Just before the Los Alamos Public Schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the LAHS Native American Club presented Dr. Lee Francis IV, center, with an autographed photo of club members and LAHS Superintendent Dr. Kurt Steinhaus taken during a Feb. 7 visit to the New Mexico Legislature for American Indian Day. Courtesy/LAHS
Los Alamos High School Native American Club members Muira Mowrer, center, and Leah Mountain introduce Dr. Lee Francis IV to students attending his talk on ‘Native Representation in Popular Culture’. Courtesy/LAHS
Dr. Lee Francis IV poses with members of the LAHS Native American Club, from left, Kira Tsoodle, Zachery Moquino, Lee and Daniel Gonzales. Courtesy/LAHS
LAPS News:
Just before Los Alamos Public Schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students at Los Alamos High School heard Dr. Lee Francis IV speak on “Native Representation in Popular Culture”.
Dr. Francis’ visit was hosted jointly by the Native American Club, the English department and the Topper Library. Dr. Francis is “dedicated to unleashing the Indigenous imagination through popular culture, including comic books, graphic novels, games, toys and collectibles.”
To comply with the state’s directions regarding social distancing in place at the time (gatherings of less than 100), the school’s IT department jumped into action and made it possible to live stream Dr. Francis’ presentation.
While some students attended the talk in the Topper Library, others heard Dr. Francis while sitting in their English classes. Members of the Native American Club introduced Dr. Francis before each session; some students even had the opportunity to welcome him and pray for him in their Traditional language.
“I was thrilled that so many students were able to hear Dr. Francis’ presentation,” said Julie Dare, the Los Alamos Public Schools Liaison for Native American Students and Families. “The goal of his presentation was to teach students to become critical consumers of popular culture. If students have not done so before, I hope they feel a curiosity as well as a conviction to examine the media with a critical eye.”
While Dr. Francis’ presentation was focused on deconstructing popular culture and historical records for both implicit and explicit messages pertaining to Native American populations past and present, the methodologies he employed can be useful for examining messages and stereotypes surrounding any population or ideology. Dr. Francis provided valuable training all while discussing topics students enjoyed – popular culture and comic book heroes.
Being a self-proclaimed “Indigi-Nerd”, Dr. Francis was happy to answer student questions about favorite comic book characters as well as favorite movies and TV series.
Members of LAHS Native American Club had the opportunity to pose questions to Dr. Francis during a lunch-hour question and answer session. Of major concern for students was the question of how Native communities can ensure the survival of their languages in light of the global phenomenon of language loss among Indigenous groups in the United States.
This loss is due in part, to the lack of opportunities for children to learn Native languages in formal educational settings. Additional factors include the reality that many vernaculars are only spoken by Elders in communities, and that in many instances children largely speak English.
Dr. Francis validated the students’ concerns and pointed out how timely the discussion was in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which poses a particular threat to elderly populations and to Native American Elders. During each of his presentations, Dr. Francis urged students to “Wash your hands so you can protect your grandparents!”
Dr. Francis (Pueblo of Laguna) is the CEO and Founder of Native Realities LLC, an Indigenous Imagination Company. Founded in 2015, Native Realities has published the largest assortment of Indigenous-centric comic books in the world. Through Native Realities, Dr. Francis also founded the Indigenous Comic Con in 2016 and opened Red Planet Books and Comics, the only Native comic shop in the world, in 2017. In addition, he serves as the National Director of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers, and is an award winning performance poet and slam champion.
More information on Dr. Lee Francis IV can be found at: https://redplanetbooksncomics.com/