I believe in this project with all of my heart. I am a Native American Comedian/Filmmaker from Red Lake Indian Reservation, and I have worked hard to bridge gaps and brighten days with comedy.

I have partnered with Robert Fairbanks, a comedian from a neighboring reservation, to tell the untold story of Native Americans in Comedy.  We set out on an adventure across the country to meet with other comedians from other reservations, on our way to Hollywood California to break into the comedy mainstream.  We were followed by two cameramen and a sound woman who captured our legendary journey on beautiful 4k video and stunningly high quality audio. 

Reservation life can be hard, and it can be funny.  We deal with what has happened to us with togetherness and humor.  When we laugh, we speak the same language. We all can understand humor, well, those of us with a sense of it. And when we laugh together, in unison, we create an infectious commonality - that cannot be taken too lightly.  With all of the hardships of all the races, we slip into a field where my children and your children live in the same way, and we can forget that in fact it is a matter of perspective. To stand at the front of a room and to attempt to orchestrate the great irreversible swell of laughter gives me the strangest inner peace and gratitude. What a thing to do. What a thing to attempt.  What a thing to fail at. And succeed.  I have played to stadiums full, and bar halls empty. But when I am up there, it is always where I want to be.

 So now, when the world grows smaller and my edges harden and I feel the gravity of my years behind me- I am compelled to hold tighter my memories, and more loosely my concerns. I have seen things on the reservation, and in my time as a foster parent of 8 children that have shaken my heart to its core and at times have angered me to the point of almost giving up on the world. But then I see it work out sometimes. Every now and then someone holds a door, or carries on unnecessary conversation with an elder, or waives. Or laughs. And I take my time to sigh and let go of the heavy luggage that is the unbridled natural way of an apathetic world. That is what the laughter does. It beckons us to let go and lose track of our luggage. And it is all so heavy. So I think when we work in Comedy, we directly ease the burden - lighten the load - help to carry the weight. What a job. Like bellhop.

Selfish really. Lightening loads lightens my own. And it is this that brings me to the meat of why I am going out on a limb for this documentary. I believe without a doubt that this will change things for all Native American Comedians. Asking people to believe along side of me isn't hard because I know this as fact. And it just so happens that Rob and I are also Native American Comedians.  How convienient.

At the base, no matter which way you slice it, this project is good. It is for the good of us all. Native Americans are extremely underepresented in the world of Comedy and our aim is to change that with our film. We ask you to consider contributing to this campaign knowing that the project is near completion and that when it is completed it will change the game for Natives in Comedy. Please help us share the universal language of humor and spread the message of Rez Comedy far and wide.

Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts.