SpilyayTymoo
Warm Springs, Oregon
April 8, 1999 3
Professional Football Player, actor, Jim Warne visits Warm Springs-continued from page 1
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George Aguilar, Jr., Tricia Sahme, Jim Warne and Nancy Blackwolfe-Begay stop for a photo in their efforts
to write a grant to restablish Vocation Rehabilitation with the assistance of Jim Warne.
return to his Lakota tradition. An educationsothatwecanbeeffective
empty spot within him was the in society." Jim adds,
lack of Lakota ways. He then He also feels that if any of our
sought knowledge from elders and kids that get through our education
family members to get himself system are gifted.
Alter the NrL Jim attended
centered in his Lakota way.
I believe in seven generation
philosophy from Black Elk. I know
that today's youth are eoine to
make great impact for our people
nationwide. I'm excited to see our
kids know the language, singing,
dmrriming, dancing and knowing
the old way. As well as
incorporating mainstream
I education because they'll have to
know both. Ihat s what our kids
I are challenged with today.
Balancing, maintaining our
I personal culture and integrity as
well as acquiring mainstream
g-aduate school at San Diego State
niversity. After his first semester
he was drafted by the newly
established NFL Europe World
League of American Football at the
New York New Jersey franchise. So
he took a sobatical from graduate
school.
He returned in the summer and
played Arena Football League,
which was played indoors. So
theoretically, football financed his
bachelors and masters degrees. "I'm
very thankful that my love for the
sport kept me in the academic
realm," says Jim. Once NFL was
over he found academics are very
important for his future.
With the NFL Players
Association they have the Native
VisionProgram. Which is a football,
basketball and soccer camp for tribal
youth held on reservations. Last
December he went to the Arapahoe
School in Warm Springs to talk to
kids.
John Holicheck, retired from
Kansas City Chiefs, went to the
Shoshone School. They talked to
kids during the Christmas holidays
about life skills, cultural pride and
education. Thate thebasis of Native
Vision Program, they identify and
prepare seventh generation.
I'm glad that John's Hopkins
University American Indian Alaska
Native Health Program, Nick
Lowery Foundation and NFL
Players Association were the three
main organizations that established
Native Vision Program.
Next summer, June 11, 12, they
will be at the Wind River
Reservation. "Hopefully kids from
Warm Springs can make it," Jim
adds.
They have ex-professional and
current professional football,
basketball and soccer players for
the children's athletic interests.
More importantly, they're teaching
life skills education enhancement.
All the professionals are currently
successful in academics and
professional sports.
. That's what they focus on
because it's temporary athletics.
. "Power of the body, which I was
very proud of is temporary. Power
After finishing graduate school
j ana p laying arena Daii ne received
g his degree. He then considered
Canadian rootbaU League. Irrught
as well try every football league out
there," he adds.
Hereceivedajobofferthatwould
pay pretty well and decided it was
time to utilize his intellect instead of
his bodv. He was fortunate that
although he did acquire injuries he
is okay as far as surgeries go,
; compared to what his colleagues
had to endure.
After working for a couple of
years he became a confident public
speaker. He became confident in
other realms such as acting. On the
beach one day during graduate
school he was approached by a
casting director for a part in a TV
program called "SilkStalkings". Jim
said, "sure."
Since then he has been compared
to Will Sampson by many different
people through the years. "I'm
proud of that comparison because
Will Sampson did a great job for
Indian actors. He was the one to
make a difference for all of us. He
showed that Indian people should
be playing Indian people in films."
says Jim.
He also played a part in "The as I pursue my doctorate work, I
Kenegade, a series aoout a Dixer, can get some parts to helps finance I
bounty hunter played by Lorenzo my doctoral program as well asl
Lamas. Jim was a big, heavy fighter buy a house, says Jim. I
His job at ban Diego Mate is I
specializing in iriDai vocational!
Afteracquinngactingexperience
he decided to get himself an agent
to see what can happen.
Rodney Grant was a presenter at
one the conferences and decided to
call his agent to see if he can be
represented. He was refered to a
bookstore in Hollywood to read
some monologues, studying. He
met with the Geddes Agency and
they said, "Well you're raw, no
actual acting talent, but you have
skills in articulation and a 'look' so
we're going to give you a shot."
His first read was for "The
Substitute" and got the part of
"Bull." While reading for the part
he met Wes Studi, who was also
reading for the part.
"Fortunately San Diego State
allowed me to take sobaticals for
football because they knew I had
dreamed of professional football.
Now they know my interest in
acting ana alio w me to take vacation
time to pursue acting
opportunities," says Jim.
He spent three weeks on location
filming "The Substitute" with
Rodney Grant as Seminole drug
lords.
Rodney works with kids at NCAI
in San Diego and Jim asked him to
help working with youth so that
they could expose the youth to tribal
government practice. He feels they
need to preparenow because they're
going to make a difference for all of
us.
They were both concerned about
their parts as drug lords but
fortunately they died in the movie
and can say "that's the end result of
this business."
They were to reiterate that they
were just acting these parts, that s
not the type of person they really
are.
Through that experience he
earned enough money to pay on
student loans and debts acquired at
graduate school. "I'm hoping that
rehabilitation programs. Warm
Springs asked that he write a grant
for tnem to re-establish the
Vocational Rehabilitation
Program.
He got into Vocational I
Rehabilitation Advocacy for
people with disabilities primarily
due to his father having multiple
sclerosis. So Jim and his family
grew up knowing what disability
was all about. He feels his life
experience in disability and cross
cultural communications makes
him perfect for this type of job. He
wanted to work with tribal nations
throughout the United States as
well as advocate people with
disabilities.
"Just because we acquire an
injury or something doesn t mean
we are not a worthy part of society.
Many people through ignorance
orunawarenessarejustaismissing
people with disabilities. There are
50 million people with disabilities
and that s too many to dismiss.
That's a lot of untapped talent not
being utilized. Ihat s why I m very
strongin Vocational Rehabilitation
Advocacy for people with
disabilities." savs Iim.
They are viable components in
society and can participate and
contribute to people. Many elders
wiui ulsaDmues nave Deen great in
sharing language preservation
through Voc Kehab.
At this time Jim is pursuing
doctorate work. It relying on
football and acting, I would be
somebody's bodyguard instead of
a professional where I'm able to
have opportunities and choices.
mat swhatrugher education does.
The information age is here. I can't
believe I can t live without my
laptop. Five year's ago I wouldn t
even touch a computer. Now if I
don t have my laptop with me I
Voc Rehab participants shared success
The following individuals agreed
' to share their participation and
. support of the Warm Springs
Vocation Rehabilitation Program. All
individuals were successfully closed
from the program and have
maintained employment. Employees
of the VR program offer their heartfelt
congratulations to them in their
success.
The Vocational Rehabilitation
program is federally funded and
began operations in October 1992.
Their purpose is to help Native
Americans with disabilities either
obtain, maintain, or be promoted in
employment and to educate local
businesses, fellow programs, and
community members that Native
Americans with Disabilities are
productive in society despite their
disability. To date, 456 people sought
VR services and of those, 62 people
were not eligible to receive services.
A total of 89 people were closed
successfully from the program.
.11 fi
s u j ; s
See Vocational Rehabilitation
facts on top of page 5
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Mark Johnson
Employed at WS Composite Prod., Water &
Soil, WS Composite Prod,
Disability: Addiction ;
Employed since 497-1297, 798-1198. 399
; V r. A
Emma Smith
Employed at Tribal Relations
Disability: Addiction
Employed since 997
John Finch
Employed at Warm Springs Market
Disability: Addiction
Employed since 1197
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Marcia Simtustus
Hair Salon Business Owner
Disability: Addiction and Migraines
Employed since 398
Eugenia Tappo
Employed at Executive Management
Disability: Diabetes
Employed since 685
Tammy Kalama
Employed at Fire Management
Disability: Diabetes
Employed since 798
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Curtis Thompson, Sr.
Employed at Tribal Utilities
Disability: Addiction
Employed since 296
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Ddan Waheneka
Employed at WS Composite Prod.
Disability: Physical hipairment to arm
Employed since 9,97
LoriSwitzter
Employed at Finance
DtsabSity: Ftheumatoid Arthritis
Employed since 11.97
Radine Johnson
Employed at OSU Extension
Disability: Physical garment to back
Ernployed since S"96
Marion LeOaire
Employed at WS Composite Prod.
Disability: Addiction
Employed since 398
Harold Baocwoffe
Janitorial Business Owner
DisaMity AdcSction
Employed since 4"97
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