DURANGO, Colo. — For Ellyse Fredericks, serving as a Tribal Water Media Fellow and exploring the lands and culture of the Taos people was transformative.
“I had a very strong personal connection there because of Pueblos,” said Fredericks, a member of the Tobacco Clan from Sipaulovi Village on the Hopi Reservation in Second Mesa, Arizona. “Hopi cultures are similar in many ways, and learning about that culture and the history reminded me of home.”
Fredericks was among 11 participants in the second annual Tribal Water Media Fellowship Showcase. The fellowship provides students with resources and opportunities to conduct their own research and create multimedia projects centered on water usage, water infrastructure, and desert communities. This collaborative effort, funded by the Walton Family Foundation, involves Fort Lewis College, KSUT, and Rocky Mountain PBS.
Fredericks, who will graduate this fall with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Multimedia Studies, said the fellowship allowed her to blend her passion for filmmaking with her Hopi culture.
“This was the first summer I got to be home; last summer, I stayed in Colorado,” she said. “It was nice to ask my family members, ‘Hey, who should I talk to? I am doing this cool project.’”
Fredericks decided to center her project around farming on the Hopi Reservation and the significance of water.
Her paternal grandfather introduced her to Kevin Lomatska, a revered tribal elder who works with the Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture Institute. In Fredericks’ project, Lomatska discusses his background and life as a reservation farmer. “Water, to me, is one of the greatest gifts from the creator and our ancestors,” he said in the video. “Where we are, we hardly get that much rain; we get less than four inches a year. So to us, when we get a sprinkle or see a puddle, it is a great blessing.”
“We do all these ceremonies, we do all these dances to bring the rains and the snows,” he added. “It is truly how we present ourselves and move out here. It’s pretty much life for us.”
When asked about her plans after graduation, Fredericks said, “To be honest, I don’t know. But if an opportunity comes my way, I’d gladly take it!”
Her true passion lies in uplifting and sharing Native voices. With her background in writing, Fredericks believes it is vital to share these stories. Looking ahead, she said, “I love storytelling. I love visual and verbal projects. Maybe one day I’ll write a book… anything to keep sharing Native voices.”
Coming Together
The fellowship begins just a few days after the spring graduation ceremony. First, the newly selected fellows embark on a two-week intensive program. This includes 10 days of lectures and a trip with FLOW down the Rio Chama. In these lectures, fellows learn about water, tribal, and legal issues alongside the scientific and cultural aspects that further impact these topics.
Colten Ashley, KSUT Tribal Media Coordinator and fellowship mentor, acknowledged the emotional journey fellows experience during the intensive. “Going through the intensive can be very emotional. Some of the things they are talking about and sharing can be tough,” Ashley said.
At the end of the two-week intensive, fellows pitch a story or project they want to explore. Hadley Austin and Yoni Goldstein, filmmakers and mentors for this year’s fellows, helped prepare the fellows for their pitches. Once the pitches are submitted, coordinators pair fellows with mentors who align with their subject matter, medium, and story. 
Throughout the process, fellows work closely with mentors who provide guidance and expertise in multimedia journalism, filmmaking, audio production, activism, law, and cultural history. Mentors also help fellows navigate the ethics of sharing stories from underserved communities and connect them with leaders in their fields.
One notable mentor this year was Lorelei Cloud, a member of the Southern Ute Tribal Council and the first Indigenous woman on the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
Ashley spoke fondly of the fellows, stating, “I am always proud. You can tell fellows are always very nervous because it is the first time they’ve seen these things (projects) in public, and I can feel for them, having been a filmmaker and showing people my work for the first time. But I also feel very protective too, as a mentor. I want them to have a good experience and for the fellowship to go well. So when it goes off well… I am always very happy.”
The 2024 Tribal Water Media Fellows and Projects Include:
Applications for the 2024 fellowship open in early spring. Learn more at Four Corners Water Fellowship.