlier in the day, Harjo and Means will speak to high school students from the county and across the region as part of a college prep event at Givens Performing Arts Center.
“This day is designed to inspire and motivate students to think about their future success and to see opportunity as boundless,” said Jamee Freeman, director of Undergraduate Admission.
The college planning sessions are intended to promote a sense of belonging and increase awareness of UNCP’s academic and social offerings.
“Students will walk away with new tools focused on preparing them to not only attend UNCP, but to be engaged with an existing network of support upon entry,” Freeman said.
Harjo is a Native American producer, director and documentary filmmaker. He is a member of the Seminole Nation and has Muscogee heritage. He was raised in Oklahoma and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he studied art and film.
He has produced three feature films––Mekko, Barking Water and Four Sheets to the Wind––in addition to Reservation Dogs, which features all-Indigenous writers and directors and an almost entirely Indigenous cast and production team. Reservation Dogs is breaking ground for Native American representation in Hollywood and has been renewed for a third season expected to be released in 2023.
Harjo first visited UNCP in 2015 while performing with his comedy group, the 1491s.
Means, an award-winning Native actor, is best known for his roles in Saints & Strangers and Tiger Eyes. He stars opposite Leonard DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's upcoming film “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
He represents the Navajo, Oglala Lakota and Omaha Nations. Aside from acting, Means performs stand-up comedy throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“It's incredibly exciting for UNCP to host Harjo and Means––two talented filmmakers and actors who are working to ensure that Native people and Native stories are included in mainstream media,” said Ashley McMillan, director of the American Indian Heritage Center.
“It's been an exciting year in terms of having Native representation in popular films and television shows; the timing of this conversation with Harjo and Means couldn't be better,” said McMillan.
