On Tuesday, November 26, our Let’s Talk About Race program welcomed three guests to the Red Bank Public Library for Land & Legacy—a constructive conversation, led by Truth 2 Power and Sandhill Band Lenape Tribal Members, on respecting and preserving their ancestral land in New Jersey.
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Norris “War Turtle” Branham is a Sandhill Band Lenape and Cherokee Council Member, who serves as the Director of Visual Media and Digital Content for the Federation of Aboriginal Nations of the Americas (FANA) in addition to his work as SandHill Band Tribal Historian and Documentary filmmaker.
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Carrie Jones is a mother of six, member of the NJ Sandhill Band of Lenape & Cherokee Indians, and family history keeper determined and driven to secure her family's history and land.
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Brooklyn Demme is an educator and filmmaker who learned in the field with his father and mentor Jonathan. In 2020, Brooklyn formed Truth 2 Power (T2P), which brings people together at the intersection of education, community, and film.
After technical difficulties (we apologize and are sorry we don’t have a Zoom recording!), the program kicked off with the screening of two short films.
We first watched Protection Not Protest: The People of Standing Rock—directed by Academy Award Winner Jonathan Demme in 2016—and available to watch online.
Following that, we screened Diligence on Red Sand—directed by Brooklyn Demme in 2024—also available online. This documentary features Sandhill Band of Lenape & Cherokee Indian council members Carrie Ruffin Jones & Norris War Turtle Branham working diligently to honor and defend their inheritance.
After, Norris “War Turtle” Branham and Carrie Jones took the floor to share their personal stories.
Norris spoke about the Sandhill Band roots and origins as well as Red Bank’s Indigenous history. Norris also discussed the importance on preservation of Native American Indian history and shared details on his work, Turtle Gang Edutainment, which provides a platform for Indigenous voices.
Carrie spoke about her continued efforts to preserve local land featured in Diligence on Red Sand and her legal fight along the way. But, as Carrie said, “My story was being written, it just wasn’t being told.”
Enter Brooklyn. With Brooklyn behind the camera, Carrie and Norris had someone sharing their story with a larger audience. Now, Brooklyn’s films have been screened at multiple film festivals, including the Indie Street Film Festival in Red Bank.
And, of course, with patrons at the library. Carrie and Norris both emphasized the importance of libraries serving as meeting spaces, allowing them to share their story with an active audience.
Carrie also updated the audience on her legal battle, and recent victory. For them, it’s just the beginning. To learn more about Truth 2 Power and stay up-to-date with their work, visit their Instagram.
