Storytelling, Self-Advocacy, and Building Community Through Film

This week on The Equity Hour, Dr. Tami Dean sits down with filmmaker, educator, and community builder LeTerrian Officer-McIntosh (LT) for a conversation that spans Hollywood film sets, youth empowerment, and educational justice.

LT, whose film credits include Black Panther and Spider-Man: Homecoming, shares her incredible journey from navigating inequitable school systems as a student to becoming the founder of Outlast Arts & Education, a nonprofit bringing media literacy and filmmaking opportunities to Native youth on Pine Ridge Reservation and beyond.

🔍 In this episode, we discuss:

• How LT’s lived experiences shaped her equity lens and creative voice
• The transformational power of storytelling and representation in film and education
• Building Outlast from a spontaneous idea into a decade-long community-rooted initiative
• Why real equity work means showing up, making mistakes, staying accountable—and not quitting
• The lessons educators and leaders can learn from culturally responsive teaching and creative risk-taking

Whether you're an educator, artist, advocate, or parent, this episode is a reminder that everyone has a role in building more equitable futures—and that sometimes, all it takes is one “yes” to change everything.

Tune in for inspiration, practical wisdom, and a whole lot of heart.
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Transcript

Tami: 0:41

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Equity Hour with your host Dr. Tami. And my guest this week is LeTerrian Officer-McIntosh. I am so excited to have LT with us. LT is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, where she earned her BA in film, in television production, and holds an MS in education from Johns Hopkins University. She has worked on several major Hollywood productions. You know, wait for this, y'all. Including Marvel's Black Panther. Woo woo. Uh, HBO's True Detective. Okay, that's one of my personal faves, just so you know. Um, Showtime's Kidding. Season two and Promising Young Woman. She is the founder of Outlast Arts and Education, a 5 0 1 C3 organization that celebrates, empowers and helps advance native youth in South Dakota through media arts, education, and community building. Community building. Through this work and beyond, LT frequently collaborates with Bipoc youth to create meaningful pathways towards self-determination, economic freedom, and creative expression. Look, girl, you're doing all the things. When she's not working, she's out. Woman, after my own heart, she loves to travel and spend time with her. Two dogs and a cat. Y'all know I have three cats and travel is the game. So welcome to the show, lt.

LT: 2:06

Thank you! I'm so happy to be here..

Tami: 2:08

Yes. Woo woo. Okay. Okay, so I'm sure people heard like the, the, to me, like the juxtaposition of like Black Panther and South Dakota and, and they're like, what is happening? So. I can't wait to for you to tell the story of how that happened. I do wanna start and, and maybe this will help us get to how you ended up in both of those different spaces that may seem different but probably aren't as different as we think. Um, but as you know, I like each of my guests to talk about their equity journey, how you kind of got into this work. I'm just gonna turn it over to you, like tell us about yourself.

LT: 2:51

Yeah, I guess to, um, really answer that question, I have to take it way back. So growing up I lived between my grandparents' home, in a very upper class, upper middle class area. With my mother who would know, would've been considered living in a low income area. And I can talk about later, I don't like that term, but, Going to school in both locations kind of just opened up a whole new understanding, particularly around the fact that I wasn't getting the same education in both places. Um, Yeah. and so when I would be with my mother and going to school, I just remember, you know, classroom would be over-crowded. There'd be times where like, you know, we may not all have a seat or, you know, the, the other seats were available were, broken down. We didn't have enough textbooks, so we're partnered up. And the teachers were obviously overwhelmed. There's 32 of us in this room. We're all dealing with a various set of different life circumstances. Um. That probably know, really impacted just what we were able to accomplish in school because we had all these other things going on. then my grandparents and they had orchestra and band and they had restaurants within the cafeteria and you know, everyone's parents are picking them up and these nice cars and we've got all these clubs and opportunities. And I was like, no, wait a minute.

Tami: 4:08

Like one of these things is not like the other.

LT: 4:11

You know, with my grandparents, it wasn't private school. It was just school and my mom, it was just school. And so. Around sixth grade, and that's when I, um, started going to school over at my grandparents' house is when I realized that there was a major difference and the difference. And, and you know, when you're, when you're your child, you're not, you don't understand all of these big historical things all different factors. I said, this is the black school and over here where all the kids look like me. We're not actually learning very, very much. And the, the lunch is actually not very good. Teachers are overwhelmed and we don't have books. And over here I have the time of my life in the sense of like all the resources are there, but then I also felt like I didn't belong right. Oh I was supposed to be in this space. Um, I. And so I didn't know, know how to make very much meaning out of that at the time in that, again, like I didn't understand all the context. I just knew as a child, I said, well then I need to be over here at the white school, right? Because that's school that will give me the opportunities. I knew I wanted to go to college. Um, I didn't know what for, but I, you know, I said, it seems like the only way I'm going to get to where I wanna be in life is this proximity to these white kids, right? I spent a lot of time, I remember when I moved back to my mom's house and I went to, a school in the neighborhood, my that, and it was my freshman year of high school. I was like, absolutely not. You know, I need to find another school. I called the district and I Googled something online and I said, I'm, I have a right to a good education. That's what I told him. I didn't know what that meant or. I love this. You're like, even sure what I'm saying, but I know. You know, we all have a right to education. And I said, and I'm not getting the one that I'm supposed to get over here. Um, and so I kept calling. I kept calling and I hounded them and they said, okay, we'll put you in this busing program. And, uh, or not a busing program, they said they, they had some program where, you know, if your school that you were assigned to was failing or below a certain level, you could go to another school

Tami: 6:13

Like a school of choice or something like that.

LT: 6:15

yeah, like you can pick, they have like a few options and you could. One. Um, but you had to get yourself there. So I started, I was living in, we were in Atlanta at the time and they would, I'd have to take the MARTA from where we were and it took me about two and a half hours to get to school every day. And then at some point, you know, we moved again and I ended up at this school and they had this program called the, the IB program. I had no idea what it meant. But you know, it, it registered to me that this was an advanced program. And so I, I showed up in the IB office and I said, I'm supposed to be in this program, so you need to enroll me. But I didn't have any test scores. They didn't, my, it hadn't transferred over yet. And they're like, oh, I don't know if you're supposed, and I'm like, no, I'm supposed to be in this program. You need to put me in IB. They had me take this test and they said, okay, you can be an iv. Um, and through that, I always thought I was smart, but I knew I was not taking anybody's AP or IB chemistry. Okay. I did know I did know that.

Tami: 7:18

Me either girl. Me you know, No biology, no Chemistry.

LT: 7:23

They did put me in IB bio. I had to say one of'em. That was a journey we got through it, but, um, I ended up, and, and it ties back into Black Panther and those other things. I was avoiding IB chemistry when I was picking my class schedule and there was this option for IB film. And so I said, okay, you know, put me, put me in IB film. And, um, I remember the first day in class, I honestly thought we were gonna be watching movies. Okay. Just watching movies. And I was like, it's gonna be an easy ai. Remember I walked in, I dropped my bag on the floor, I sat back and the IB film teacher, who was also the IB English teacher, Mr. Aronson, was like, what are you doing? And I'm like, waiting for the movie to start, you know, I'm like a teenager. for the movie part.

Tami: 8:04

Duh.

LT: 8:04

he's like, your notebook in your pen out now. And I was like, oh. Okay. And so the class was really like a deep dive into like. Cinema's literature, you know, as an art form. Um, understanding the themes and the nuances and just breaking down this film language and then my whole world just changed. That is what ended up leading me to pursuing a career in film. But that whole journey, um, which was all necessary to bring me to that moment of even advocating for myself to be put in, you know, put into the, the program, is kind of what set that pathway. Um, towards film and then brought me back to education because, once I went started at USCI was really thinking about, you know, media and the way it impacts how at, at the time I was really focused on how it impacts how people view, view black people. Just having that experience of being the only, I remember when I was with my grandparents. My sister and I were the only two black kids in the school up until that moment. I had never experienced racism. Right. And it took me a little bit to get it. I remember I had a classmate ask me, is your dad in jail? And I was confused. I was like, oh no. Is is your dad in jail? Because I didn't, I was like, no, girl, you okay?

Tami: 9:21

like do, do, do. A lot of people in this school have dad's in jail

LT: 9:24

I was like, are y'all good over here? And I went home to my grandpa and I was like, grandpa. Why did she add if my daddy was in jail and he was like, oh, you know, let's have that talk. And then I started noticing just the ways I was treated differently. And then as I, later on when I started studying film, I started recognizing the way media was, putting out these very specific narratives about the community. Like I remember watching the help with my grandmother, and I remember I was feeling uncomfortable, right? In the sense of like. That just didn't reflect the reality that I was living when I was with my grandparents, right? Like my grandfather, worked for the government. A really good job for a long time. My grandmother was the head nurse, in the, uh, the, the neonatal unit, like all of these things, in a lot of ways, very cookie cutter. There was a dog and a big yard, and, someone read to me every night and I wasn't allowed to go outside and play until, um, you know, I, I, you know, read x amount of pages and wrote about it. And that's how a lot of my, my family operated. When you looked on tv, you couldn't find that right. When I watched, you would think that we were just relegated to this very specific experience and not saying that any other experience that didn't match that was not valid. It absolutely was, but it just didn't make sense to me that those were the only experiences. You know,

Tami: 10:44

The diversity of the experience was missing from the story. And the narrative and the, what people could see or have like a window into. Right. Yeah.

LT: 10:57

I felt like that just had such an impact on just how people reacted to me and, and, and, and honestly how I reacted to myself Sometimes I just felt like an alien. You know, I struggled with some just, um, internalized hatred of just not ever feeling like enough, you know, navigating, navigating these spaces. And so when I got to USC, I, I was just really, really looking at media and, and wanting to create, you know, in my storytelling and, and my own, journey as a, as a filmmaker and a creative, wanting to tell stories that broadened the perspective and the, you know, and, and the view of what it meant to exist in, in this wonderful community that I, that I come from. Um, and so I don't know if I should pause there,'cause then that'll take me next until.

Tami: 11:43

Let's pause for a second I, I have of course. A couple questions because a few things you said. Number one, I am just so impressed with the amount of self-advocacy you were able to exercise as a young person that put you on the path to where you are today. Um, so kudos to you right, for, for advocating for yourself in that way. Is that something that you felt was just like an inherently part of your person? Do you think that was modeled from other adults around you? Or where did that like tenacity to say, no, I'm supposed to be here and you need to open a spot for me?

LT: 12:30

Um, I felt like, I think some of. A, a significant portion of that came from, um, seeing how difficult, the difficult experiences my mom go through sometimes of just, you know, being a single mother, um, raising, raising myself and, and my sister, and I knew that I, I wanted. Life to look different. I, I knew that there would, be these roadblocks and I kind of set, you know, learned or picked up or, or kind of rationalized that I, if I, if I knew that I wanted life to, I. Ultimately be easier at some point that I, I have to go around the roadblocks and that whatever that roadblock was, whether I interpreted as people or, you know, you know, this, this district that I was in, I, I just had to go around them or through them or whatever. Um, and then also with my grandparents, they just from a young age. You know, success wasn't a maybe like in their, in the way they spoke to me, it wasn't, I remember, when it, okay, so, uh, my granddad is a musician. He plays saxophone and clarinet and, all these things. And so when, when fifth grade came, he goes, what instrument are you gonna play? Not if you're going to play an instrument. And so it never even occurred to me as like. If there was an option to not try to acquire this new skill, it was, um, you know, what, what skill are you going to acquire? Um, and so I think that's, you know, kind of really set it. And then they would ask me things like, what college are you going to go to? Not, and it could have been community college, but you were gonna do something, you know? And then I think. You know, school there, I, I went to a lot of schools that I really felt were failing me and I've always had a very strong sense of like, justice. And once I figured out that this wasn't fair, I said, well, because it's not fair. I. That, you know, told me that I'm going to have to work beyond that and move beyond that. And you know, the systems and when you're a kid, you're saying these people are not fair. But know, it's broader than that. It's much larger than that. But at the time I'm like, y'all are not fair. Therefore I don't even, I'm not even taking what you're telling me. not realizing it because you don't know what you're talking about, so I'm gonna go figure it out. So I think it's a combination of, of things. I'm also the oldest daughter. I feel like that's gotta have something

Tami: 15:07

Oh, it definitely, I'm an oldest daughter, so 100%.

LT: 15:11

I, and I was actually thinking about the other day, when did that set in? And I, I would have to say around sixth grade when I started realizing that schools could be different. There was no reason because I got to this other school that was more resource and things like that. Um, and, and I didn't choose to go there. I was, you know, moved to my grandparents' house. The therefore, I said if I didn't do anything to not be here, then there's no reason that I shouldn't be here in these spaces. And that just kind of stuck with me. I, I, the, the world should be available to me. And, and that is, and that was a driving force to, to get me through school.

Tami: 15:48

Yeah. Oh, that's so amazing. I've heard a couple themes that I think in the things you're sharing that are really important. Um, one of course is. Like representation matters and is important. And I've been, you know, we've seen a lot more of that probably in the last decade of trying to make sure that that happens and that diversity of story that's been historically missing and also the, the power of how we use. Words and speak truth or possibility into young people. And whether that is your child, your grandchild, you know, you're a teacher, whomever you are like. Your words are powerful to set the tone for what they may see as possible. I, I mean, I have heard so many stories of people talking about my teacher told me I was a failure, or I was never gonna make anything in my life, or whatever, things like that, right? And that is detrimental to the psyche of a young person. Um, so. I, I don't know where I was gonna go with that, but I just think those two pieces are huge. Like they work really well in tandem. So not only are we hearing and saying that these things are possible diverse. Persons get to see it and the potential of it. You know, whether that's through, fictionalized story or truth in who's sitting and doing what and having a voice in what's happening in the world. I don't know. What do you think about that? Take on what you've said.

LT: 17:32

There, you know, you hear all the time like teachers saying, um, you know, you're not gonna make it. Or these, these comments that really sit with a young person and it kind of takes me back. I was towards the end of my time at USC and I had three jobs. I was taking 18 credits, like Woo girl. stressed out trying to pay for life in California and film school. And I remember I had this like, one of the final projects and I, I made a mistake, in coverage. And so I like broke this rule to where when you flip the camera, if you don't do it the right way, it, it changes where the character is on screen and it's a continuity error. And I just, I felt I was just mortified. I was just so down on my myself and I was already like really like, you know, sitting with these thoughts of like, you're never gonna be good enough. You're not gonna make it. And one of my professors told me that I wasn't gonna make it, that I should really maybe start considering something else. And, you know, it really hurt my feeling. I was embarrassed in front of my peers and Yeah. but. Um, again, I was like, you know what, that's a, that's a roadblock and what do we do with roadblocks, and so I ended up getting, I ended up emailing that semester, probably 200 cinematographers, and I just asked them all to please meet me for coffee. I just wanted to talk and learn about what I needed to do to, get in the industry and make an industry. And I met a man named Salvatore Totino, who I absolutely adore. For coffee. And I said, what advice do you have for, for a young person who really wants to get in a camera? So we talked and a couple weeks later he called and he was like, you know, I really like you. I really, I really think that, you know, you can, you can do this. Do you wanna come work on Spider-Man Homecoming? Right. And so I say this because it's such like a, a juxtaposition, you know, I one, um, figure who's like, just. Just throwing a towel and this other one who is like, you know, you're, you're still green, you're still learning. Come on, I'll, I'll, I'll teach you, you know, I'll help you. And I got that job on Spider-Man. I emailed that professor and I said, Hey, remember when you told me that I should just go ahead and hang it up in two weeks? I start my first job on Spider-Man homecoming.

Tami: 19:41

Boom, mic drop. Okay.

LT: 19:43

And I, and I say that because I. That was such a pivotal moment for me because that was before I got into into education, but Sal's reaction to me and supported me completely. Re like reconfigured my brain on, on what is possible when you support young people, right? We're, you know, young people are going to make mistakes. They're new, they're learning, they have to, they're, they're acquiring this skill and this knowledge. So like, even if the mistake is made, something happens. You don't tell'em that they're never gonna be anything. You know, I wasn't even, I wasn't even 21. I might have been just 21. My brain wasn't even done.

Tami: 21:36

yes.

LT: 21:36

Sal's approach, we're gonna learn this stuff together, right? And so that moment where even though, you know, despite my best effort, I didn't hit, this standard, there was still someone who said, I see you. I see your passion. I see how much you love this. Come on, you're with me. And that is, you know, just how I approach working with young people. I tell'em, look, this might be hard. You know, it might challenge you, it might frustrate you. You might not get it right. But you're not by yourself. You know there's someone, there's someone here, and I don't even know if I answered the question'cause I've gone off on a.

Tami: 22:14

Look, I don't know. You did. You did, but you know what? I was feeling that so much. I had a high school, uh, English teacher. I was in honors English, and she, I was not the best speller, and this was before, okay, I'm gonna date myself. We had to write our essays by hand, with pen every other, skipping every line. Like we didn't always type them. Okay. That's how old I am. had to that too. So she was like, I just remember that. She was like, do you even read? Oh, Your spelling is atrocious. no. Okay. Mind you, I'm a pro prolific reader. So lemme tell you, when I got my doctorate in literacy learning and instruction, I was like, where you at? Where you at Mrs. Morgan? Where you at? Like, I was like, oh, I feel you so much. did. But yes, I, you did answer the question and I, and. Um, oh my God, I just lost my train of thought. But what I think is also key there, oh, I remember what it was. Hmm. This idea of perfection one part of my career, I was a teacher educator, so I was preparing future teachers or working with practicing teachers. And one of the things that I always want people to be mindful of is sometimes as educators we are asking our students or children or youth to do things that we don't want even do as adults. Right. And the, the collective humanity. Of the learners around you, right? There is no such thing as a perfect person or a perfect execution of anything. So where is the space for the learning to take place? That is actually why you're there. Like and hello, mistakes. The mistakes are what lead to new learning and understanding and developing, right? Like anybody and I'll, I will go. To my grave of saying this, anybody can regurgitate and, and make it seem like they know something, like on a multiple choice test or something like that. Like, you're not actually assessing knowledge. You're assessing memorization. But when you're like creating a film, when you're making or developing something, we're meant to be creative as humans. And so tapping into that creative piece and sharing a little part of our person with. The world and the universe is what we're supposed to do. Like that's why podcasting, I love it. It's storytelling like we've historically connected as humans around story and narrative and passed them down. This is just another type of story. In our current day and age. And so I think I wanna like, woo, take that to film, right? Because that's the ultimate Yeah. story. Um,'cause I know you kind of ended like, okay, this is where Spider-Man homecoming, this is where you got into. Film and I know that connected you to the work you're doing with the youth, which I wanna make sure we do get to talk about too.'cause that is so just Oh, so empowering and heartwarming.

LT: 25:18

So I have to backtrack them a little bit Per- Spiderman. Um, I. So I'm into media literacy. Just really curious about it, you know, how media impacts our worldviews. at the time I, in my junior year at USC, I was working at the on-campus gym. One of my three jobs, 5:00 AM I'm the opener. There's not too many people at the gym. At five in the morning. We're on a college

Tami: 25:44

I was like, not in college. Right. You're like, I get to study.

LT: 25:47

Right. I would watch these, I would watch these Ted talks. I would just put'em on randomly. And they just kind of helped me stay awake.'cause I, at that point in my life, I was definitely not sleeping very much. And so I would just hit play and then the next one would come on, the next one would come on. And so I, this Ted Talk came on. Again, I wasn't, I wasn't looking for it. And it was about Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. And up until this moment, I had never, ever, ever heard of Pine Ridge. Um, I'd never, I'd never thought about South Dakota, well, when you first think about South Dakota, I find a lot of people go, there's no black people in South Dakota. You know, so, you know, I, it just wasn't on my radar. And so this Ted Talk came on and it was done by a man who was not from South Dakota, who was not from the reservation, who was not native, and. He was the, the, the, the, the core of the presentation was, was everyone here is poor, they're sad, they're unhappy, they neglect their children. Everyone's on drugs and everyone just drinks a bunch of alcohol. And I, I watched this whole presentation and I was just disgusted you I like sitting here like I know. And I'm sitting there like, and like my mind was just, just just blown right open because. Immediately, I was like, you can't go into somebody else's community and do your best to highlight all these negative things that you can find. Um, but then I'm like, I know there are plenty of people in the community who are, who are working hard to right wrongs that they didn't even cause, right. This is, this is centuries of intentional,

Tami: 27:20

They were placed in this space, right?

LT: 27:23

like just that lack of nuance. And so I was sitting there and I was like. This is happening to other communities too. And I thought about, you know, just my, my journey and just being a kid and, and watching these films where black people are just portrayed as drug dealers, you know, broken homes, lack of community, just like, just not showing any resilience or anything. And I was like, oh, this is happening to other, other communities as well. I started thinking or on, on and on that same day I watched this TED talk and this is when, this is how you know, I was only 20, 22. I was like, we should start a film camp. You know what, we should start a film camp and we should teach the kids how to make their own films. And then they'll tell their own stories. Boom, problem solved. Solved does not exactly happen that way, but, um, I a text, a good friend of mine, fellow film student. Nicks and I text them and I said, Hey, do you wanna go to Pinewood reservation with me in South Dakota and, and start a film camp for kids? And they text back and it, and it literally just said, sure. Period. And I was like, oh, we're really doing this. And so we gathered a couple other friends and we had a, a meeting and we were like, we should just make a Indiegogo and just see how much money we could raise to go to South Dakota. Um, and. Have like, first of all, none of us had ever run a kids camp. None of us had taught in any, like, you know, like we, you know, volunteered and you had to do your out high school. Um, and none of us had ever been to South Dakota. We made this Indiegogo and we're like, where are USC film students and we're gonna go teach film. Then I got on Facebook and I typed in Pine Ridge Reservation and a Boys and Girls Club came up and I emailed them and I said, Hey, me and my friends from USC. Um, you know, want to, you know, if, if y'all would like to partner, we could do a film camp for the kids. And somebody from the Boys and Girls Club wrote back and was like, sure, do you wanna visit? And I was like, yeah, I'll hop on a plane and just go to South Dakota and like, stay with people, you know. So I got on a plane, I went to South Dakota for the first time, hung out with the family. They showed me around. I was like, great, we're gonna do a film camp here. So I, I came back and I, I told my friends. We raised$7,000 through Indiegogo, packed up avan of like little juice boxes. Not even in like cardboard. They were just in little baggies. Okay. Because we were just emailing people like, can you donate some juice boxes? You know, or like, from snacks and like pancake mix'cause you know, you know all of that. And, um, we packed up this, this little SUV and drove from Los Angeles to, to South Dakota and we, we ran this film camp and it was really the idea. There were a couple of things. Um. As I got, from the process and like figuring out, first of all why like I was really pulled to do this. I was like, I did not stumble upon this TED Talk no reason. I really think there's supposed to be greater collaborations, um, between black and indigenous communities. I really think if we go pour into young people and essentially just teach them these skills, our whole thing has always been. I'm, we're never gonna tell you what story to tell, right. But what I, what I have, you know, acquired is this technical knowledge and this storytelling knowledge through going to this university, which I will say is extremely inaccessible, right? I$60,000 a year in tuition, right? I, I couldn't afford to be there, which is why I had three jobs. There was no Right,

Tami: 30:49

it just keeps getting worse.

LT: 30:50

Getting worse. The school wasn't paying for our films. And so you are a passionate storyteller, a passionate filmmaker that that access to that knowledge and that equipment, is not going to be available to you. So our idea was, well we, we go to the best film school in the world. What if we just. Take all the knowledge that we've learned, just give it away to the kids for free. And so that, so we, we did that camp for the first week, with Native youth from from Pine Ridge Reservation. And I'll be honest, I wasn't thinking long term. I had literally no plans do anything, you outside of that week.

Tami: 31:24

Your I need to do this. Let's do it. Let's go. Yes.

LT: 31:29

And I, and because at that time I was like, I'm going to be the first black woman to win an Oscar cinematography. That's it. Like, that is my, and I was like, that is my goal. Which is why I was like, I gotta get on somebody who's big film set and like, you know, learn all this stuff. Um, and at the end of that first camp when I tell you we were, we were tired. So part of the camp was, we told all the, we picked them all up because we wanted to get rid of all barriers to success. So the reservation is the size of Connecticut. Now I don't, I don't think I internalized what that meant when I made this offer, but I said, all you have to do is wanna come. We'll pick you up. We had one SUV, so I'm doing loops Okay. For hours every morning and every day after camp to make sure all the kids could get there, you know? And then we're teaching these film lessons

Tami: 32:18

Connecticut. Doesn't sound that big, so you gotta drive it.

LT: 32:22

Right. And like we're teaching these film lessons, but we're also like trying to figure out how, how we're gonna feed all the kids. So like, we're break like, so like one of us will go make lunch for everybody and none of us could cook. It was really, it was really like the children are so, children are so graceful, like they are so,'cause none of us could cook, but. They were like, everyone was just happy to be there together. And then we didn't plan out the week, right. We ran outta stuff to teach and we're like, y'all wanna go get ice cream? So you see us and like, just like a bunch of little kids following us, like up this like Long street to get to the gas station, we can go get ice cream. Like, it was just, it was like ridiculous and fun. And, but at the end of the week everyone's just really tired, like all the adults. I was like. We, we screen their final films, and actually some really cool films came out of this. One group made a, um, documentary, um, with just like native youth from the skate park. And they were just talking about their experience and the, the resources that they wish they had. And they were talking about being in the skate park. You know, this is what we have. And so we make, like we, we come here and we kick it and we skate. And it just keeps us from like, doing other things that teens could get into. Because if you don't give teens anything to do,

Tami: 33:28

they find stuff to do.

LT: 33:29

You know, so they're gonna go outside and do stuff and, and they're, they recognize that we wanna be here at the skate park. You know, it's what we can do. So anyway, um, one of the groups made a film about that I had the littles. I've always been a, I just love littles. You know, I had like the eight year olds and they made a, a, a little documentary about what friendship means to them. And so, we screened their films and at the end of it, my team we're getting ready to head back to LA and I go, okay, does anyone have anything they wanna say before we go back to la? You know, we've had so much fun with y'all. We're so excited. And this little girl, Malik, who has now graduated high school and is off into college, she goes. You know, Ms. Terry, which is what they called me at the time, I'm really sad, I'm never gonna see you again. And I was like, oh, oh no, I've, this is something you know, and I like stepped out and I was like really moved. And I was like crying and I was like, get it together, LT. And I went back in. I'm like, we talking about we'll be back next summer. And all my friends are like, we will be where. did and that is how Outlast Arts and Education formally outlast film camp was, was born. It was like a kind of a not very well conceived one time project because I didn't understand at the time the responsibility we have to community. You don't just show up and do this thing with these kids and you make these films and you talk to them about, you know, their story and they never come back.

Tami: 34:53

Yeah.

LT: 34:54

Don't, you don't plant that seed and not water it. And so from that moment, I knew that I would always be like, I told him that I'd always be back and we'd keep making films together. Then I felt just really in awe and like very fortunate that like this is something that I get to, I get to do. Um, and so that was in 2015 and here we are.

Tami: 35:18

Wow. 10 years later from a random TED Talk.

LT: 35:23

Yeah.

Tami: 35:24

You know, I mean, well, I'm gonna say random, but I don't believe the universe is random, which is sort of what you Alluded to. Um, and I think one of the really important things is the power of community, right? And. Investing in communities and the longevity of any of this kind of work and honoring, you know, people's story and lived life and their opportunities within this life requires time and effort. And one thing I hope people take away from this. sometimes you have a passion or idea and everybody else gonna think you're crazy. Crazy.

LT: 36:23

I'm crazy.

Tami: 36:24

Yeah. But, right. I don't know about, well, I mean clearly this is one example like it, it turned out for the best. Like I've done some things where people are like, girl, you're gonna do what? And I was like, yep, that's what I'm doing. And then amazing. Like no regrets. And I think that's one of the things maybe modern society has. Pushed out of us is the ability to trust our inner passion or calling, or like this knowledge that this is what I need to do, and taking the risk on yourself Mm-hmm. and the trust in yourself to go execute it or try it

LT: 37:05

Yeah, Yeah.

Tami: 37:08

and see what happens.

LT: 37:10

And, and it, it kinda, but we can all do something, right? There is place for all of us to participate in this kind of work. Um, you know, not, not everyone has to go start a whole program, I, I tell people sometimes because I, I, I, I feel like a lot of times we get caught up in like, it's, the problem is so big. What do we, what do we do? And sometimes, you know, just talking to people, I go, do you go to school board meetings?

Tami: 37:35

Mm.

LT: 37:36

You can start right there. You know, you don't necessarily have to have an answer. I'm not, I don't have an answer, I, I respond what's in front of me. I do what I can. Um, I know what I'm good at, right? I'm good at youth programming, right? So I do that. I don't go try to organize all these other things because I might not be very helpful there, but I do do, and so I tell people. Just, just do something, show up at your local school board meeting so that people know that there's people watching that people care. It's huge thing, just that presence. And so, um, know, we, like, we can literally all do something and it does not have to be the same thing that the next person does. We all have our strengths, and I think if we really lean into the things that we're good at, big and small, I think that's where that difference is, is made. And for me, I remember at one point in my life when I was doing, I'm like, I wanna be the next Secretary of Education. Now I'm gonna redo the whole, you know what I mean? Um,

Tami: 38:27

yes.

LT: 38:28

but the, the. The community like that, we've been able to build outlast and I mean it, it's such a beautiful community. We partner and work with so many organizations on the res, right? Like, I mean, even trying to make the program work, it's an expensive program. We're doing a popup film school in rural South Dakota it is not like we're just hopping over, you know, next street over. So how do we make this work? Well, it is because we have the support of the local community, right? So like one of our student's moms, she caters the lunches, right? Like, that's such a

Tami: 39:01

Oh

LT: 39:01

thing. You know, we have our Uŋčí when she, um, which means grandmother. She comes and she works with the students and just like. Learning about, Lakota culture and history and, and telling those stories and pouring into them and that like, it's a whole, it's a whole community of people bringing the strength that we have. And that's what makes it work. It's not just myself and my, my fellow, filmmaker friends. In the sense of like, like we really lean into like the, it takes a village, right? There's so many people all bringing their strengths and their skills and their ideas and their resources, and that's why the program has been able to grow. That's why, our students have now, MTV commercials, right? Independent films. We've traveled with young people from New York to Los Angeles to Chicago. Now we're implementing intergenerational wellness groups. That's not like a few people who had an idea. That's an entire community. Both hopefully and beyond that, coming together and saying, here's what we got. Now let's do something with it to support the young people. And so I truly believe that when it comes to work, there really is a place for, for everyone to get involved.

Tami: 40:09

Yeah, I absolutely agree with that. I, I, I, uh, tend to say all time, like, how are you using your voice today? Right? And your voice can look. A lot of different ways. It can be like actually using your voice. Your voice could be your vote, and making sure you're voting in all elections, not just the quote unquote big elections. Right. like going to your school board meeting, like there are so many ways or, um, I'm sure people can financially support your nonprofit if they would like to, right? Yes.

LT: 40:39

Absolutely Uhhuh.

Tami: 40:41

we'll make sure we put that link in the show notes, friends, so you can help support all of amazing work. But there's like a voice can look so many different ways, right? And I a hundred percent agree. There is this misconception that this work, you have to be doing something big. I really think that change happens in the small moments, in the every day in the conversation you choose to have, right? To speak up. If you're seeing or hearing someone only telling one version of a community, and you know that that's not right or don't agree with it late. Open a conversation, right? Not to be combative, it's to have a conversation to build a new or different or changed or you know, sort of metamorphosis of understanding. As you know, sometimes we just don't know what we don't know. And not every, I'm say this like, not every ignorance is malicious,

LT: 41:56

Yeah, of course.

Tami: 41:57

Um, so how are we helping each other as just a community of humans.

LT: 42:06

And that also like, brings me to this idea that I've just been reflecting on the last year, especially, community is messy, right? Like, and, and I was, and I, I, I was thinking, um, because, coming up and as a young leader, there was a lot of mistakes that I made. I didn't know what I was doing, you know,

Tami: 42:23

Oh yeah.

LT: 42:23

Learn that, especially like when you're working within another community and supporting you from other community, you have to learn these cultural nuances and things like that. And so I was thinking not too long ago, just like community is not built just in those moments where it's like, oh my God, I love all of you. We're having so much fun. Look at this like, cute film. It's when you're, I'm, I'm really annoyed with you right now. Or, like, hurt my feelings, or I hurt your feelings. The community is, is really built when. We draw each other back in and say, Uhuh, how are we gonna get through this? We're gonna talk about this. There's clearly a miscommunication or harm was done, or something misguided, or we, or we just don't know, right? Because it's not malicious community is built. When we said, okay, but we're gonna figure it out. We're come together, we're gonna reflect on this. And I think a lot of times, um, that can get lost because that's, that's, that's the, that's the not fun part. You know what I mean? Oh. Fun. But that's where community is built. Um, you know, I, I try to, try to hang on to that, right? Especially like, you know, leading an organization and you're, you're constantly working with and meeting with new people. If my goal is to really help create this world where, youth can thrive and self determine and, build lives for themselves and their communities that, that they want. Then that means I have to do it myself, right? So every time I get mad at somebody or something doesn't go my way, you know, you can't just go kick people outta community, you know what I

Tami: 43:57

No. Cancel culture for you. No. No.

LT: 43:59

No. Like, you know, like I think accountability needs to be there. But to build this better world, we've got to be committed to remaining in community.

Tami: 44:10

Yeah, absolutely. I, and I think if we think about community, like any, like any relationship really, the strength of the community, the strength of the relationship happens in the vulnerability right, with each other. And that means, right. Sometimes I get it wrong, and even if I'm the leader, it. I'm admitting, you know what, I got that really wrong.

LT: 44:34

Mm-hmm.

Tami: 44:36

'Cause that's being vulnerable, but that's, that's where the strength comes in because now I say this too, like, when I share my vulnerability or share part of my story, I'm not just sharing my story. I'm ho you know, hoping and sharing with the idea that people will start to feel comfortable to share their story. Because they, they need that safe space. If you're never sharing and like kinda like this idea about the rests, if you guys would've gone in. To become voyeurs in the reservation like people have done for hundreds of years, right? The results wouldn't have happened in the way that they did for you, but those results happened because you were vulnerable, you were open, you were partnering, you were collaborating. All of those things builds this amazing community that you have now.

LT: 45:32

Absolutely. And just working with young people, that vulnerability, I honestly think it just changes the whole experience because now we're actually able to like learn from one another and just like. An example, eventually I did leave film and I was still working, working on working on outlast and going outlast. So I went into education, officially, and then I started teaching. Eventually I started teaching on a, the, a reservation next door to the one I program, called Exist And just my, my classroom functions so differently than like. All the other classrooms in the building. Um, because like if you walked in that room, you would not be able to tell that I actually wasn't related to all these kids because like I, I spoke to them like that. I was their auntie. They spoke to me like that. Um, and I remember like, it was a couple times, like one day I was having a bad day. I didn't sleep the night before I'd been sick and I came in, I was like, y'all, miss LT is not having a good day. Like, I need some grace from y'all. And. I guess I'd been a little cranky that day. I remember the end of the day, and we always, we did the Chacha slide at the end of every day. Like, we love to dance and like they, you know, we kind of play at the end of the day, but like, I let them play and I just like wasn't in the mood. I was like sitting at the front of the room and I was kind of like, sitting with my, my hand on my cheek and this little girl comes up and she takes this, marker and she's drawing on the whiteboard and the whole class starts snickering. And I'm just like, what in the world? So I look back and it's like an arrow and it just says cranky Miss Lt. I just like, and that was, that was one of the many moments that just, um, illuminated how comfortable we are with each other, right? This idea that I was this figure who came in to just boss them around and not actually like, see them. I, I played every day at recess. I was raised, I was racing the kids and I was beating the kids. Okay.

Tami: 47:17

Yeah.

LT: 47:18

Um, and, and, but here's the thing. So I wasn't, I wasn't, I wasn't a particularly strict teacher because I didn't need to be in the sense like, we had a lot of conversations. How do we want this classroom to feel? Right? What are the things we want to achieve, you know, and, and really built in this idea that, they could do hard things and I'd be able there to support them. Um, but I didn't follow the curriculum because I didn't like it. I didn't feel like it was culturally responsive. I actually thought it was pretty racist. So like, I just wouldn't do it. I just wouldn't read the books

Tami: 47:44

Ooh, we are kindred spirits.

LT: 47:48

And I would like come with all these like, crazy projects. And like for example, I was like, you know, after we got to a certain point, I was like, I'm gonna teach'em how to write an essay, like a, a proper, like a normal essay with like headings and indentation and like, I started them on like citing and like in a very third grade way and things like that. And then they had to, turn that essay into, uh, a PowerPoint and that PowerPoint into like an oral presentation. And every, a lot of my colleagues were like, what are you doing? They can't do that. You just need to get like test taking skills, things like that. And if you approach with the deficit mindset, yeah, they can't because you're not gonna help them, know? And if you don't believe in them, like they're looking to you to kind of get an idea of what can I do? You know? And I also thought if I go, okay, y'all we're writing an essay today, they don't know that that's not in the curriculum. We write an essay today. I had this group of kids who everyone thought they were not gonna get anywhere near third grade level. They weren't gonna pass the state test, all of these things. And then I come in and they're like, you're definitely not helping'cause you're just completely off the rails here.

Tami: 48:54

Oh my God. You're teaching them critical thinking and no, life skills. That's so wild. So wild.

LT: 49:00

really lean in like the curiosity of it right. We did puzzles and I let them pick their books and we talked about like world history and, um, you know, like how, and I, I would ask them, how did we all end up here in this space today? Because now they're little. They're like, are you not? Are you not Lakota? And I'm like, I'm not. Let's talk about it. You know, things like. And I, and I think a lot of that approach was one, I wasn't afraid to like, just really meet them where they were as children, right? Like I didn't expect them. Because it's such a colonial way to to, to look at them, sit down, be quiet, walk in a straight line. That's not what education is. Education is about curiosity, so I want. Help them learn how to think for themselves. What interests you and what can you do with that? So, I mean, my, my classroom was puzzled in the games and things like that. And what ended up happening was my students scored the highest in the district

Tami: 49:55

Of course they did. I could have told, I knew that when you I,

LT: 49:59

highest oh, I offered. I said, do y'all wanna know what I'm doing in this room? No, I got penalized because I didn't follow, I didn't follow the script.

Tami: 50:10

oh my gosh,

LT: 50:12

I don't even know how it got here. I'm so sorry, but going

Tami: 50:14

Oh, do not apologize. Like I'm like, oh my God. We're kindred spirits. Like this is like same story, different location, different kid, but exactly that like this is what you're supposed to be doing. Test prep, not dah. Oh, okay. Okay. So now my, all my students are young grade level, some of them, this is sixth grade. Some of'em came in in second grade. So what were you, you all were okay saying they're not gonna do this. I'm like, they are totally capable. What are y'all doing?

LT: 50:47

absolutely capable.

Tami: 50:49

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I got a whole story. I think I've probably talked about it on one of my podcasts. I got a whole story about this whole situation, but I love the advocacy. Right. Also for the kids, like, oh, and I know it's scary for educators to try to do things outside the box. It just. Scares me. It's not even outside the box. It's what school should be.'cause I'm like, learning is about what you said. Exactly. Learning is about curiosity and it seems that we've made school the place where we drive curiosity and critical thinking out of kids, especially certain types of kids.

LT: 51:25

Absolutely. I taught in Memphis too, and I had, I thought they were gonna fire me because they told me I couldn't teach. Black students from Memphis, Memphis, Martin, and the mountaintop, because it wasn't on the test. There's no reason I'm in this room and these kids don't know who, who Rosa Parks or Martin Luther. And this is third grade. That's what they, how did they not know any of this? And I said, okay, we gonna learn about this. And like, they would come in my classroom to make sure I wasn't teaching it. I just taught it. Anyway, you have to fire me. Um, we went over the Memphis san, uh, sanitation

Tami: 51:56

You making some good trouble?

LT: 51:58

You know what, you know, I.

Tami: 52:01

I'm here for it.

LT: 52:01

Not afraid. Like, because in, in the, in the, and parents know, right? Like, um, I, I, we have a, a program, on Rosebud coming up this summer and a lot of my former students are, are gonna, come to the program. And when I told their parents I'd be back, they're like, yes, go. You let Miss LT's program because it is a space where students will. Learn in the sense that they will get to explore, they'll be curious, they'll be challenged in a healthy and supportive way. Um, and that is what education is supposed to be. So the fact that the fact that we even have to fight with people to, to do these things, it that blows my mind

Tami: 52:45

Oh, mine too. Every day, every day.

LT: 52:48

I'm not gonna come into this classroom. And here's the thing, I understand that I have a privilege in the sense of, of navigating that and that I don't have kids, right? In the sense of like, so if someone does fire me, I'm not also responsible to, you know, my child when I get home and it's like, yo, I'm gonna lost your her job, because she was in there cutting up. And so I was talking to a few people not long ago and it was like, not everyone can do that, of course, but I can. And that's what I mean by that's what I can do. Right. And so it doesn't need to look the same. And I do, and that's why I think that community support is so important because there'll be people who are, might have to go ahead and risk losing that job, right? So if that happens, can I count on somebody to bring me a meal?

Tami: 53:32

Yes,

LT: 53:33

I, I just think these conversations are so important so that we can all figure out how we, how we can get in where we fit in.

Tami: 53:38

I agree. I agree. Oh my gosh, LT, I feel like I keep talking to you for like, for like hours. Um, which I love. I love, I so appreciate you coming on today. I want to get, I think this is a good point where we can wrap up, but I do like to wrap up with like, what is your, like one and you, you've dropped so many good little gems for people, but like what is your one sort of tip for people that you want them to take away from this on how to engage with equity work if they're not sure what to do.

LT: 54:14

You know, I, I live. By this in like every area of my life, and I think it applies. Um, it's a game of not quitting. I think that no matter like what it is there for me, there's no such thing as like a final No, there's always a way and it may not look the way you thought it was gonna look, and it may not be supported by who you thought it was gonna support, and it might have even had the outcome that you thought it was gonna have. But if you keep trying and you keep doing what you can, you will see that positive outcome or you will get closer to achieving this goal, or you may recognize a goal that you didn't even know. And so in everything that I do, whether it's with Outlast, whether it was with film, whether it was like going to school myself, um, it's a game of not quitting. And I, and I tell my students that. You know, it might, you know, today might suck. It might not be fun. Maybe you didn't master this thing you wanted to master. Maybe you just didn't have a good day. Get up and try again. It's a game of not quitting. And I, I think that's it. It's a game of not quitting.

Tami: 55:18

Awesome. Oh, I love that. And I agree 100%. Well, thank you everyone for joining us for another episode of the Equity Hour. Um, LT, it has been such a pleasure. And if you are looking to support Outlast in her nonprofit, go to the link in the show notes so we can keep doing all the great things. Thank you so much for joining us.