Our Story
I am Tlingit and of the Eagle Moiety. I am Kaagwaantaan from the Box House. My Tlingit name is Sheens, and my English name is Morgan Fawcett. Five years ago we started One Heart Creations to raise awareness for FAS/FASD. From that day on it has been crazy to say the least. We started an FAS/FASD awareness week; the week of September 9 (FAS/FASD International Awareness Day); this is also my first day of sobriety. My mother was sent to a treatment center by order of the court on this day. That is right: my mother drank during pregnancy, and this why I raise awareness for FAS/FASD.
I also play the Native American flute. I started playing four years ago, the same year I started One Heart Creations. I have come a long way since that day. I now have three CD's: Ancestral Memories, Tears of Our Fathers, and Legacy which was released in June 2010. Every song comes from my heart, to be shared with you. My music is a way that I deal with my life; it is very much entangled with it. Every melody is an extension of myself, a small piece of me. I use it in many ways, to help with personal conflicts, as well as entertaining others.
One thing about my music is that it is very much a part of my one cause in life, FASD awareness; they are one and the same. I am told to separate them but that is not possible. I talk to the youth as well as students, nurses, doctors and other professionals alike; I must be able to calm myself and speak in a clear and understandable manner. This cannot happen without the flute. With the alcohol exposure during pregnancy, I have extensive brain damage. The damage affects all areas of my brain and causes much pain and frustration for me. I am very articulate, but my brain is also underdeveloped and has problems with communicating with itself. Without the flute I cannot form a complete thought that is clear and understandable, my thoughts become scattered and unintelligible. That is no way to tell a story, and teach people the struggles of life with FASD.
Furthermore, I also teach the youth to use music (like the Native American Flute) to cope and deal with their struggles, as well as teach them to use art as a healing and enjoyable alternative to drugs, alcohol and video games. I have gifted over 600 flutes to the youth in the last four years. My thought is that it helped me, so it should help someone else. I want to find as many of those "someones" as possible and help them the only way I can, which is through my story and my music. I hope that you enjoy my music and would like to know more about me and my cause.
Please stay in touch with me if you wish to have me come and perform or do a lecture. You can email me at one_heart@juno.com as well as through Facebook. I offer lectures and performances to the following venues: colleges, middle schools, high schools, detention centers, juvenile halls, treatment centers, hospitals (for medical staff). Anyone interested in workshops, please contact me for details.
I would like to take the time to give special thanks to the following people: Broken Arrow Flutes and Azrial, You worked very hard to keep One Heart Creations in flutes and your donations were a huge help. We will always be thankful and may you rest in peace. Gunalcheesh Ho Ho (I thank you with all of my Heart). RIP Uncle Jack.
To my Grandparents in Juneau, AK; Harvey and Lillian Marvin, I love them both very much. They have given me so much since I first meet them and I cherish every gift given, no matter the size.
I cannot forget Grandma Mary Ann and Grandpa Danny Flake, they have had their house open to use every trip we make to Juneau. No matter what we were to stay with them. I am thankful for your Support, love you guys.
Ancestral Memories is my first CD. It was recorded in 2007. On the cover is my great-grandfather Aaron Bean of Kake, Alaska. A beautiful tribute to my Ancestors this CD is very good, it was a great first shot in the field of music. I am thankful for all the help I got from family and friends. The graphics were done by Michael Hatch. All songs are of my own composition.
Recorded in April of 2008, in my home town of Juneau, Alaska, Tears of Our Fathers is my second CD. On the cover is a picture in Juneau looking at Douglas Island; the picture was taken by KJ Metcalf and graphics done by Michael Hatch. The title track GrandFather's Tears was composed in Juneau at the Eyes Wide Open Exhibit, a display of shoes of the people lost in the war. This CD is dedicated to all service people, those that we have lost, Veterans of past and current wars, as well as all that wish to serve their country.
Now available is Legacy, my third CD. The art piece used on the cover is by Master Artist Dana Tiger, and it is entitled "Sharing the Firelight." Working with Dana has been a good experience, we are both working toward a similar goal, the health of the youth. Dana Tiger started Legacy Arts; a program that targets Native youth, teaching them contemporary and traditional Native art . Check out her Website: http://www.tigerartgallery.com
"No Space in Time: A Moment in My Life" is a brief multi-media present on FASD. In this video you will get a first had look at FASD through the eyes of a person that lives with many different disability caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. My hopes are that you will gain a better understanding of FASD and how it affects those that live their lives with a Spectrum of Disorders caused by Alcohol.
With the help of N-DigiDreams I was able to put together this video and I am very grateful for the skills they passed on to me. I feel this will be a very useful skill and tool that I will use through out my life time.
