Ouilmette

Sharon Hoogstraten delves into her Indigenous Chicago roots, uncovering the history of her forebears linked to Archange Ouilmette and the early Native communities in the area. The journey spans from Chicago to Iowa and eventually Kansas, highlighting the forced relocations that altered Native families and histories. Along Lake Michigan and through historical documents, Sharon reconstructs a narrative long absent from public memory. This film was produced to showcase Chicago's Native history, honoring the resilience of those displaced and highlighting the enduring bond between people, place, and memory. Produced by Susan L. Kelsey in collaboration with Citizen Potawatomi Sharon Hoogstraten. Native American music by Mark Jourdan (Ho-Chunk), Elexa Dawson (Citizen Potawatomi), and William Allison Buchholtz (Algonquin).

Susan L. Kelsey is an acclaimed author, documentary filmmaker, environmental film festival director, and advocate for historical truth and community empowerment. She founded LegacyFILM & Publishing, LLC, a multimedia company producing documentaries, narrative screenplays, books, podcasts, and original music centered around culture, history, and environmental storytelling.

In 2024, Susan initiated the Little Fort Film Festival in Waukegan, Illinois—an international environmental film festival near the Great Lakes celebrating ecological preservation, community voices, and global filmmaking. As Festival Director, she collaborates with educators, nonprofits, and local groups to enhance environmental awareness through cinema.

A lifelong historian and cultural documentarian, Susan authored four historical books including Billy Caldwell (1780–1841): Chicago and the Great Lakes Trail, Downtown Lake Forest, West Lake Forest, and Legendary Locals of Lake Forest. Her films—including The Negotiator: Billy Caldwell, Uncovering History: Ouilmette, Uncovering History: Black Hawk, For the Love of Flying, Voices8, Something Green This Way Comes, and Ray Bradbury—shed light on overlooked stories of Native American leaders, women pioneers, and environmental stewards.

Susan has over a decade of leadership experience in both public and private sectors. She served as Economic Development Officer for the City of Lake Forest, where she developed innovative community programming and local economic initiatives, later working as a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, serving high-net-worth families and receiving top recognition. Early in her career, she founded a local cable series and developed curriculum aligned with new state mandates in Native American education.

She holds a Master’s in Health Law & Administration from DePaul University and a Bachelor’s in Business from the University of Iowa. She also has FAA Student Pilot Certification and SEC Series 7 and 66 financial licenses, showcasing a wide range of professional expertise.

A passionate violinist and composer, Susan incorporates original music into many of her film projects, combining sound, image, and narrative. She also spearheads initiatives like the Downwinders Radiation Exposure exhibit and the Billy Caldwell Native American Curriculum, linking advocacy with education.