"Medicine Ball": Film & Conversation with Executive Producer Syd Beane 4:30-6:30 pm
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About this event
Join us for a powerful evening of film and conversation as the MCC Native American Programming Workgroup and Abiitan co-host a screening of Medicine Ball.
Basketball was introduced to Native youth in boarding schools as a tool of assimilation and control. But over the generations it became a symbol of hope and a space of healing, pride and identity. For Native families, the game is more than sport; it is a lifeline, a way to carry forward culture, to build community, and to create joy amidst adversity.
Directed by Leya Hale (Dakota/Diné), this documentary film follows Leroy Fairbanks IV (Leech Lake Ojibwe) and Lexus Redthunder (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota) as they navigate college life at the University of Minnesota Morris, a campus built on the grounds of a former Indian boarding school. Their personal journeys as athletes unfold alongside the layered history of how basketball became interwoven with Native resilience. Guiding their path is Dakota historian Syd Beane, whose own family connection to basketball provides a living bridge between past and present.
Following the screening, we will gather for a discussion with the executive producer and featured historian of the film, Syd Beane, to reflect on the film’s themes and explore its relevance today. We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful opportunity to learn, connect, and deepen our understanding of Native American history and resilience.
There is on-street metered parking available. All registrants must check in and out at the concierge desk. Abiitan recommends arriving 15 minutes early.
Interested in carpooling? Click on the registrant list and find a member in your building or near you that you can connect with and ask to share a ride. Or, feel free to contact the MCC office for a suggestion.
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