Red Cred: Intro

The idea came to my while I was sitting on a barstool in Kahnawake, QC (Mohawk territory) in December 2008. I was talking to a guy who had recently come back to his community after having grown up in the United States somewhat estranged from the Native community.

We talked about growing up as an outsider and talked about how it is so wonderful to reconnect with our cultural heritage and people. I began to beam as I spoke about how I came back into the community as a direct result of Spirit Magazine and how kind and wonderful everyone has been to me. I told him of all the amazing, talented, brilliant people I have met in the community that I had no idea existed prior to entering the Native community in Turtle Island. He had no idea either.

That is when the lightbulb went off, why not celebrate these beautiful, talented, Indigenous people that have come across my path in this cultural reconnection journey? These people that I will highlight, feature and acknowledge are all people who genuinely inspire and enlighten me to push further and be the best that I can be while honouring others and the Native community at large.

Red Cred profiles are all in honour of those people who have shown themselves to be true role models to look up to, and for others to be inspired by, and remind people all across the world that Native and Indigenous people are beautiful, talented and amazing and progressive.

What better way to progress this lightbulb moment (thanks Oprah) then to start in January 2009 with my very first Red Cred profile, Kahnawake's own Joseph (Dega) Lazare? We came across each other's path November 2008 by way of Big Soul Productions and he has been inspiring me with his career climb ever since.

I hope that everyone that reads my blog, whether they be in the Native community or not, can benefit from reading the profiles on these inspiring people who all have a unique perspective on how they came to be a success. Just as I have shared how my lightbulb moment started on a barstool.

Red Cred Profiles:

Joseph (Dega) Lazare