Welcome to

Wordcraft Circle
of Native Writers & Storytellers

to ensure that the voices of Native writers and storytellers -- past,
present, and future -- are heard throughout the world

Re-Visioning for the Next Sixteen Years
Created: September 21, 2007

For sixteen years, the vision of Wordcraft has remained unchanged: To ensure that the voices of Native People - past, present, and future - are heard throughout the world. In this our sixteenth year, we look to our past to reimagine and revision Wordcraft Circle. The idea of Native voices was and is important to defining who we are as Native people and was the foundation that Lee Francis III built Wordcraft upon. His vision was to engage Native people of all ages, through writing and storytelling, to keep the traditions, culture and communities strong and vibrant. After so long a time, we have to question: is the vision still relevant?
        After much discussion with Wordcrafters and Native people throughout Turtle Island, we have come to the conclusion that the vision is still strong, and it is time for us, the next generation of Wordcrafters, to take our organization and family to the next step: to revision and to a focus upon making sure that Native voices are heard not only through writing, but through story and activism and civic/cultural/community engagement and involvement. Native people of all ages need to realize how their voices can create change, how their actions can bring about a better community. For 2007 and beyond, Wordcraft is focused on using story as a means of conveying traditional and contemporary values and ideals, as well as articulating the need and desire for Native people to create their own paths and visions. We look to help increase leadership capacity in Native youth and Native communities. Ideally, we, as Native People, need to find our own way, develop our own leaders, ensure that our stories are told - past, present, and future - for all time.
        To accomplish our ambitious vision, we will again look to our history and focus our efforts on solidifying our Mentoring Connections. The Mentoring Core was one of the bedrock concepts that Wordcraft began with, and we would like to see that this concept is brought back to help center the organization as we expand our vision and our Wordcraft family. We will continue to work through writing and storytelling to deliver the message of independence and sovereignty for Native people and we will invite Native people from all "walks-of-life" to participate. Along with the Mentoring Connections, in the following months, we will look to focus on Leadership Aspects within Native communities and demonstrate how important it is to connect the concept of leadership with story, for if we do not have the ability to communicate effectively, how do we intend to correct the lies and mistakes and take back our words and ideas? By focusing on two core elements, we hope to create a stable foundation that has been missing since the Founder and First National Director, Lee Francis III, passed away in 2003.
        Finally, we want to center the organization and membership of Wordcraft at a community level and we will be encouraging members to create chapters, no matter how small, in their areas to promote and engage their friends, family, tribe and community, in civic action, leadership, story and the vision of Wordcraft.

Lee Francis IV        

Contact: Bob Nelson