This is the first of three parts of a conversation with M. Carmen Lane (*1975) a two:spirit African-American and Haudenosaunee (Mohawk/Tuscarora) artist, writer and facilitator. Lane is Member of NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Sciences and an Amanda Fouther scholar. M. Carmen Lane is also the founder and director of ATNSC: Center for Healing and Creative Leadership, a socially engaged, artist led urban retreat, residency, research and exhibition space in Cleveland, Ohio (USA) rooted at the intersections of applied behavioral science, contemporary art, and equity leadership. The conversation was held while they were an artist-in-residence at the Everglades National Park as the recipient of the inaugural Indigenous Artist Fellowship. Artist website: https://mcarmenlane.com/ Consulting webpage: mclane.consulting