I'm really excited to share my conversation with my (Producer Ashley)'s friend Ty Defoe. Ty and I talked the day after the inauguration of Joe Biden and that is reflected in the interview. We also chat about Ty being on Broadway, working with (#Icon) Kate Bornstein, and helping the craft the indigenous representation and public acknowledgement of the crimes, treatment, and genocides committed against indigenous people throughout history in the North American Continent for this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
TY DEFOE (Giizhig) is from the Oneida and Ojibwe Nations. He is an interdisciplinary-hyphenated artist, activist, writer, cultural worker, and shape-shifter. As a two-spirit person Ty aspires to an integral approach to artistic projects, social justice, indigeneity, and environmentalism. Ty gained recognition in many circles around the world including a Grammy Award for his work on “Come to Me Great Mystery.” Ty’s global cultural arts highlights are: the Millennium celebration in Cairo, Egypt with the Call for Peace Drum and Dance Company; Turkey for the Ankara International Music Festival, and Festival of World Cultures in Dubai. Ty’s frequents his own community where he learned to hoop dance, eagle dance, and play a variety of wooden flutes.