Singing Burro Productions

Welcome to Singing Burro Productions.

As a film student in the early 1970s, I was influenced by the work of Madeline Anderson, Agnès Varda, Frederick Wiseman, and Albert Maysles. I helped organize the Women's Film Festival at Washington University in 1972 and even hosted a visit from the FBI, who wondered what subversive activities we might be up to.

Soon thereafter, when I traveled to the jungle of West Mexico, where there were no roads or electricity, I put my filmmaking dreams aside. I woke up every morning to the braying of burros, one of my favorite sounds. Instead, I devoted myself to clinical work, research, advocacy, and service in Indigenous communities. Yet the desire to tell stories never left me. In my work as a psychotherapist, I have listened to thousands of powerful stories. They have taught me about resilience, healing, injustice, and the enduring strength that is fueled by social action.

Now, decades later, I have returned to an early passion: writing, directing, and producing films that honor resilience, illuminate injustice, preserve memory, and inspire social change.

The films featured here explore themes of Indigenous self-determination, cultural survival, food sovereignty, food as medicine, environmental stewardship, healing, and the enduring strength of community. Each emerged from relationships built over many years and from a deep respect for the people who entrusted us with their stories. Together, they invite viewers to reflect on the ways traditional knowledge and collective action can help shape a more just and hopeful future.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.