Museum of Ancient Life

2929 Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, UT 84043

Open House & Workshops | 12PM - 4 PM

Community Stories and Performances | 4PM

Panel Discussion with Indigenous Leaders on Indigenous Perspectives in Education | 5PM

As part of a nationwide celebration of the National Science Foundation’s 75th Anniversary, join us for a day of exploring digital storytelling rooted in Indigenous art, science, technology, and culture. We will highlight the creations of educators, designers, filmmakers, and storytellers across the state. The communities in the CLASP collaborative will present examples and demonstrations of digital storytelling using technologies such as cinematography, digital animation, 3D LiDAR scanning, video games, and more!

MODERATED BY

Dezi Lynn

Educator Initiative Manager at the National Indian Education Association, UVU Native American Program Writing Cohort Instructor

Dezi Lynn is originally from Coppermine, Arizona and a member of the Diné Nation. Dezi started teaching Special Education in an elementary school in her hometown of Page, Arizona after graduating with her B.A. This teaching position in a district serving a large population of Diné students motivated Dezi to obtain a Master of Education in Mild/Moderate Special Education focusing on Indigenous Epistemologies. After teaching in Arizona and Alaska, Dezi relocated to Utah and began teaching as an adjunct instructor at Utah Valley University in the English and History departments. She is presently enrolled in the University of Oklahoma College of Law, Master of Legal Studies, Indigenous Peoples Law program. She leads efforts at NIEA to develop innovative strategies to recruit, train, and retain teachers to empower Native students, currently creating a National Native American Educator Landscape Analysis. Dezi believes in the importance of having our epistemologies recognized and implemented for our children by the teachers that serve them. She currently resides in Utah with her five children.

PANELISTS

Darren Parry

Shoshone Elder

Darren Parry is an author, speaker, and storyteller. He is the Former Chairman of the Shoshone Nation. Darren currently serves as practitioner and residency at the University of Utah in the environmental humanities graduate program. He also gives lectures all over the country on Indigenous perspectives to climate and environment and works to share the history of the Shoshone people.

Eileen Quintana

Nebo Indian Education Program Manager

“Working with children and elders inspires me daily to be a better person. Children teach us to be inquisitive, always learning, living life fully. Elders teach us about humility, gratitude, they are the wisdom keepers of our traditional ways."
Eileen works as the Nebo Title VI Indian Education Coordinator in Utah, and volunteers/ sits on the Board of Directors of Adopt a Native Elder program. Her time is filled with incredible projects working with these two programs. Last year, all of the native students in her program graduated.

Nathaniel Todea

ECC-Instructor/Planning Team Member; Hydraulic Engineer

Nathaniel Todea (Diné) holds a BA in Anthropology from Fort Lewis College & a MS Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico. He is a Hydraulic Engineer with the Federal Government working in Utah. He works on watersheds, rivers, stream restoration, fire hydrology, & dam rehabilitation and dam operations. His background includes a business in Geographic Information Technology and worked as an archaeologist for the Navajo Nation. He was awarded the 2008 AISES Most Promising Engineer Award. He is joined by his wife and 2 children.