Although an accomplished athlete and an acclaimed film producer, Phil Lane Jr.’s life has, first and foremost, been an exercise in fostering human relations and community development. Native American and a hereditary Chief – of the Yankton Dakota and Chickasaw tribes – Lane has dedicated himself for over four decades to the pursuit of equality for the indigenous peoples of four different continents, including Africa. Born at the Haskell Indian Residential School, Lane grew up understanding, firsthand, the economic, spiritual, and political struggles of native groups. With that understanding, Lane chose, as an adult, to begin his career as an educator, speaking to students of all levels and ages about the culture and history of Native American peoples. In 1982, he was a founding member of the organization for which he still works as International Coordinator: Four Worlds International, a non-profit that brings unites the peoples of multiple tribes in development efforts. Ten years after the founding of Four Worlds, Lane was named the recipient of the prestigious Windstar Award for his tireless dedication toward a sustainable future for indigenous people on a global level. Lane was the first and, to date, only Native American to have ever been distinguished with the elite honor. Several years of guiding native communities toward a more prosperous and holistic life experience inspired Lane to write a novel as well as produce multiple television programs and films, including the award-winning series “Walking with Grandfather.” With a keen sense of responsibility and an undying respect towards the tribes into which he was born, Lane is tirelessly focused on the well-being and sustainability of native peoples in North America and around the world.
Quotations
“In all of our actions, we must seek to be living examples of the changes we wish to see in the world. By walking the path, we make the path visible”
“The greater the difficulty in our path, the greater the opportunity for our growth and ultimate victory; we can always become more than we have ever been.”
References
http://www.architectsofpeace.org/architects-of-peace/phil-lane-jr-
Resume of Phil Lane, Jr.: http://www.4worlds.org/4w/resume/philresume.htm
Phil Lane Jr. Reflects on Working Toward Peace: http://www.scu.edu/ethics/architects-of-peace/Lane/essay.html
Swiss Foundation for Freedom and Human Rights: http://www.4worlds.org/4w/SWISS%20AWARD/laudatory.html
Make No Bones About It 