10
Indian Voices • June 2009
The Native Woman behind the
thing about herself that
made her feel uneasy. “I
realized during my time at
Native Media Spirit, Michelle
Berkeley that I am not a
political or club-joining
type of person. I grew tired
Shining Elk!
of constantly being
approached to join this or
that cause or club. At that
by Cherrie Richardson
by one who comes from and lives on a
point in time, I didn’t even
reservation. “I did not feel that college
know what my own causes
The Native Woman behind the Native
was an option for me. My non Indian
were. And I barely had a
Media Spirit, Michelle Shining Elk
friends went on. The realities of the cost
handle on the type of
of college and being intelligent enough
things that interested me in
Michelle Shining Elk is an amazingly
to go didn’t register with me. My non
ways that were grounded
strong woman.
Indian friends’ college tuition, housing
by a passion or love of the
She is the kind of woman that our
and expenses were paid for by their par-
interest. I was still trying to
stories speak of and our men look up to.
ents. I did not have such luxuries. No
figure it all out, this life off
She is a true role model and example of
one in my family had the kind of money
the reservation.” Eventually Michelle
“The reconnection to the Native
Native American strength, grace, beauty,
it takes to send a kid to college. Funding
found a cause. In 1995 Michelle took a
American community and working with
and intelligence that our young ones
was sparsely available then, if at all for
job in corporate communications at a
the Institute was so enlightening,
admire and aim to become. Her life
simple living expenses.”
biotechnology company in the Bay area,
Michelle explained, “that it filled me
involves overcoming adversities that
Michelle moved to Spokane,
specializing in gene research. With that
with spirit and warmth, something that I
Native American women often
Washington, to attend night school
job she found herself meeting regularly
had been missing, that I hadn’t realized I
encounter.
where she obtained her paralegal certifi-
with high profile media individuals. She
had been missing and now re-connect-
Today Michelle owns one of the most
cate. This led her to obtain a position
had frequent, but short conversations
ing to it. The entire experience was
effective and prominent Native American
with media notables such as NBC’s Bob
empowering.”
with the late Carl Maxey’s law firm. After
media entertainment agencies in the
Bazell, and other esteemed journalists
During that time Michelle connected
a year with this firm she was promoted
nation. The clients that she secured are
and correspondents. Michelle learned
with Millie Ketcheshawno, a Native
to the position of paralegal “Carl
incredible testimonies to her lifetime
about oncology, neurology, pharmaceuti-
American film producer, and both
believed in me and I feel he saw the
achievements...
cal products and medicines designed to
women formed an immediate bond.”
determination within me that propelled
She comes from Colville Indian
treat such afflictions as Multiple
Millie used to tell me that the fire in my
me forward. I am someone who has
Reservation and is an enrolled member
Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, and
eyes reminded her of herself when she
always been driven by challenges. Tell
of the Colville tribes. She belongs to the
Epilepsy. It also led Michelle to engage
was my age, Michelle fondly remembers.
me I can’t and I will show you I can; tell
in dialogues with neurologists and
“Millie was an amazing soul, with so
Lakes and Okanogan bands. She was me I won’t do something and I will.”
epileptologists about neurological disor-
much warmth and depth.” This relation-
born to two very strong Native American Life continued to twist and turn. She
ders and therapeutic interventions.
ship directly involved Michelle with
parents and into a family, the most com- married at nineteen and a few months
All of those exposures and milestones
Millie Ketcheshawno’s film “Alcatraz is
mon link within reservation and Indian later she realized the union had been a
would serve Michelle later when she
Not an Island.” It was for the sake of
life. Her family instilled fortitude, a posi- mistake. The union was annulled by the
became an Advertising Executive for a
Ketcheshawno (who unexpectedly died a
tive attitude, belief and strength into her court. It was a painful experience but
Bio-Tech marketing and advertising firm.
week after learning that the Sundance
existence from day one. As often hap- she knew it was for the best. Michelle
She learned much and gained a great
Film Institute had accepted “Alcatraz”
pens with reservation families Michelle’s decided to leave the Pacific Northwest
deal of practical and strategic insight.
into its special screening program) that
parents did not stay together. This led to and head for San Francisco. She packed
Now able to tap into her own unique
Michelle decided to continue working
a life mentored and shaped by the tribe up her car and drove by herself into the
blend of want, drive, resourcefulness
on the film. “It was my mission to get
and extended family such as aunts, unknown, with no one at the end of the
and spirit, Michelle opted once again to
the word out about the film, in her
uncles, maternal and paternal grandpar- line waiting for her. She left behind all
change course into an exceedingly high-
honor,” Michelle says, “and so I did.”
ents. The woman that shaped Michelle she had known up to that point, the
er level of self. She started her very own
Millie had worked so hard to get this
the most was her grandmother. It was reservation, her tribe, and everything
marketing, communications and publici-
film to this point, and acceptance was all
Michelle’s maternal grandmother who, that was Native and familiar to her.
ty company. She revamped her garage
she had been waiting for, it was her
even if from afar at times, took care of Immediately upon her arrival
into a large office, and tapped into out-
grand prize. “I wanted to continue to
Michelle and her sister. As Michelle Michelle landed a job as a paralegal. She
sourcing. “Whatever the job entailed I
represent her and be her ongoing voice
explains, distance was never a factor was very much plagued by self doubt,
outsourced it, freelance designers, writ-
about the project, out of the love and
within the true closeness and bond that fears, and at times panic. Michelle was
ers, graphic artists, you name it. At times
respect I had for Millie. Since that time
she had with her grandmother. “She was unwavering in her determination to
I worked around the clock, putting in
so much more has occurred. My life
my strength, and unfailingly guided me make it work, to figure it all out. Her
24 hour shifts, but we got the job or
leaves me in awe, for I truly do see the
with her wisdom and unconditional inner-spirit guiding her every step of the
jobs done!”
work of the spirit and of my people
love. Her spirit was and is always with way. “I had these dreams, hopes, aspira-
At this point a decade had not passed,
working through and with me.”
me, even though at times this was only tions and wants, I knew they needed to
since Michelle had left the reservation.
Michelle’s life is a testimony, showing
possible by phone or mere thought. One be fulfilled, and I felt some kind of des-
She had learned to live in an urban envi-
that Native culture and its women, then
does not have to be physically present to tiny was calling out to me.”
ronment, but she found herself at a
and now, carry a big responsibility with
be connected to another human being.” As a paralegal working in California,
crossroads. Lost and longing, she was
a great amount of pride and dignity.
A tough childhood left Michelle to Michelle worked on a number of very
called by a spirit to utilize all she had
They get the job done. She has worked
grow up more self reliant and alone, profound and important cases. These
encountered and learned to reconnect
on a wide range of projects, in both the
testing the will of a child and later turn- included the estate of the late concert
with her roots. Once again Michelle
Native and non-Native arena. It has
ing the pages into womanhood. As a promoter Bill Graham, the winery own-
found validity in that a calling was upon
made her a specialist in the entertain-
senior attending Coulee Dam’s Lake ership of the famous filmmaker Francis
her. She made an impromptu call and
ment industries that includes theatre,
Roosevelt High School, Michelle had Ford Coppola and Coppola Wines to
introduced herself to Michael Smith,
music, dance, film, television and fash-
been living in her own apartment since name a few. Michelle’s spirit was not sat-
Founder and Executive Director of the
ion.
her junior year. She held down two part isfied with this. Her drive and yearning
American Indian Film Institute in San
Michelle has battled a bout with can-
time jobs, while keeping up her stellar led her to apply and ultimately be
Francisco.
cer in 2008. And continues her work in
performances as a year round athlete in accepted to the University of California
A couple of meetings and talks later
marketing, communications and publici-
volleyball, basketball and softball, and at Berkeley. Enriched and enlightened by
Michelle was the organization’s publicist.
ty with her company – Shining Elk
ultimately graduating. At her graduation her scholastic experience at the very lib-
Working with the film institute,
Entertainment Inc. She also does artist
Michelle had not yet considered college. eral higher learning institution of U.C. Michelle became a significant part of its
These thoughts are not easily entertained Berkeley, Michelle also realized some- annual film festivals and award shows. SEE Michelle Shining Elk, page 13
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16