Alan Hoskins, Supervisor of Public Information
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
College Advancement
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| Crisosto Apache is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. He was born and raised on that reservation, which is located in the southern central region of New Mexico. He graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe N.M. He has attended the Naropa University (Boulder), University of Colorado at Denver and is currently attending Metro State College of Denver. His occupation is in the field of education and works with disadvantaged youth. He joined the Two Spirit Society of Denver in 2001 and volunteers his time to conduct Two Spirit educational presentations. He is the current Co-Director for the Two Spirit Society of Denver. |
Joey Criddle is Jicarilla Apache/ White and has been
living in Denver Colorado since 1998. He is employed as a Respiratory
Therapist in Denver and has earned his degree from Itawamba College in
Mississippi. He is one of the founding members of the Two Spirit Society
of Denver and was the Co-director for nine years. He is the head singer
for the society and in the late 1990's saw a need for the Two Spirit people
to organize here in Denver. The Denver area has a large Native American
population since it was a relocation city of the Indian policy of the
60's and therefore a large Two Spirit population. The organization has
provided GLBT Native American people with a safe place for the past ten
years as well as a platform for cultural rejuvenation, bonding and education. |
Native Americans Joey Criddle and Crisosto Apache will present a program on “Embracing Two-Spirit Traditions” at Kansas City Kansas Community College Thursday, Nov. 12.
Open to the public without charge, the program will be held from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Room 2325 on the lower level of the Jewell Center.
Sponsored by the OQS Diversity Club, Campus Forum, Intercultural Center and Women’s Resource Center, original “traditional American values” and the personal and cultural perspectives will be presented. A reception will follow.
Native American Two-Spirit Traditions embrace gender diversity and have a positive outlook on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, which is seen as having the gift of two spirits, both male and female. Transgender individuals are seen as even more sacred because of their physical embodiment. As such, Two Spirits have special responsibilities and expectations within their tribes.
One of two founding members of the Two Spirit Society of Denver and co-director for nine years, Criddle is a member of the Jicarilla Apache tribe. The head singer for the society, he is a graduate of Itawamba College in Mississippi and employed as a respiratory therapist in Denver. Seeing a need for the Two Spirit people to organize in Denver, which has a large Native America population, Criddle helped found the organization which has provided GLBT Native American people with a safe place for the past 10 years as well as a platform for cultural rejuvenation, bonding and education.
A member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Crisosto Apache was born and raised on the Mescalero reservation in New Mexico. A graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. N.M., he has also attended Naropa University in Boulder, the University of Colorado in Denver and is currently attending Metro State College of Denver while working with disadvantaged youth. Co-director for the Two Spirit Society, he volunteers his time to conduct Two Spirit educational presentations.