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Next Generation Spotlight: Rebecca Roepke
August 27, 2010
by Rhiana Yazzie
Saint Catherine University recently saw an evening of monologues written and performed by their students aptly named the Catherine Monologues. The stories all dealt with issues women face throughout life, from coming-of-age stories to memories by an elder to the retelling of a Hmong origin story with a feminist edge.
One very notable performance came from soon-to-be-senior Rebecca Roepke. Hailing from Oklahoma, Roepke is of Kanienkehaka, Cayuga and Cree descent.
“I have been writing for about 15 years, performing for seven, but only performing my own work for about a year.” Her performance was moving and memorable to audience members after the program who waited to tell her how much they enjoyed her presentation.
Though not a drama major, Roepke plans to use her skill as a storyteller and poet after she graduates. “As a writer and firm believer in the power of storytelling, poetry therapy is appealing because it allows for intensified self-expression.”
An Honors Scholar double-majoring in Social Work and American Indian Studies with a minor in English, she plans to become a clinical social worker and therapist for adolescent girls. “My dream jobs are wilderness therapy and poetry therapy. As a life-time member of Girl Scouts, I would love to go out backpacking or other adventures while working through some of their psychological issues … I also plan to keep writing and performing my own works to raise awareness of the issues my clients face.”
Roepke’s strong influences from family and mentors led her on her path to college. “My brother and I pushed each other to go to college and graduate. We grew up in a white family in which going to college was expected. Several Native professionals have encouraged me to go on to grad school, which is required to do the work I am most interested in doing.”
A mix of personal and educational understanding fuel her unique insight as to how she sees herself serving the Native community in the future. “I've had the experience of going to a doctor who made me feel like she was taking advantage of me because I was Native and I want fewer people to feel that way about mental health professionals and social workers. … I have read so many studies by researchers who seem not to have tried to connect to and understand the people participating in their research. It is about time that research originates in our community in ways that will be most respectful and beneficial.”
Roepke has taken full advantage of the wide range of offerings available in college. From two seemingly opposite disciplines, science and creative writing, she has emerged with a vision of the potential power of bringing the two together. “Talking about difficult issues through art helps people connect more … without being threatened.”
At such a young age, she can already see the fruit of her vision and labor beginning to pay off. “Several people have recently approached me to express how various pieces of mine changed their minds about an issue or gave them some new perspective. Nothing could be better than knowing I made the impact I intended.”
