Tsanavi Spoonhunter

Tsanavi Spoonhunter

Tsanavi Spoonhunter

Alumni

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Tsanavi Spoonhunter was born in Bishop, Calif., and raised in the Owens Valley (Payahuunadü) in Central California. As a descendant of the Northern Paiute, Lakota and Northern Arapaho nations, most of her storytelling has centered on Indian Country. Some of her published works have included federal government funding for tribes, jurisdictional issues between governing agencies and economic development on tribal lands.

This year, Spoonhunter earned her master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley with a focus in documentary filmmaking. Her documentary thesis, Crow Country: Our Right to Food Sovereignty, follows several tribal members from the Crow Tribe of Montana, in the Southeastern region of the state, and how they’re navigating through a food apartheid.

As a Native American reporter and filmmaker, Spoonhunter is passionate when telling stories about her community. She hopes to make the film industry a more inclusive space for groups of people who have been historically underrepresented.

EDUCATION

  • Master of Journalism

    University of California, Berkeley

  • Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

    University of Nevada, Reno

  • Haskell Indian Nations University

AWARDS & HONORS

  • Best Director Award

    Reynolds School of Journalism

  • Native American Journalists Association Fellow

  • Native American Journalists Association Scholarship Recipient

PUBLICATIONS & OTHER WORK

  • Indian Country Today, Jul. 29, 2019, Vegas. Casinos. Tourists. And the world's largest cannabis dispensary (Paiute owned)

  • Mission Local, Jan. 13, 2019, Rent-controlled tenants claim harassment, neglect from Veritas Investments

  • Noticiero Movil, Nov. 17, 2017, Nevada Political Leaders Propose Three Acts to Replace DACA

MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS

  • Enrolled member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe

  • Native American Journalists Association student member

  • Online News Association student member

REPORTING INTERESTS

Environment, Human Rights, Indian Country, Politics, Tribal Politics

MEDIA PLATFORMS

Documentary, Narrative Writing