Gypsie RunningCloud

Born in New York City, and raised in New York and the southeastern United States, from an early age, Gypsie RunningCloud was raised with a growing awareness of his indigenous identity. The elders in his family imparted upon Gypsie a sense of care and responsibility concerning his heritage. Since then, he has dedicated his life’s work to sharing and educating folks about the stories and legacy of the Taíno people.

Beginning his education in prep schools in New England and New York City, Gypsie continued his studies at Columbia College, where he received a B.A. in Sociology, with a background in Anthropology and Film. Gypsie then enrolled in a graduate degree program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he received an M.F.A. in Cinema Studies. Throughout his academic career, Gypsie began to shape his commitment to addressing indigenous themes in mass media, focusing on film and video as a venue for advancing indigenous rights and as a medium for conveying a modern adaptation of traditional storytelling.

Utilizing humor, compassion and understanding, Gypsie seeks to broaden people’s understanding of the rich diversity of cultures represented amongst today’s indigenous peoples.

Gypsie is also the co-founder, along with fellow NYU alum and partner Tobe A. Roberts IV, of Wondrous Sky Entertainment, LLC, an entertainment company specializing in storytelling that is influenced by cultures from around the world.

Gypsie's artistic ventures include writing, film and video, as well as music and dance. Gypsie was a co-founder, and a producer/editor for a New York based video production company specializing in Indigenous documentary programming. He also spent many years traveling with an indigenous cultural organization, conducting presentations at powwows, grade schools, museums and universities.

Gypsie is also a writer and poet who has worked alongside his fellow Taíno poets in readings throughout New York City and he has recently branched out into the field of children’s storybook writing.

Gypsie also provides ad-hoc video and computer workshops. He encourages his students to be more than passive consumers by crafting their own multimedia creations. He believes this to be a process that is both individually and communally empowering.