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How a Grand Ronde tribal member aims to advance Indigenous representation in film

Kazsia Connelly — an 18-year-old member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde — aims to pursue a career in acting and promote strong Indigenous representation in mainstream media.

Crawling over fallen branches and avoiding the stinging nettle plants littering the ground of the mossy forest, Connelly, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, reflected on her dreams of becoming an actress. In 2024, Netflix released a live-action version of “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Connelly loved the series and felt particularly inspired by the Indigenous woman who played the character Katara, a young Mohawk actress named Kiawentiio. The class spent many weeks working on the film, shooting at multiple locations, including the Grand Ronde Tribal Police Station, the Wildwood Hotel and a local pond.

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