Modoc: The Tribe That Wouldn't Die
Cheewa JamesThe magic of words has been a motivating force in the life of Cheewa James. A professional speaker, on-air television talent, and author, James moves easily between the spoken and written word.Born on the Klamath Indian Reservation, Oregon, James was raised in Taos, New Mexico. Enrolled with the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, Cheewa's father was one of America's first American Indian professional basketball players.As a professional speaker, Cheewa has worked with corporations and organizations throughout the United States both as a keynote speaker and corporate trainer. She specializes in leadership, balance in life, and dealing with change, emphasizing to audiences that If It Is To Be, It Begins With Me. Her keynote presentation uses principles from Native American thinking that are applied to the contemporary work force. She is known as a master storyteller.As a published author, she has written for publications such as Smithsonian Magazine, National Wildlife, Kansas City Star, Portland Oregonian and publications in cities across the United States. Her book Catch the Whisper of the Wind, released by the Chicken Soup for the Soul publishers, tells the inspirational stories of 60 Native people in the United States and Canada.Her book, twelve years in the research and writing, Modoc: The Tribe That Wouldn t Die, was released in July of 2008 by Naturegraph Publishers and tells the story of her own tribe. The 350-page book is the most comprehensive ever written on this incredible tribe.A former television anchorwoman and reporter in Oregon, Cheewa has received numerous regional and national awards in broadcasting including United Press International Awards and the prestigious National Golden Mike Award for Television Production. She served many years on the staff of Sacramento s PBS station KVIE and is still seen on-air.She has received the Sacramento YWCA Outstanding Woman in Broadcasting Award and top television production awards from both the Sacramento Public Relations Association and the Sacramento Advertising Club.James attended Colorado College, the University of Oregon, and graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in speech and English.