Rena Flying Coyote Collective

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Rena Flying Coyote Collective

Telling the stories of Indigenous peoples through film, television, and the arts.

09/24/2026

Another great Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (ATALM) International Conference for Rena Flying Coyote Collective!

We conducted a full-day filmmaking workshop, held the first public screening of our new project Ogáxpa Strong, and spent the rest of our time visiting with as many folks as we possibly could at our favorite conference of the year!

Thank you so much to everyone on the ATALM team for making this such a special event and thank you so much to everyone that participated in our sessions, audience members and panelists alike!

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work 🙌

01/28/2026

Friends in Eugene, OR! Looking for a powerful way to spend the evening in community this Friday? Join us for a free screening of Imagining The Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting at Art House (old Bijou Theater), hosted by Native Youth Wellness and Kunu Music of Morning Star Creative.

This award-winning documentary—directed by Ben West and Aviva Kempner—explores the long and ongoing movement to eliminate Native-themed mascots and reclaim Indigenous identity and narrative.

Doors open at 6pm, and the screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Ben West.

On the day of the National Shutdown, this gathering offers a space to reflect, restore, and connect with others committed to truth and solidarity. Whether you’ve spent the day protesting, organizing, or simply observing, we welcome you to wind down with us in community and conversation.

RSVPs have been extended through Thursday, 1/29. RSVP here: bit.ly/nywmovienight2026

11/27/2025

"I think about what it means for my child if you don't tell her the truth. The truth about 'Thanksgiving,' right? In our house, we refer to it as Truthsgiving." - Dr. Stephanie Fryberg (Tulalip)

Tonight, on Truthsgiving, Imagining The Indian premieres nationwide on FNX | First Nations Experience.

Tune in at 7:30pm PT / 10:30pm ET to witness a film that challenges long-standing myths and invites us to reflect on truth, dignity, and the stories we’ve inherited. Watch the live broadcast on your local FNX Television affiliate, or the free FNX app at fnx.org/app.

11/26/2025

As families gather and traditions are shared this week, we ask: What stories are we passing down? And whose stories are missing?

The award-winning documentary film Imagining The Indian invites us to reflect on how Native peoples have been represented—and misrepresented—for generations.

Watch it on demand through the free FNX | First Nations Experience app, or tune in Truthsgiving night at 7:30pm PT / 10:30pm ET for the FNX network premiere.

11/25/2025

This week, many Americans gather to celebrate Thanksgiving. But for Native communities, this time of year is often marked by a complicated mix of uncertainty, discomfort, and erasure.

That's why we're so honored that beginning this week, Imagining The Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting is live on FNX | First Nations Experience.

This award-winning documentary, directed by Cheyenne filmmaker Ben West and Aviva Kempner, is a powerful exploration of the long and ongoing effort to eliminate Native-themed mascots, and to reclaim identity, dignity, and narrative from the harmful symbols that have persisted for far too long.

The week of Thanksgiving—or as we prefer to call it, Truthsgiving—is the perfect time to listen to Native voices, to question what we've been taught, and to make space for stories that are too often pushed to the margins.

Watch on demand via the free FNX app at fnx.org/app, or tune in for the national FNX network premiere on Truthsgiving night at 7:30pm PT / 10:30pm ET.

11/24/2025

We're honored to announce that Imagining The Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting is now live on FNX | First Nations Experience!

Watch it on demand through the free FNX app at fnx.org/app, or tune in Truthsgiving (aka Thanksgiving) night at 7:30pm PT / 10:30pm ET for the FNX network premiere.

Directed by Cheyenne filmmaker Ben West and Aviva Kempner, this powerful documentary offers a comprehensive look at the movement to eradicate the words, images, and gestures that many Native Americans and their allies find harmful, demeaning, and offensive.

Thank you to FNX for offering such a vital platform to share this story.

07/22/2025

President Trump’s push to revive the racist former name of Washington’s Football Team and Cleveland’s Baseball Team is another attempt to stoke culture wars rather than engage with real Native issues.

My name is Ben West, citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, and I am the Co-Director of the documentary film Imagining The Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting, and the Founder and CEO of Rena Flying Coyote Collective.

I made the film because I was inspired by activists and advocates like Suzan Shown Harjo and all those who have followed in her footsteps. The film details the struggle to end Native American mascoting and all the harm it does.

The research is clear, Native American Mascots are a public health crisis. Exposure to Native American Mascots leads to increased levels of suicidal ideation amongst Native people, particularly Native youth, heightened levels of depression amongst Native people, particularly Native youth, and lower levels of self esteem amongst Native People, particularly Native youth.

There is no good reason why the name of a sports team should ever be more important than the health and well-being of people.

To quote auntie Suzan, Commanders and Guardians, keep up the good work and keep on the path of righteousness.

Find Imagining the Indian streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Learn more about our work at rfccollective.org.

Nae’ese. Thank you.

05/19/2025

What a weekend! Thank you to Alexa Wyatt and the incredible team at Owamni - By The Sioux Chef and NĀTIFSorg for hosting, Linda Black Elk, and everyone who joined us for our screenings of Imagining The Indian in Minneapolis.

Thank you to our wonderful panelists The Sioux Chef, Rick West, Angela Walden May, and our very own Ben West and Yancey William Burns.

And finally, thank you to Suzan Harjo for being the inspiration behind the film. You were there in spirit, as always.

We’re so grateful to have shared space, stories, and conversation with such an engaged and thoughtful community. More to come!

📸: Joe Williams Art

05/09/2025

TONIGHT! 🎥 Join us at Owamni - By The Sioux Chef for a the first of two exclusive screenings of Imagining The Indian, followed by a panel with the filmmakers and The Sioux Chef.

Reserve your seat here: https://imagining-the-indian-screening-panel-discussion-tzhqz.tripleseattickets.com/registration/select

05/07/2025

We're thrilled to be teaming up with The Sioux Chef and the incredible team at NĀTIFSorg for two special screenings of Imagining The Indian this weekend at Owamni - By The Sioux Chef!

It’s an honor to be working with Sean Sherman again and to share space with those who believe in the power of Indigenous storytelling and food sovereignty. We can’t wait to see you there!

Address

420 1st Street South
Minneapolis, MN
55401

Website

https://www.rfccollective.org/

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