Roni Jo Draper, PhD (she/her) is a member of the Yurok tribe, from the village of Weispus at the fork of the Klamath and Trinity Rivers. Her experience as a queer Yurok woman has influenced her work as an educator, scholar, and artist. Roni explores storytelling practices as a way to understand humanity and create balance in the world. Her films include Scenes from the Glittering World (PBS 2022) and Fire Tender (2023) with funding from the National Geographic Society and Vision Maker Media.
Since time immemorial, Yurok people have placed fire on the land to maintain a healthy and balanced ecosystem. Over the past 100 years, settlers banned fire, and the environment and the people have suffered. Now, Yurok people are returning fire medicine to the land in order to heal the world.