Travois to host digital artist talk with award-winning Sicangu Lakota musician Frank Waln

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Sept. 10, 2021) – Travois, a Certified B Corporation focused exclusively on promoting affordable housing and economic development in Native communities, will host Sicangu Lakota performer, speaker and writer Frank Waln for a digital artist talk on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. (CDT). Since 2017, Travois has opened its Kansas City office to host Indigenous artists as part of the city's art events. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Travois has transitioned to host digital artist talks. The digital format provides an opportunity for audience participation outside of Kansas City.

As an Indigenous music producer and audio engineer, Waln fuses traditional Lakota instruments with hip-hop and electronic music to create songs that shed light on Indigenous history and decolonization. Titled "Songs & Stories From Lakota Country," this one-of-a-kind performance will connect us all to our past, present and future as Waln explores connections of Indigenous history in the U.S. and issues currently affecting Native American communities and non-Native communities living on colonized Indigenous land. Rooted in the Lakota tradition of storytelling, Waln will share songs and stories about his upbringing and education on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota and his experiences living in the South Side of Chicago.

"I'm looking forward to sharing music and the stories of my ancestors, my community, my resistance and our history," Waln said. "This online performance will not only educate and raise awareness, it will radically change the way people view themselves and the land they live on, Native and non-Native alike."

Waln is a Gates Millennium Scholar and earned a bachelor's degree in audio arts and acoustics from Columbia College Chicago. Waln's work has been recognized with many industry awards. He has received three Native American Music Awards, the 2014 NCAIED Native American 40 Under 40 Award and the Columbia College Chicago's 2014 Mayor's Award for Civic Engagement. He has written for numerous publications, including: The Guardian, School Library Journal and Indian Country Today. Waln was a contributing author to "American Like Me," a New York Times Best Seller by America Ferrera. He is currently working on a new Native flute album. Find more of his work on Instagram and Twitter at handle @FrankWaln and on his website at frankwaln.com.

"Travois is proud to support and promote Indigenous artists," Travois CEO Elizabeth Glynn said. "We're happy to provide a digital opportunity for people to meet Frank Waln and hear his important message through his music and stories."

The digital artist talk will be hosted on Zoom, a video communication platform. Find registration information on the Travois website: travois.com/news-events/art-exhibition-series/

ABOUT TRAVOIS

Travois is a Certified B Corporation focused exclusively on promoting housing and economic development for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities. Since 1995, Travois has brought investor equity to more than 230 developments through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program and New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program, making an impact of more than $1.5 billion across Indian Country. These private investor funds have helped build or rehabilitate more than 5,900 homes and have helped finance critical economic developments, including infrastructure, health care, community centers, education facilities and job incubators. The Travois family of companies also offers architectural design, master planning, and construction monitoring services, environmental assessments, consulting on green energy improvements, asset management and compliance services, impact investment models, and comprehensive training to clients in 22 states. For more information, please visit travois.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.