Morgan Fawcett
Morgan Fawcett is a young Alaska Native living with FASD. He is Tlingit and of the Eagle Moiety. He is Kaagwaantaan from the Box House. His Tlingit name is Sheens, and his English name is Morgan Fawcett. Four years ago he founded One Heart Creations (http://morganfawcett.vpweb.com/) to raise awareness for FAS/FASD. He started an FAS/FASD awareness week encompassing September 9 (FAS/FASD International Awareness Day). This is also his first day of sobriety, the same day his mother was sent to a treatment center, by order of the court.
He is also a prominent Native American flute player. He has come a long way since he began playing four years ago. He now has three CDs, Ancestral Memories, Tears of Our Fathers, and Legacy, released in June 2010. Every song comes from his heart, to be shared with you. His music is the way that he deals with his life; it is very much entangled with it. Every melody is an extension of himself, a small piece of him. He uses it in many ways, to help with personal conflicts, as well as entertaining others.
One thing about his music is that it is very much a part of his one cause in life, FASD awareness; they are one and the same. He was told to separate them but that is not possible. He talks to youth, as well as students, nurses, doctors and other professionals alike; he must be able to calm himself and speak in a clear and understandable manner. This cannot happen without the flute. With the alcohol exposure during pregnancy, he has extensive brain damage. The damage affects all areas of his brain and causes much pain and frustration. He is very articulate, but his brain is also under developed and has problems communicating with itself. Without the flute, he cannot form a complete thought that is clear and understandable; his thoughts become scattered and unintelligible. This is no way to tell a story, and teach people the struggles of life with FASD.
Furthermore, he also teaches youth to use music, like the Native American Flute, to cope and deal with their struggles, as well as teach them to use art as a healing and enjoyable alterative to drugs, alcohol and video games. He has gifted over 600 flutes to youth in the last four years. His thought is that it helped him, so it should help someone else. He wants to find as many of them as possible and help them the only way he can, through his story and his music. He hopes that you enjoy his music and would like to know more about him and his cause.
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