Casey Brown (Ho-Chunk) is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, American Indian activist, and comedian. While serving as Executive Public Relations Officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, he won his tribal nation its first Emmy for Exploring the Artistic Process of Truman Lowe. His current work-in-progress is “Indian Mounds in a Year”, a documentary recontextualizing the study of Indigenous earthworks from a Native perspective. In 2025, Melissa Etheridge opened for Casey—while the whole story is more complex, both parties agree that this statement is accurate. He lives in the Logan Square neighborhood of Gųųšgoonąk (Ho-Chunk for Skunk Run); this place is also known as Chicago, Illinois.
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The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs’ in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by a cover of the storyteller’s choosing, performed by our house band: The First Time Three.
The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Executive producer is Bobby Evers. Assistant producer is Celina Dietzel. Podcast produced by Jim Mulvaney.