Please join Tlingit & Haida for a music video launch party on July 30, 2018 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Sacred Grounds Café (320 W. Willoughy Avenue, Juneau AK). Seven amazing tribal citizen youth directed, rapped and produced the music video, I x si x án, A x K wáan (I Love You, My People ), that illustrates their love for their culture and indigenous life in Southeast Alaska.

The youth (Jacob Brouillette, Marcel Cohen, Bradley Dybdahl, Arias Hoyle, Keegan Kanan, Geri Rodriguez and Kenndra Willard) created the music video in less than two weeks with technical support from Second2NoneSound (Josh Laboca), as part of a week-long music video camp sponsored by Tlingit & Haida’s Tribal Family & Youth Services department through its Native Connections program. The music camp, which was held July 16-20, 2018, focused on providing space for the youth to develop culturally-based social, emotional, mental, and spiritual skills to become healthy and resilient students.

The lyrics composed are in Tlingit and English while the scenes in the music video depict vignettes of our traditional tribal values as well as the history of Juneau and Southeast Alaska.

As part of the process, each youth participated in writing exercises to help create the lyrics and collaborated to develop the video's aesthetic. Outdoor activities were coordinated throughout the week to provide the students with the opportunity to capture video footage to illustrate the lyrics for their music video. By the end of camp, students learned how to create lyrics, shoot videos to illustrate the lyrics and produce a short music video.

“My experience with camp has been admirable and productive," said Arias Hoyle, the lead rapper and lyricist for the camp. "We embraced the culture with our rap. I am just excited that the Alaska Native youth can make something like this. In our town, where people know us for our languages dying, it was cool to make something to be proud of.”

“I am so proud of the students in I x si x án, A x K wáan ," said Will Kronick, a camp advisor. "They worked really hard to weave a compelling audio and visual narrative. Gunalchéesh/Háw’aa to the students for teaching Justin Jones and I so much and to the many partners who made this project possible.”

Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa (Thank You) to our partners for your support and contribution to our tribal citizen youth in their music video project: Second2NoneSound, Vocational Training & Resource Center, Alaska Marine Highway System, One People Canoe Society, Goldbelt Heritage Foundation and Sacred Grounds Café.

Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/events/496963374078492

This event is sponsored by Tlingit & Haida’s Tribal Family & Youth Services department under the Native Connections program and Sacred Grounds Café. The event flyer and program material was developed under Grant # 6H79SM063465-02M001 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The views, policies and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA or HHS.

For more information on the music video launch party, please call 907.463.7169 or email wkronick@ccthita-nsn.gov.