{"id":340,"date":"2025-02-25T16:29:56","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T22:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/cc2025\/?page_id=340"},"modified":"2025-06-11T11:18:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T16:18:15","slug":"keynotes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/cc2025\/keynotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Keynotes"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_accordion admin_label=”Accordion” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Keynote I: Deidre Whiteman, Sandra White Hawk, and Sam Torres” open=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]We are excited to announce an update for our opening keynote at the\u00a0Crossings and Connections: Norwegian Migration to North America conference at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, June 18\u201322, 2025. Following St. Olaf President\u00a0Susan Rundell Singer\u2019s<\/b>\u00a0welcome, our opening keynote will be not just one, but three representatives from\u00a0National<\/strong>\u00a0Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS)<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0Deidre Whiteman, Sandy White Hawk and Sam Torres.\u00a0<\/b>Their talk is titled:\u00a0Reckoning with the Historical Legacy of Settler Colonialism: Indian Boarding Schools, Intergenerational Memory, and Community-Based Healing<\/i>.<\/p>\n

This keynote presentation places Norwegian migration to the United States and Canada within the broader framework of settler colonialism and explores the lasting impact of a significant aspect of settler colonialism, the removal of Native children to Indian boarding schools. It emphasizes the crucial role of intergenerational memory in truth-telling, accountability, and healing. Drawing on personal family histories, community narratives, and\u00a0historical records, the presentation examines how Native families and communities have endured the trauma of boarding school experiences across generations. By centering Native voices and knowledge systems, the keynote highlights the importance of community-based healing efforts and the necessity of confronting historical harm through collective remembrance, education, and advocacy.<\/p>\n

The Blanket Exercise<\/b><\/p>\n

Later in the day (from 12.30-1.30 and 1.45-2.45) conference participants will have the opportunity to participate in a Blanket Exercise (Spotlight Session I), an experiential learning tool that leads a group of participants through 500+ years of Indigenous history that highlights Native American relationships with European explorers, colonial settlers, and the U.S. federal and state governments.<\/p>\n

The exercise is interactive and requires participants, as they are able, to stand and move throughout the experience. The Blanket Exercise was first created in Canada and has been used to educate general populations there, in the United States, and in many other parts of the world. The Exercise engages participants both intellectually and emotionally and can in some instances affect individuals deeply.<\/p>\n

Each session is limited to 40 participants. There will be a total of 2 sessions offered.<\/p>\n

This spotlight session requires pre-registration. Fill this form out to indicate your interest in attending this event.<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0If more people indicate interest than what we can accommodate, we will prioritize full conference participants over daily or commuters. You will be notified the week before the conference (week 24) if you have a spot.<\/p>\n

As we work towards greater understanding of Norwegian-American history, including the interactions between and shared histories of Indigenous Americans and Norwegian immigrants and their descendants, their combined voices are a valuable addition to our conference.<\/p>\n

Following this keynote, researcher Dr. Anna Peterson will hold a plenary session highlighting three specific cases of Norwegian American\/Native American interactions: Norwegians and the US-Dakota War of 1862, Norwegians on the Spirit Lake Reservation, and the Norwegian-American run Bethany Indian Mission. A special\u00a0food truck lunch<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0that day will also feature local native vendors.<\/p>\n

Keynote bios:
\n\"\"
\nDeidre Whiteman\u00a0<\/b>is the Director of Research and Education\u00a0at NABS. In this role she educates and promotes dialogue within and between indigenous and immigrant communities.\u00a0Her career has included many talks on various impacts of settler-colonialism, most notably Native American boarding schools, which her grandparents attended in the 1920s and 1930s.\u00a0Deidre Whiteman is Spirit Lake Dakota and Hidatsa and is also a descendant of the Meskwaki and Turtle Mt. Ojibwe Nations.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n\"\"Sandra White Hawk<\/b>\u00a0is the Elder-in-Residence and a Sicangu Lakota adoptee from the Rosebud Reservation, South Dakota. She is the founder and Director of First Nations Repatriation Institute (FNRI) which is the first organization of its kind whose goal it is to create a resource for First Nations people impacted by foster care or adoption to return home, reconnect, and reclaim their identity. The Institute also serves as a resource to enhance the knowledge and skills of practitioners who serve First Nations people. Sandra organizes Truth Healing Reconciliation Community Forums that bring together adoptees\/fostered individuals and their families and professionals with the goal to identify post adoption issues and to identify strategies that will prevent removal of First Nations children. She has also initiated an ongoing support group for adoptees and birth relatives in the Twin Cities Area.<\/p>\n

\"\"Sam Torres<\/b>\u00a0is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for NABS and has been a fundamental part of the team since 2019. There his contributions have included leading research teams through several projects such as the Indian Child Removal Study with the First Nations Repatriation Institute and the University of Minnesota, as well as the development of Indian boarding school research and coordinating with the U.S. Department of the Interior\u2019s Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. Sam has a doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University. With his extensive experience as a researcher, writer, educator, and leader, Dr. Torres holds a deep passion for decolonizing fixed knowledge systems, centering ancestral knowledge and histories, and working in community to promote Indigenous futures. A bicultural human being, Samuel Torres is Mexica\/Nahua on his father\u2019s side, and Irish\/Scottish from his mother. In addition to actively learning and practicing Nahua language, traditions, and ceremony, he belongs to the Mexica kinship community, Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Torres serves on the Board of Directors for Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center (St. Paul, MN) and the Educator\u2019s Institute for Human Rights (Washington, DC).
\n[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Keynote II: Hisham Zaman” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” open=”on” sticky_enabled=”0″]

\"\"

\u00a0Norwegian filmmaker Hisham Zaman<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Hisham Zaman<\/strong>, acclaimed Norwegian director, screenwriter, and producer of Kurdish descent, will be delivering a keynote presentation at the upcoming \u201cCrossings and Connections\u201d conference. Drawing from his own life experiences, Zaman\u2019s films explore universal themes of migration and refuge.<\/p>\n

As part of his presentation, we\u2019ll be screening his poignant debut feature film,\u00a0Vinterland [Winter land]\u00a0<\/i>(2007). Plus, a post-conference film festival will feature a selection of Zaman\u2019s other migration and refugee-themed works, giving viewers an even deeper sense of his cinematic range.<\/p>\n

Zaman\u2019s journey to becoming a filmmaker is as remarkable as his films. Born in Iraq in 1975, his family was forced to seek refuge in Iran and Turkey before finally finding asylum in Norway when he was 17. Despite initial disapproval from his father, Zaman developed a passion for cinema. With his mother\u2019s support, he secretly indulged his interest in film, all while working as a car mechanic to support his family. This dedication led him to amateur cinema clubs and, finally, to the Norwegian Film School at Lillehammer in 2001, where he later taught.<\/p>\n

Since graduating in 2004, Zaman\u2019s films have garnered international acclaim.\u00a0His filmography includes\u00a0a variety of short films, most notably\u00a0Bawke [Father]\u00a0<\/i>(2005), which\u00a0won over 50 international awards and was named Norway\u2019s best short film of the decade.\u00a0His feature-length films include\u00a0F\u00f8r Sn\u00f8en Faller<\/i>\u00a0[Before the Snow Falls] (2013),\u00a0Brev til kongen<\/i>\u00a0[Letter to the King] (2014), and his most recent release,\u00a0A Happy Day<\/i>\u00a0(2023).<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_accordion_item][\/et_pb_accordion][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We are excited to announce an update for our opening keynote at the\u00a0Crossings and Connections: Norwegian Migration to North America conference at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, June 18\u201322, 2025. Following St. Olaf President\u00a0Susan Rundell Singer\u2019s\u00a0welcome, our opening keynote will be not just one, but three representatives from\u00a0National\u00a0Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS):\u00a0Deidre […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":901,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.27.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" collapsed=\"off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_accordion admin_label=\"Accordion\" _builder_version=\"4.27.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"][et_pb_accordion_item title=\"Keynote I: Deidre Whiteman, Sandra White Hawk, and Sam Torres\" open=\"on\" _builder_version=\"4.27.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]<\/p>

We are excited to announce an update for our opening keynote at the\u00a0Crossings and Connections: Norwegian Migration to North America conference at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, June 18\u201322, 2025. Following St. Olaf President\u00a0Susan Rundell Singer\u2019s<\/b>\u00a0welcome, our opening keynote will be not just one, but three representatives from\u00a0National<\/strong>\u00a0Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS)<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0Deidre Whiteman, Sandy White Hawk and Sam Torres.\u00a0<\/b>Their talk is titled:\u00a0Reckoning with the Historical Legacy of Settler Colonialism: Indian Boarding Schools, Intergenerational Memory, and Community-Based Healing<\/i>.<\/p>

This keynote presentation places Norwegian migration to the United States and Canada within the broader framework of settler colonialism and explores the lasting impact of a significant aspect of settler colonialism, the removal of Native children to Indian boarding schools. It emphasizes the crucial role of intergenerational memory in truth-telling, accountability, and healing. Drawing on personal family histories, community narratives, and\u00a0historical records, the presentation examines how Native families and communities have endured the trauma of boarding school experiences across generations. By centering Native voices and knowledge systems, the keynote highlights the importance of community-based healing efforts and the necessity of confronting historical harm through collective remembrance, education, and advocacy.<\/p>

The Blanket Exercise<\/b><\/p>

Later in the day (from 12.30-1.30 and 1.45-2.45) conference participants will have the opportunity to participate in a Blanket Exercise (Spotlight Session I), an experiential learning tool that leads a group of participants through 500+ years of Indigenous history that highlights Native American relationships with European explorers, colonial settlers, and the U.S. federal and state governments.<\/p>

The exercise is interactive and requires participants, as they are able, to stand and move throughout the experience. The Blanket Exercise was first created in Canada and has been used to educate general populations there, in the United States, and in many other parts of the world. The Exercise engages participants both intellectually and emotionally and can in some instances affect individuals deeply.<\/p>

Each session is limited to 40 participants. There will be a total of 2 sessions offered.<\/p>

This spotlight session requires pre-registration. Fill this form out to indicate your interest in attending this event.<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0If more people indicate interest than what we can accommodate, we will prioritize full conference participants over daily or commuters. You will be notified the week before the conference (week 24) if you have a spot.<\/p>

As we work towards greater understanding of Norwegian-American history, including the interactions between and shared histories of Indigenous Americans and Norwegian immigrants and their descendants, their combined voices are a valuable addition to our conference.<\/p>

Following this keynote, researcher Dr. Anna Peterson will hold a plenary session highlighting three specific cases of Norwegian American\/Native American interactions: Norwegians and the US-Dakota War of 1862, Norwegians on the Spirit Lake Reservation, and the Norwegian-American run Bethany Indian Mission. A special\u00a0food truck lunch<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0that day will also feature local native vendors.<\/p>

Keynote bios:
\"\"
Deidre Whiteman\u00a0<\/b>is the Director of Research and Education\u00a0at NABS. In this role she educates and promotes dialogue within and between indigenous and immigrant communities.\u00a0Her career has included many talks on various impacts of settler-colonialism, most notably Native American boarding schools, which her grandparents attended in the 1920s and 1930s.\u00a0Deidre Whiteman is Spirit Lake Dakota and Hidatsa and is also a descendant of the Meskwaki and Turtle Mt. Ojibwe Nations.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>


\"\"Sandra White Hawk<\/b>\u00a0is the Elder-in-Residence and a Sicangu Lakota adoptee from the Rosebud Reservation, South Dakota. She is the founder and Director of First Nations Repatriation Institute (FNRI) which is the first organization of its kind whose goal it is to create a resource for First Nations people impacted by foster care or adoption to return home, reconnect, and reclaim their identity. The Institute also serves as a resource to enhance the knowledge and skills of practitioners who serve First Nations people. Sandra organizes Truth Healing Reconciliation Community Forums that bring together adoptees\/fostered individuals and their families and professionals with the goal to identify post adoption issues and to identify strategies that will prevent removal of First Nations children. She has also initiated an ongoing support group for adoptees and birth relatives in the Twin Cities Area.<\/p>

\"\"Sam Torres<\/b>\u00a0is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for NABS and has been a fundamental part of the team since 2019. There his contributions have included leading research teams through several projects such as the Indian Child Removal Study with the First Nations Repatriation Institute and the University of Minnesota, as well as the development of Indian boarding school research and coordinating with the U.S. Department of the Interior\u2019s Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. Sam has a doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University. With his extensive experience as a researcher, writer, educator, and leader, Dr. Torres holds a deep passion for decolonizing fixed knowledge systems, centering ancestral knowledge and histories, and working in community to promote Indigenous futures. A bicultural human being, Samuel Torres is Mexica\/Nahua on his father\u2019s side, and Irish\/Scottish from his mother. In addition to actively learning and practicing Nahua language, traditions, and ceremony, he belongs to the Mexica kinship community, Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Torres serves on the Board of Directors for Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center (St. Paul, MN) and the Educator\u2019s Institute for Human Rights (Washington, DC).<\/p>

[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=\"Keynote II: Hisham Zaman\" _builder_version=\"4.27.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" open=\"off\"]<\/p>[caption id=\"attachment_384\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"293\"]\"Norwegian Norwegian filmmaker Hisham Zaman[\/caption]

Hisham Zaman<\/strong>, acclaimed Norwegian director, screenwriter, and producer of Kurdish descent, will be delivering a keynote presentation at the upcoming \u201cCrossings and Connections\u201d conference. Drawing from his own life experiences, Zaman\u2019s films explore universal themes of migration and refuge.<\/p>

As part of his presentation, we\u2019ll be screening his poignant debut feature film,\u00a0Vinterland [Winter land]\u00a0<\/i>(2007). Plus, a post-conference film festival will feature a selection of Zaman\u2019s other migration and refugee-themed works, giving viewers an even deeper sense of his cinematic range.<\/p>

Zaman\u2019s journey to becoming a filmmaker is as remarkable as his films. Born in Iraq in 1975, his family was forced to seek refuge in Iran and Turkey before finally finding asylum in Norway when he was 17. Despite initial disapproval from his father, Zaman developed a passion for cinema. With his mother\u2019s support, he secretly indulged his interest in film, all while working as a car mechanic to support his family. This dedication led him to amateur cinema clubs and, finally, to the Norwegian Film School at Lillehammer in 2001, where he later taught.<\/p>

Since graduating in 2004, Zaman\u2019s films have garnered international acclaim.\u00a0His filmography includes\u00a0a variety of short films, most notably\u00a0Bawke [Father]\u00a0<\/i>(2005), which\u00a0won over 50 international awards and was named Norway\u2019s best short film of the decade.\u00a0His feature-length films include\u00a0F\u00f8r Sn\u00f8en Faller<\/i>\u00a0[Before the Snow Falls] (2013),\u00a0Brev til kongen<\/i>\u00a0[Letter to the King] (2014), and his most recent release,\u00a0A Happy Day<\/i>\u00a0(2023).<\/p>

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