True to Yourself is a video series that talks about why we need to be doing the things we love.

For years now, I have been wanting to tell stories about the amazing creativity of people around me. Some of my footage was filmed years ago, at a time when I was too busy to make the videos, only recognizing the value of the stories, with hope that they would one day be told. Other stories are completely new and recent, so it is a mix of both old and new.

---

This story is the 1st episode, about Creating With A Purpose:

Meet Cordelia Zars Guinn, who came up with a very creative way to bring people together to talk about tough issues through musical theatre, with stories that make the audience feel what people on both sides of an issue are going through.

In “We’re Still Here,” A proposed copper mine pits the preservation of a sacred Indigenous river against the survival of a rural town. Two young leaders, fighting to save their homes, become bitter political enemies. They also form an unlikely bond.

Inspired by true events at Oak Flat, Arizona, this show blends Indigenous storytelling with musical theatre, created by Mesquakie tribal elder Alex Walker Jr. and playwright/composer Cordelia Zars. Following a sold-out workshop production in 2023, We’re Still Here premiered with a 9-show run at the Dairy Arts Center in January & February 2025.

---