Lily Gladstone to Keynote First Americans Museum Gala Honoring Indigenous Cultural Leaders

The First Americans Museum announced that Oscar-nominated actress Lily Gladstone (Blackfeet and Nez Perce) will deliver the keynote address at its annual Where Earth Meets Sky Gala on Friday, May 1.

Gladstone’s keynote appearance is supported by event sponsor Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers.

During the gala, Gladstone will share the spotlight with several honorees recognized for their contributions to Indigenous arts, culture, and knowledge:

• Raven Halfmoon (Caddo Nation) — Benjamin Harjo Jr. Excellence in Contemporary Arts Award
• Vanessa Paukeigope Jennings (Kiowa Tribe, Ná’ishą Apache, Gila River Pima) — Enoch Kelly Haney Excellence in Traditional Arts Award
• Cherokee Nation Language Department — Governor Bill Anoatubby Culture Protector Award
• Dolores BigFoot (Caddo Nation) — Dr. Henrietta Mann Knowledge Keeper Award

“We are honored to welcome Lily Gladstone to Oklahoma City,” said Debbie Lindsey (Muscogee Nation), chair of the gala committee. “Lily’s presence, alongside the legacies of our 2026 honorees, underscores FAM’s mission to uplift Indigenous knowledge and visionary leadership. We are equally proud of the diversity among our early sponsors whose support makes this celebration possible.”

Gladstone made history as the first Native American nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese. Her performance also earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama in 2023 and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2024.

A citizen of the Blackfeet Nation, Gladstone is also a member of the Women’s Stand Up Headdress Society, one of the highest honors in the tribe. Her acting work includes roles in the film Fancy Dance and the television series Reservation Dogs and Under the Bridge.

Her historic Academy Awards gowns—created through a collaboration between Ironhorse Quillwork and Gucci—are currently on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

This year’s gala theme, Dáumàuiáum Dàu:k’í—a Kiowa phrase meaning “divine bond and balance to creation”—will highlight three major initiatives at the museum:

• Restoring the FAM Mound as a pollinator landscape rooted in Indigenous stewardship
• Expanding access to FAMcamps and school field trips for children across Oklahoma
• Supporting year-round educational programming through TEK Fest and the FAMily Discovery Center

Organizers say the annual gala is both a celebration of Indigenous excellence and a key fundraiser supporting the museum’s cultural and educational programming throughout the year.

Related