WASHINGTON, D.C. – White House United State of Women Summit, nominated, selected and invited were four Native Women of out 10,000 submitted. Joanelle Romero founder and president of Native Women in Film & Television was one of the four personally invited, bringing national attention to “Violence Against Women” on June 14th &15th, in Washington DC.

“Writing the Violence Against Women Act has been one of my proudest accomplishments. And I know that the particular blend of intellectual horsepower and passion in this room today can only mean one thing: Good things will happen. Change is coming.” stated VP Joe Biden at the summit.

“Violence Against Women is so much more to me than just men abusing us,” states Joanelle Romero, “We need to break the glass ceiling with Native Women in Film & Television Initiative, moving forward in the inclusion of Native women on prime-time television NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX. The White House United State of Women was the first of many conversations that will continue in this ground-breaking call to action, lead by Joanelle Romero.”

In listening to Joe Biden, Joanelle Romero was inspired and motivated to act now. She turned to her friend from the National Indigenous Resource Center, Princella RedCorn and asked her, lets partner and make a PSA campaign video right now on uplifting our Native women, seeing that Ms. RedCorn had a video camera and sound equipment.

Joanelle Romero, is not new to the entertainment industry. Her four decade long career includes her nonprofit organization Red Nation Celebration Institute, Red Nation Television Network, Red Nation Film Festival, Native Women in Film & Television, its programs and initiatives. Romero is best known as an actress in the first produced contemporary native woman’s story “A Girl Called Hatter Fox” and creditably acclaimed Award -winning film “Pow Wow Highway” to directing her Award-winning film “American Holocaust: When Its All Over I’ll Still be Indian” landing her in the preliminary round of the Academy’s Documentary Branch shortlist, marking her the only Native Filmmaker this close to Oscar nod. In 2005, Romero won the Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award given to projects that have “the vision to see the truth and the courage to speak it.” Romero has unparalleled success in cementing American Indian image at the forefront of the entertainment industry.

In producing our PSA Campaign, Romero giving faces to the issues of Native Women in Film & Television including Violence Against Native Women and Native Youth Matter created the PSA campaign in hopes to uplift Native Women, Native Youth and our native allies, nationally.

The two-day event was more than a summit; it was a movement to celebrate women and promote gender equality around the world. June 14th & 15th gathering at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center was hosted by first lady Michelle Obama and media mogul Oprah Winfrey. It is being described as the first large scale event of its kind designed to both celebrate advancements in the area of gender equality as well as address issues of inequality.

President Barack Obama stated “This is what a feminist looks like.” to the first Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah having a candid conversation on self-value and self-worth for women.

Speakers included: Nancy Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Valerie Jarrett, Amy Poehler, Patricia Arquette, Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington, Loretta Lynch, Tina Fey and Laverne Cox, Mariska Hargitay, to name a few. In addition fifteen+ more native women showed up as attendees, representing 567 federally recognized tribes.

“We were enthusiastic to bring the voices of Native Women in Film & Television with its initiative to the global conversation on women and girls and the challenges we face together, in our lifetimes,” stated Joanelle Romero in a release that stated the Los Angeles-based founder president had been invited by the White House.

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