If you harm one person based on race or ethnicity, you harm the whole
human race,
for we are but one cloth woven of many colors. --
Zelan Bonn
"I was moved by the immense guilt of Hollywood's celebrity class
when they actually took up the mantle to help Haiti and even worked the
phone rooms; even all the networks joined forces as well, which was
something I asked them all to do for Native America's sake at the end of
last year.
'The networks and stars knew they had recently shown a complete lack
of class and respect for Native America when they turned the Indian
nations down cold on the Ticci Man Project. They obviously wanted to
try and redeem themselves with humanity somehow, even though their
actions were kept out of the media. I'm very glad for
Haiti's sake these otherwise elites made such a noble, perhaps even blue
collar effort---even a few of them actually donated their own money to
Haiti, which was supremely amazing---shocking really---but very
welcomed.'
'However, I'm still wondering when these wonderful celebrities are
going to unify to help our deeply harmed and mistreated Native American
citizens right here in their home country and help their hometown Hollywood clean up
its racist act!'
'I hope someday Hollywood can find it in their collective heart to
help Native Americans gain true parody, but I remain skeptical out of
experience, not lack of hope." --Zelan Bonn (Jan
23, 2010)
“And to think
that such blatant racism could occur in our industry in the 21st Century
makes me ashamed... It doesn’t matter whether or not we are personally
racist,” Spielberg continued, “because by being a part of the
marginalizing process or being apathetic to discriminatory casting, we
have been condoning racist acts all along.”
-- Steven Spielberg
David O.
Selznick Tackled Hollywood Racism On "Gone With The Wind"
Adjusted
for inflation, the 1939 film "Gone With The Wind" remains the all time box
office hit, having earned over $1.4 billion dollars domestically (in
today's equivalent dollars). The mastermind producer David O. Selznick had
to contend with deep-seated racism of the times as well as some offensive materials in the book
when translating the work to the screen.
I
had seen racism being plied against Jews so I felt great empathy for the
plight of Blacks, especially in film, he said. I wanted to make sure we
did not offend them so we removed aspects in the book for the screen
that they found offensive, he said.
For
his pioneering humanitarian efforts on what is arguably the greatest
film ever made, the Late Mr. Selznick stands as a reminder that racism
in Hollywood has been with us a very long time, and that brilliant filmmakers
can produce great films without being harmful of others. He lead the
industry with his extraordinary example in a time when racism
was generally accepted as a norm across most of US society, but unfortunately, Hollywood would not
follow his lead--it
took an entire Civil Rights movement and decades of social reform wars to get
Hollywood to change, to allow Blacks into their ranks and drop overt and
hidden racism
from the industry theme.
The
question today is, will Hollywood have to be hit over the head again in order to secure equality
for Native Americans in Hollywood? Or will great industry leaders, as
represented by Mr. Selznick, Mr. Spielberg, and others come forward and champion change to once
again elevate the industry and offer aid and respect to those it harms?
Why Is The Late Marlon Brando Still Feared And Ridiculed In Hollywood
For His Past Humanitarianism Toward Indians?
"I think... the motion picture community has
been as responsible as any for degrading the Indian and making a mockery
of his character, describing his as savage, hostile and evil. It's hard
enough for children to grow up in this world. When Indian children watch
television, and they watch films, and when they see their race depicted as
they are in films, their minds become injured in ways we can never know...
Recently there have been a few faltering steps to correct this situation,
but too faltering and too few...". ---Marlon Brando (Godfather Oscar
Refusal
Statement) (Video Interview: Part
2, Part 1)
A final message from KTI President...
(12-26-09)
Doing great things
for humanity is rarely an easy task. It takes time, patience, and
especially help from other humanitarian-minded people who believe in the
cause. The Ticci Man Project (TMP) was designed as a positive social
transformation project, a project to help us change our world for
the benefit of us all--to uplift the status of native people so that they,
too, could enjoy the fruits of equality that most of us enjoy.
The
failure of this project reflects harshly on Hollywood, for never have so
many people of power, position, celebrity, and influence at every level of
the industry, local government, business, and even the press, been given a
chance to extend a hand to uplifting humanity and ridding it of racism and
so uniformly turned away--not since the 1960s anyway.
We
made it perfectly clear to all that TMP was never about charity, but was a
social transformation effort to help end racism for native people,
but it made no difference--people found their excuses to deny us help.
In
Hollywood, we all now wear the flag of racist shame--for we can never
again deny the industry is bigoted and discriminatory, given the facts,
history, and subsequent failure of this project. And nobody more
than I was shocked to discover, then verify, this reality...
As
a Hollywood producer, I find it appalling to realize that I work in an
industry filled to the brim with so many racist at the top who simmer in
self-denial of the harms they ply on others, especially our Native
American citizens. I could list some of the greatest names in
Hollywood who have flatly refused to lend a hand toward curbing industry
racism but let them wrestle with their own ugly conscious for we shall not
"out" them--everyone is entitled to their own choices, no matter
how distasteful or mean-spirited.
For failing to help
Hollywood find redemption for its 100 years racist past against the
American Indian (and its present racism), I make no apologies. However,
for having failed my many Native American friends and associates and
countless others I will never have the privilege to meet, I offer my
greatest apologies--and I do so on behalf of countless thousands of us who
work in the film and television industry who are not celebrities, who are
not high-powered executives, who are not great household names, but merely
of the rank and file who are not racist, but subject to those who
are--subject to those who fiercely defend the septic status quo.
Please
rest assured, this fight is not over Hollywood... you merely won round
one.
God Bless Native America,
Zelan
Bonn
Creator, Ticci Man Project /
Celebrity Festival For Native America
Imagine over 400 of the
world's top celebrities and world dignitaries paying homage to Native
America before a 100++ million global audience!
Imagine the power of world leaders and stars shining their
collective light toward raising human equality for native people, indeed,
for people of all races and ethnicities--a truly historical event for
world history!
The week long charityCelebrity Festival For Native
America in Hollywood, CA will not only be fun for an estimated 1
million tourists and fans, but will present some of the world's best
Native American talent to Hollywood and the world.
Highlights presented by hundreds of tribes of Native America include:
Street Fair (food, entertainment, crafts, arts and
more)
Art Contest (with winning painting--a wall-size
replica--signed by 100s of
celebrities and installed into a major cultural center and museum for
future generations to enjoy while learning about Native American
history)
Film Festival
Hollywood Memorabilia Charity Auction
Celebrity Autograph & Photo sessions for fans (get
your picture with a star)
Prestigious Celebrity Charity Diner and Native Talent
Awards Banquet
And the "Crown Jewel" Native America
Celebrity Theater (where 100s of celebrities and world dignitaries
will be treated to a night's worth of rare and spectacular
entertainment from Native America, and more!
The week long social transformation and charity event featuring the world's top
celebrities is expected to be televised partially each day across the
globe, making it the single biggest televised show on
Earth!
Join the fun and support us as we bring the world
top entertainment and fun in the name of raising awareness for Native
American equality. It will be a wonderful treat for the whole
family--guaranteed!
Learn More
Ticci
Man Project: Social Transformation and Native American Aid
Many
volunteers of all races and many nationalities have pitched in to help
this project and its vision message of human equality and mutual respect
for all. Although we focus on Native America, the world is also watching
and learning.
Today, the
vast majority of Native Americans still live in poverty, and an estimated 300,000 are homeless. NAs have fewer
opportunities than other nonIndians due to issues of racism and discrimination.
Working with other nonprofits, KTI seeks to provide "hands up"
(not hand out) assistance and other supports in Native America (NA) as an umbrella
charity project. Beneficiary programs include:
Housing
for the homeless programs
NA
Language Preservation programs
NA Media,
Film, and Theater Scholarship programs
NA museum,
artifact, and exhibit supports
NA
cultural preservation and learning center support (for both NAs and
nonIndians)
NA
cultural sharing and learning programs (i.e. TMP Road Show, etc.)
Traditional
and modern NA arts & crafts preservation programs
NA Entrepreneurs
program (helping NA businesses start and grow)
NA
"equality" promotion programs (like TMP itself)
And much
more (as designated by the KTI Volunteer Board of professionals).
Real Life
Superhero - Ticci Man To The Rescue!
Who
could ever imagine that the first Indian superhero on the big and little
screen would also be a superhero in "real life"!
The nonprofit Ticci Man Project
(TMP) takes its name in honor of the main character (Ticci Man) in an upcoming film and
series project being produced by Imajilan Pictures™, which has
generously pledged a portion of its profits to TMP charities.
TMP is one of the most
positive, inspiring, uplifting, and healing projects to ever hit Hollywood
and the Native American community---bringing greater issue awareness,
respect, media access, and equality to Native Americans---a truly magical
event that you are now a part of by being here!
.
TMP and our fictional hero
turned real life hero, Ticci Man, are changing the
way we think about Native people on our planet, helping to
bring an end to negative stereotypes and racism through the healing process of mutual cooperation, community spirit, and positive
focus---bringing the world's greatest celebrities and talent together to
help Native Americans and Native people of the planet realize their dreams
of equality.
TMP,
KTI, and Native America salute Hollywood, celebrities, and world dignitaries
for their wonderful humanity leadership! Thank you one and all!
Commercial Film & TV Helping Nonprofit
Nonprofit Helping Native Americans
Entertainment Helping...
Nonprofit & Social Progress
Film & Media That Cares, Working With...
Hollywood Celebrities and People Like You Who
Care!
Native America Filmmaking
Perspective
Imajilan Picture's™ Koto
and the Ticci Man is a major motion picture project designed to make an historical
break-through for Native Americans in modern filmmaking. All Native
American characters will be portrayed by Native Americans. It is fun
family story that reveals the great sides of Native America!
The Ticci Man television
series is also designed to give Indians a major break-through into the
broadcast television industry. It features an Indian hero to be
portrayed by a Native American actor. The content focuses on the Native
America community of today and its amazing and diverse cultures.
Combined, these historical
first projects will help pave the way for future Native American talent
and filmmakers into the mainstream media and film industry.
We, at TMP, honor the efforts of Imajalian
Pictures™
and those who aid them. We salute and thank them for their industry
leadership and generous pledge to aid TMP charity projects with a portion of
their proceeds.
We hope other filmmakers and professionals
in Hollywood will follow their lead.
Bringing
Hollywood and Native America Together
For The
21st Century!
Ticci Man Project is hosted by Kon Ticci International (KTI), a pending 501 (c) (3)
nonprofit created specifically for administration of this highly unique and diverse
project (don't look for us on Guidestar yet, we're still awaiting formal
set-up once we gain Hollywood supports).
KTI will work with other nonprofits and projects and the commercial and entertainment
sectors toward paving a new era that will forever change the way the
world and America
looks at Native Americans.
Please join us in our efforts to not only bring the world it's first
major Native American icon of TV and film (so Indians can enjoy their
own brand of heroes too)---a Hollywood debt long
overdue---but to bring Ticci's message of hope and transformation for
Native people to the
world, to create a new era of understanding and equality for not only
Native Americans, but Native people
of the world.
Together, let us shine the light of equality on all inhabitants of Mother
Earth.
"How Hollywood
Stereotyped The Native Americans"
Please join the Ticci Man
Project as today's Hollywood leaders bury the past and officially extend
the "Olive Branch of Healing" to Native America. Let us all work
together to ensure a new future of mutual respect and equality that blesses
future generations!
Ticci Man Project Says
Farwell
Ticci Man Project's (TMP's)
Celebrity Festival For Native America (CFNA) was intended as a unique,
uplifting social transformation project.
The goal was simple... help
Native Americans and Native People
of the globe gain respect and equality--especially in Hollywood where so
many harmful outputs against Indians have been generated.
At its peak, TMP had
gathered fans across 27 countries (at last count) until its official shut
down on December 31st, 2009 (after top Hollywood leaders and celebrities
refused to lend a hand).
The
list of wonderful aspects and benefits for TMP is long but our approach
had been
simple...
We wanted to celebrate Native America toward bringing greater issue awareness,
respect, and equality to Native people here, and around the world. And to
achieve our goal, we had intended a series of positively
focused projects inside the industry we all love---Hollywood!
For what could be better
than a week-long celebration with world-wide television coverage
showcasing the beauty, talent, wonder, magic, and richness of Native
America--educating the world toward bringing down the walls of bigotry and
discrimination?
We failed because nobody
saw the value in what we were trying to do. Some thought us foolish,
others thought there was no need, still others thought Native America and
Hollywood were both doing fine "as is", but then few took the
time to learn and investigate--few knew the whole story or the facts. And what's
worse is, fewer still seemed to care at all, sadly.
We thank all those helped
TMP/CFNA!
For those of you who have only
just arrived, we hope you will spend some time to learn more about this
wonderful project and the people it was meant to help--and most
importantly why we embarked on such a tough journey on behalf of America's
smallest minority. Please investigate our website thoroughly--there
are many great surprises for everyone to discover!
From
all of us at TMP, welcome, enjoy, and farewell! And to native people of America and
the globe, we apologize for having failed you--but we did as best we could
with the help we received.
