Cheri Marchand Schilling

Profile Information:

About Me:

I am a late in life student of 51 yrs of age and a mother of two grown children. I am currently double majoring in Anthropology and Inter-Cultural Communications and considering a Museum Studies Certificate program to round out my education. I am an international
mom: I am a former host parent and retired exchange student coordinator (12 yrs).

I am Puerto Rican by way of my father. (I was 11 yrs old when I was told by my great aunt who was visiting us.) My father was born and raised in Barceloneta, PR. His family, both maternal and paternal have very deep roots in Puerto Rico.

10 yrs ago I found out that the people I descended (PR Indians) from were not extinct but very much alive and had a name, Taino. I have been on a journey since to learn more about my Taino roots and ancestral roots in Puerto Rico.

I teach photography for my city's Parks and Rec community program, volunteer as a writer and photographer for Indian Times, University California Riverside's Native American Students Program newspaper and have also written for a local community magazine. Currently I am designing, developing a new magazine for the Native American Family Center in San Bernardino called Native Family Magazine Eagle Spirit.

I have been blessed and privileged to assist the Piaute Elders of Las Vegas in their endeavor to create an ethnographic pictorial recording of their Pow Wow and participate in the sunrise blessing prior to the event. I also have been honored with the opportunity to meet, interview and photograph Navajo Code Talker, Joe Morris, an elder with a big heart and wisdom of great depth.
I look forward to learning from everyone here on the Indigenous Caribbean Network and making new friends.

Occupation:

Journalist, Artist, Photographer, Instructor of Photography, Student, Director of Community Outreach Native American Family Center

Education:

AA concentrated in Humanities (Journalism) and Art
AS in Photography, Calif. State certificate for Photography
Certificate Award: Grantwriting
Currently working towards: BA in Anthropology and a BA in Inter-Cultural Communications and certificate in Museum Studies

Contact Information:

tainoroots@yahoo.com

Research Interests:

My wish is to one day in the near future go to PR, to record the elders speaking the oral histories of my ancestors and to photograph and record the rock art on the island before they disappear from environmental deterioration and human ignorance. I want be a catalysis that changes the history books to acknowledge that my people, the Taino, are not extinct but very much alive.

Publications:

Moreno Valley Magazine (articles and photography), Indian Times (articles and photography), Riverside Community College Muse a literary magazine (photography) Currently developing and writing for a family based magazine Native American Family Eagle Spirit, going to press September 2008

Affiliation:

Native American Family Center, San Bernardino, California, Indian Times UCR

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