Stanford Addison: Horse Gentler, Arapahoe Medicine Man Coming to UVM and St. Mikes!

ACCESS, as part of their commitment to diversity is collaborating with several university departments and community supporters to bring Stanford Addison to the UVM campus this spring. Stan is a Northern Arapahoe medicine man and horse trainer who has quadriplegia and lives on the Wind River Indian reservation in Wyoming. When he was 20 years old, his spinal cord was severed in a pickup truck accident involving wild horses. Since his accident, Stan has developed an approach to horse training that “preserves the spirit of the horse” and also challenges and restores the spirit of the person working with that horse. With a training crop duct taped to his forearm and his long braid swinging behind, Stan is now known for “gentling” wild horses off the plains near his home. He is also known for his ability to inspire and work with at-risk-youth. He does it all sitting in his wheelchair.

Stan and his group of 3 Northern Arapahoe helpers who assist him in the activities of daily living are representative of a native life that is still culturally intact in Wyoming. Stan’s strong cultural presence and self-esteem have an empowering effect – particularly on youth, with whom Stan has a demonstrated gift. At home in Wyoming, he works with state authorities in a social work capacity regularly having a handful of youth-at-risk living with him, working horses under his supervision, and learning to be part of a family.

Stanford has been the topic of several media presentations including a Smithsonian article in Sept. 2003, Talking to Horses, a documentary, Silent Thunder, and Scribner recently purchased the rights to publish a new book by Lisa Jones.

Stan’s work helps advance the University’s mission to engage the community to create an environment of social justice, inclusion, and equity. As a man whose identities represent marginalized populations, his presence on campus will be inspirational to the university community.

We are still raising funds to bring Stanford here, and would appreciate any help that you might be able to provide. Please contact Marsha Camp at mcamp@uvm.edu for more information or donations.

You can help us spread the word by downloading one or both of promotional posters for this event:

Saturday night April 19th at the Davis Center

Monday, April 21 at 6PM at the McCarthy Arts Center (St. Michaels College)