Victor Joseph

Grew Up… on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation near the small town of Plummer, Idaho.

Living… with the memory of his absent father. Victor lives alone with his mother, almost constantly accompanied by his nerdy neighbor Thomas.

Visiting… Phoenix, Arizona, in order to retrieve the ashes of the father he barely knew. The only catch is that Victor is flat broke, so Thomas volunteers to finance the trip for the chance to accompany Victor off the reservation.

Profession… distracted high school student. It’s pretty hard to find work on the reservation, but Victor doesn’t have to worry about that yet. Instead, he just has to get by in classes. 

Interests… basketball. Victor doesn’t like to talk much about the rough living conditions on the reservation or the plight of the native people. Instead, he turns his feelings into physical activity. Shooting hoops and running the court are how he processes the world around him.

Relationship Status… single. But like many high school boys, he’s always on the lookout for potential girlfriends.

Challenge… confronting his past. It’s a long journey to Phoenix from northern Idaho, which means that Victor has plenty of time to reflect on the defining events of his childhood. Coming into contact with people who knew his father, Victor struggles to understand not only the man his father was, but what sort of man Victor himself might become.

Personality… guarded and quiet. Victor has always been a man of few words, which isn’t surprising given his tumultuous childhood. In order to protect himself from seeming vulnerable, Victor lashes out at the people around him, making him seem like somewhat of a bully. Beyond these kneejerk reactions, Victor is an honorable young man who is proud of his people's history and culture. Confident in his ability and his heritage, Victor does not back down in the face of physical challenges or prejudice. His stubborn toughness serves him well when confronting the injustices of the world around him, but makes it hard for him to acknowledge and confront his internal demons.