Joey Clift — We've Been Here the Whole Time!: A Not So Sacred Guide to All Things Native America - with Caty Borum

Peabody- and Emmy-nominated Native comedian Joey Clift presents his debut book, *We’ve Been Here the Whole Time!: A Not So Sacred Guide to All Things Native America*, in conversation with Caty Borum. The humorous, illustrated guide addresses Native American history, people, and culture while challenging the misconceptions and omissions often found in conventional American education.

Clift’s discussion ranges from Pocahontas and sports mascots to the Land Back movement, Columbus Day, land acknowledgments, Native identity, and the continuing presence of Native peoples. Written in an irreverent textbook-meets-notebook style and illustrated by Diné artist Julie Fiveash, the book is intended for history enthusiasts, teachers, comedy fans, and anyone interested in a lively, conversation-starting introduction to Native America. Its foreword is by Shane Hawk, co-editor of *Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology*.

When: Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.

Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, 5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

Format: Joey Clift will be in conversation with Caty Borum. A livestream option is also provided.

Lineup: Joey Clift is a Los Angeles-based comedian, television writer, director, and Peabody- and Emmy-nominated producer, as well as an enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. His credits include writing for Netflix’s *Spirit Rangers*, PBS’s *Molly of Denali*, and Nickelodeon’s *Paw Patrol*. He created the Webby Award-winning *Gone Native* for Comedy Central Digital, and his short films have screened at venues including Just for Laughs and the Smithsonian.

Moderator: Caty Borum is executive director of the Center for Media & Social Impact and a professor at American University’s School of Communication. She has written or co-written four books on entertainment, documentary, comedy, social justice, and human rights, including *Radical Reality: Documentary Storytelling and the Global Fight for Social Justice*. She co-founded and co-directs the Yes, And…Laughter Lab and YALL Comedy Fest, which support diverse comedians. Her work has received multiple honors, including seven Anthem Awards, a Telly Award, a gold Signal Award, and several book awards.

Tickets: Free.

Seating: Seating is first come, first served.

Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue will make an effort to accommodate requests submitted up to the event.

Related book: *We’ve Been Here the Whole Time!: A Not So Sacred Guide to All Things Native America* by Joey Clift, illustrated by Julie Fiveash, with a foreword by Shane Hawk, is available in paperback for $22.99. Its ISBN is 9798881610883, and its publish date is October 6, 2026.