"It is a great honor and privilege to share my thoughts about the film Two Spirits. The first time I saw Two Spirits, I left the room and and cried when it was over. The story of Fred Martinez's life and death is a compelling story for so many reasons. Particularly the fact that the movie was the first time I have seen the story of Two Spirit people highlighted, front and center. I am grateful to the filmmakers and participants who brought Fred's story forward. I have great faith that his life will continue to provided us with so many opportunities for growth and cross community understanding.

My coming out story and experience is different from Fred's. I came out when I was older and I also lived in a city. Yet, there are also many similarities in our growing up experiences. I grew up in rural South Dakota on the reservation near towns just like the one Fred lived in when he died. These towns are called border towns because they border a reservation or are near a reservation. Border towns are mostly white and they are often sights of heightened hostilities between native and white communities."

Get the Story:
Coya White Hat-Artichoker: Two Spirits: Overlapping Identities for First Nations People (The Huffington Post 6/13)