Future Ancestor Film featuring Lyla June

Indigenous scholar and poet Lyla June challenges the status quo when she decides to run for House of Representatives in New Mexico’s District 47 on a climate justice platform. Future Ancestor is a 10-minute film that follows her through a 7-day “Fast For the Future” on the steps of the Capitol building. Fueled by prayer and bone broth, Lyla is an unlikely candidate who reveals a new vision for leadership, urging us to “think seven generations ahead.”

Lyla June writes….

“Director Josué Rivas had the idea to re-share our mini-doc about my political campaign today. It was nominated for Best Short Documentary at the American Indian Film Festival. We hope it will remind us we are not in this for one political term, or even two or three; We are in this for the next seven generations and beyond. Have courage, friends. Remember that, throughout time, humanity has undergone immense tribulations, and arisen stronger and wiser.

“I ran for office against the status quo, against the big polluters and against those who profit from sickness. We raised $120K in twenty days, with donations coming in from all 50 states (rare for a state level candidate). We posed a viable threat to the oil and gas lobby and they came after us in all the ways they can. At a certain point, we could not operate in that sphere anymore. We forwarded campaign funds to the Youth Climate Strike movement & re-focused our energy where we could make real change. We need you to carry the baton forward for us and with us. We need you to keep amplifying Indigenous wisdom until we do see it living and breathing and leading this land again. Never give up. Stand back up every time they knock us down. Love is the inevitable victor in Creator’s world.

“We came together to generate the Seven Generations New Deal which can be used and applied at any level of government. We hope you will take a look at it 👉🏽 www.sgnd.info 👈🏽 and provide your comments below on what you think about it. Can it be applied to your municipal, state of federal spheres? What could be improved about it? What gave you new ideas? May we come together to re-imagine the world we want to see before Election Day, after Election Day, and every day far into the future. Every day we can “vote” with our breath, with our dreams, with our visions, with our determination, with our inspiration, with our love for those not yet born. We are future ancestors.”