Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

D Y S O N C O L L E G E O F A R T S A N D S C I E N C E S 9 misunderstood. This blending of academic space with cultural practice is rare and reflects Pace's growing emphasis on inclusivity and cross-cultural understanding. "Here we were, having this conversation, removing the chairs in Pace's A Gallery and standing in a circle together to hear Wampanoag traditional music and listen to life lessons," Defoe said. "It was revolutionary." Another project Defoe is focused on at Pace is the Ground Beneath Our Feet, an experiential humanities research and curriculum initiative to connect Pace's students to the stories of the places on which their classrooms sit. The project's objective, said Defoe, is to unite the Pace community through the exploration of its history. "Fostering civic engagement and collective actions and bringing people together in new ways—this is why I'm here." As a self-described shapeshi er, Defoe includes a wide range of genres and forms in his a istic endeavors: He is a playwright, poet, dancer, choreographer, musician, actor, puppeteer, weaver, educator, and activist dedicated to Indigenous, Two-Spirit and Trans communities, environmental justice movements, and decolonizing creative practices of all kinds. Defoe previously taught Native and Indigenous Studies at Pace University for four years as an adjunct in American Studies, sharing his approaches to decolonizing the classroom with students and colleagues who have not known a Native American teacher or mentor before. He received a Grammy for Best Native American Music Album for his work on Come to Me Great Mystery: Native American Healing Songs (2009). Additional awards include First Americans in the A s, Global Indigenous Heritage Festival Award, Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting, and a Jonathan Larson Grant. His play, Firebird Ta oo, was published in The Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays (Bloomsbury, 2021). Other playscripts include book and lyrics for the play Clouds Are Pillows for the Moon (with composer Tidtaya Sinutoke), In the Cards, Tick, Tick, River of Stone, Red Pine, Trail and Tears (with Dawn Avery), Ajijaak on Tu le Island (for puppets), and For the People (with Larissa FastHorse), the first Native-authored work to be produced on the Guthrie Theater mainstage. A new sho play was recently pe ormed as pa of Microcosms: Works at the Intersection of Astrophysics and Theater (Public Theater and American Museum of Natural History). Defoe is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. He is the co-founder (with Larissa FastHorse) of the a s consulting entity Indigenous Direction, and a member of the a , theater, film, and design collective All My Relations, dedicated to Indigenizing and decolonizing all forms of a making. "Fostering civic engagement and collective actions and bringing people together in new ways—this is why I'm here." —Ty Defoe

• Cover