Phillip Meshekey poet, artist and speaker

Born December 17th 1978, in Oakland California, Phillip Meshekey is Mishikae Doodem, (Turtle clan) Waganakising (crooked tree) Odawak "Ottawa" (fishing people), or Anishinaabe k (Fell from the stars), and sadly a member of the little traverse bay bands of Odawa (Ottawa) Indians in northern Michigan. Phillip was born right into the civil rights movements in northern california to a hipi mother, and a traveling Anishinaabe father. Tragically at age 5 Phillip, and his mother & two brothers were separated, lost & oppressed within the corrupt child welfare system, while his father remained estranged fighting the bottle. Being In and out of foster homes & institutions inspired and sparked a hot flame in his imagination, seeking the beauty in all his chaos, poetry, writing and speaking became an outlet, a medicine. Growing up on, and off his adopted Pomo relatives California Reservation & Rancheria boundaries, and partly within the urban sprawls of the bay area, it was like night and day, but in common....both times were pretty crazy in their own. As an "out of state" native, Phillip was blessed to learn his California relatives ceremonies & ways."From the hoods, to the woods" from the babylonian concrete of West Santa Rosa & Oakland to Dry creek Pomo Rancheria in Alexander valley, Phillip experienced both worlds & perceptions of life. Starting off very young as a public speaker at age 12, he battled against his Junior highs racist & cartoon like depiction of a native "warrior" mascot, and was victorious in persuading the student body to vote in favor of ridding the school of that racist depiction. From 9th grade on Phillip became involved in naturally radical street gang activity.