Ep 99 - Kimberly Norris Guerrero - Colville Confederated Tribes, Salish and Kootenai

In the 99th episode of Red Hoop Talk, host Jennifer is joined by Kimberly Norris Guerrero (Colville Confederated Tribes, Salish and Kootenai), a contemporary storyteller whose work spans film, television, and theatre. Kimberly’s recent projects include the HBO Original Series It: Welcome to Derry, streaming hits Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls, the gritty revenge thriller Catch the Fair One opposite Emmy nominee Kali Reis, the animated Netflix series Spirit Rangers, and Amazon productions Outer Range and The English alongside Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer. On stage, she originated the role of Johnna in Tracy Letts’ Tony Award–winning play August: Osage County on Broadway.

Throughout the conversation, Kimberly reflects on story as medicine—never neutral, always carrying the power to heal or harm. She speaks candidly about Indigenous representation in modern media, the responsibility storytellers carry, and the importance of balance between humor and grief, truth and compassion. Drawing on teachings such as the medicine wheel, she shares how Indigenous storytelling holds space for joy, loss, accountability, and resilience at the same time.

Kimberly also shares her journey from acting into community-centered work, describing years spent working with Native Nations across Turtle Island using filmmaking as a tool to empower youth and promote wellness throughout Native Nations. She discusses navigating Hollywood with integrity, collaborating on Native-led productions, and the vulnerability required to tell stories rooted in lived experience. Now serving as a Professor in the Department of Theater, Film, and Digital Production at UC Riverside, Kimberly is committed to mentoring and empowering the next generation of storytellers.

This episode offers an honest and grounded conversation about narrative sovereignty, creative responsibility, and the power of Native joy in storytelling—even in the face of grief and ongoing challenges such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis. Kimberly’s reflections remind listeners that Native stories are living, relational, and essential.

Each episode of Red Hoop Talk connects listeners with powerful Native voices. By supporting the Association on American Indian Affairs—through listening, sharing, donating, or getting involved—you help keep those voices strong and ensure Native-led storytelling continues to thrive. Donate at Indian-Affairs.org.