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Holdenville has always been, to me, a magical place. A small town with a big heart, a small population full of big dreamers. I grew up in what seems now in my mind, a major motion picture. The cast of characters which made up my adolescence were people who were bigger than life. They were and are famous to me. Teachers like Richard Billingsley, Teresa Rothrock, Nancy Allford, and Jennie Davidson. Coaches like Butch Rawls, Larry Miller, Jerry O’Steen, and Mike Patterson. And upperclassman like Sterlin Harjo. Sterlin has always been famous in our small town. His creativity and artistic ability were noticed early on. None of us here in HOLDENVILLE are surprised that Sterlin is finally being recognized on the national stage for his work and contribution to the television and film industry. But I would argue that it is not simply his talent for creating and directing which has made him famous here in our town. Sterlin is one of the kindest, most inclusive people that you will ever meet. He has a smile that is contagious, a laugh that will draw you in, and a conversational style that will make you feel like you belong. He has a way of bringing people together and making them feel important. His new series Reservation Dogs to be released August 9 on FX on HULU captures the heart and soul of a culture and community in which Sterlin grew up. I had the honor of attending a screening of the first two episodes last week at The Cove in River Wind Casino. Sterlin and his family invited my friend Jackie Siegrest and me up to their box to spend an evening with them that I will never forget. Watching the way Sterlin interacted with his family and friends, making everyone laugh, talking about stories from our childhood, and cutting up with his brothers, it was easy to forget that he was now not only famous to me, but famous. It all started to sink in as they ushered him to the stage where the Muscogee Nation honored Sterlin for the work he has done and the difference he is making in the lives of Natives all across America. His new series, Reservation Dogs has not only created a culture onscreen which has never been portrayed before, but it has created a place for Native actors and crew members to take part in its creation. It is a work bigger than itself. It has sparked a movement which tribal members can be proud of and take part in. To help further the work which Sterlin has begun, the Muscogee Nation has created the Sterlin Harjo Scholarship. A scholarship for Native American film students who are looking for a career in the movie and television industry. FX thought so much of it that the network has agreed to add an extra $10,000 of its own money to the scholarship.
