Native American Heritage Month Virtual Film Screening and Discussion: "Inner Healing: Journey With Native Trees of Knowledge" with Leon Sam Briggs (Tonawanda Seneca).

Filmmaker, Adrian Esposito, was seeking help to deal with his autism, and his documentary, Inner Healing: Journey with Native Trees of Knowledge, follows him on his journey as he interviewed Native American healers and elders across both the United States and Canada to find answers.  Leon Sam Briggs (Tonawanda Seneca) will discuss the film and his part of the documented journey as one of the interviewed healers while Adrian sought insight and answers that would help the filmmaker deal with the symptoms of his autism.  Inner Healing has won several accolades including Red Nation Film Festival® Courage Award and the Native American Indian Film & Video Festival of the Southeast Nuwati “Good Medicine” Film Award.

Join in on WebEx at https://wright.webex.com/meet/mia.honaker or participate by phone by dialing 1-415-655-0003 then enter access code: 478 945 093

This event is free and open to the public. For more information about the Office of Latinx, Asian, and Native American Affairs and our events, please contact the center at 937-775-2798 or visit our website at www.wright.edu/lana.

Speaker Bio:
Leon Sam Briggs, is enrolled Tonawanda Seneca whose native name is H oya’degay hus, “ he helps always” hawk clan,  In 2004, he was ordained as a spiritual leader of the American Metis Aboriginal Association.  He works in traditional Arts of beading, quill, and leatherwork. He speaks on his traditional teachings in herbology, (focused native uses of plants), and works as a cultural consulting. 

Has made annual trips to Little Eagle, South Dakota to meet with the community and government leaders as a cultural lea son, participate in events and ceremonies, such as Peace Place powwow to support local efforts to start building the Little Eagle Community Center. 

He has participated as a guest speaker on Native American culture, storyteller, environmental impact on indigenous plants at various events including Native American Awareness Week at the University of Dayton, and Sunwatch Village, since 2007. Making Relations another gathering of communities for the exchange of cultures (Little Eagle and Eagle Butte, South Dakota, since  2009) and Native Peoples Celebrate the Peacemakers, University of Dayton.

He is a consultant/ speaker with the Red Bird Center whose mission is to support the Healing and Unity of Native families in Ohio.  The Center specializes in assisting families in recovery from trauma an” Indigenous Healing Model” which restores the spirit and brings unity and connection with Native communities.  The Red Bird Center has been in operation since 1997 as a Native nonprofit organization.