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Joanelle Romero is an acclaimed actress, award-winning filmmaker, producer, independent film distributor, singer-songwriter, and the Founder & CEO of the Red Nation Celebration Institute (RNCI), Red Nation International Film Festival (RNIFF), Red Nation Television Network (RNTV), Red Nation Films, Native Women in Film & Television in All Media, and the Native Indigenous Student Academy for Cinematic Arts.
A trailblazer in Native and Indigenous cinema, Romero has dedicated more than three decades to advancing authentic representation and creating pathways for Indigenous storytellers in film, television, media, music, and the arts. She made history as the first Native woman filmmaker to be shortlisted for an Academy Award for her groundbreaking documentary American Holocaust: When It’s All Over I’ll Still Be Indian, which received the prestigious Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award, honoring projects with "the vision to see the truth and the courage to speak it."
Known throughout her career for historic firsts, Romero began her acting career as a child and achieved a groundbreaking milestone with her first leading role in the CBS television movie The Girl Called Hatter Fox (1977), recognized as a significant moment for Native representation in contemporary television.
Romero later starred as Bonnie Redbow in the landmark Native feature film Powwow Highway, directed by Jonathan Wacks and produced by George Harrison. The groundbreaking film reshaped the representation of Native people in cinema and became a defining work in Indigenous storytelling. In 2024, Powwow Highway was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress National Film Registry, recognizing its cultural, historical, and artistic significance.
"It is one of the highest honors in film, ensuring the work is preserved for future generations," Romero shared. "A few years ago, I reached out to the Library of Congress to advocate for the inclusion of our film. I am deeply grateful that this request was fulfilled. Thank you to George Harrison and Jonathan Wacks for their vision, commitment, and dedication to bringing this important story to life."
Born Jicarilla and Mescalero Apache and Spanish-Sephardic lineal descendant, she holds familial ties to the Ohkay Owingeh, Lakota, Pawnee, Pojoaque, Diné, Paiute, Southern Ute, and Haudenosaunee. Her father was born on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation, and her maternal great-grandmother was born on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, grounding her life’s work in a deep intergenerational connection to Indigenous community, culture, ancestry, and ancestral lands.
Throughout her career, Romero has produced and directed an extensive body of work, including documentaries, television specials, series, pilots, music videos, and concert productions. She created the internationally recognized RNCI Red Nation Awards, a premier Indigenous entertainment honors platform celebrating excellence and achievement in Native and Indigenous storytelling.
As a recording artist, Romero has also made significant contributions to music. She collaborated with legendary poet and musician Leonard Cohen, who produced her early recordings at A&M Records. Romero was the first artist Cohen produced as a record producer. She was the only American Indian recording artist featured on the groundbreaking Lilith Fair Tour, the first major all-female music festival tour, alongside artists including Sarah McLachlan, Sinéad O’Connor, the Indigo Girls, and Natalie Merchant. Throughout her music career, Romero has opened for and performed alongside acclaimed artists including Rick Danko of The Band, Kris Kristofferson, Stevie Wonder, Eric Andersen, John Trudell, Paul Butterfield, Tin Machine, Freddy Fender, Richie Havens, and Rosanne Cash. Romero’s artistry and cultural leadership have been recognized internationally.
She has been invited to perform Native traditional songs at events honoring global leaders and movements, including the Dalai Lama, United Nations 60th Anniversary celebrations, Jane Goodall commemorations, César Chávez National Holiday events, Arun Gandhi’s Peace Day celebrations, Earth Day events, Environmental Media Association Awards, and Association of Film Commissioners International programs.
Romero studied at the Lee Strasberg Actors Studio in Hollywood. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and was the first Native woman invited to Academy membership in 2016. She has been a member of SAG-AFTRA since 1977.
Through her lifelong commitment to Indigenous storytelling sovereignty, Joanelle Romero continues to champion a future where Native and Indigenous voices are authentically represented, recognized, and valued. Who tells the story matters. Natives in charge of their narrative.
