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Born Salvatore Mendoza II in Rome, NY in 1970, Torry has been my moniker since childhood. I come from a diverse ethnic background and identify as being Native American (Mescalero Apache). In 1991, I completed my formal art instruction from Munson-Williams-Proctor-Institute School of Art (now Pratt at Munson-Williams-Proctor) in Utica, NY; completing my formal undergraduate study at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2002 where I received a B.F.A. in film and a B.A. in studio arts (photography). At CU, I served as a Council Member on the Native American Student Organization, Oyate; and was also privileged to work for the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), primarily through their National Indian Law Library (NILL) in numerous positions for four years. From 2005 to 2009, I was a contributing editor for the Native American Indigenous Cinema and Arts Organization (NAICA, Inc.:http//www.thenaica.org) a non-profit organization, and was appointed as a Vice-President to its Board of Directors in 2008. In 2010, my role at NAICA changed as NAICA evolved to become FLAB MAG, wherer I am a contributing writer. I received my MFA in film from Syracuse University's Department of Transmedia in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. In 2007, I began my association with Seattle based, Longhouse Media Native Lens Superfly Filmmaking program, and the year also marked my various engagements with film festivals, organizations and higher education facilities as a visiting filmmaker and educator, which continues today. In May 2010, I will be presenting a paper regarding my short video, The Ecstasy of Indigeneity Or the Passion of Billy Jack at the 2010 Native American Indigenous Studies Association Conference in Tucson, AZ. Currently, I am in pre-preduction of a feature length documentary, I continue to create video art that contests images of Native Americans within and by the dominant society, as well as actively submitting to film festivals the world over.
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