Failed by the System

My biggest pride when it comes to adult–youth partnerships comes from my relationship with my aunt. Although many young people I know are not really close with their aunts or uncles, I’m really close with mine. My aunt almost raised me and my brothers, and is more like a second mother than an aunt for us. When I was 17 years old, she helped me to install my very first exhibit, entitled “Not your Pocahontas,” in her restaurant.

The exhibit was a series of 35 watercolor portraits, each with a story written on the back. Thirty-five interviews and portraits drawn from the shared experiences of 35 beautiful, resilient, and intelligent indigenous women from all ages and all nations. This idea came to me during a trip, as a way to give thanks and honor all the strong indigenous women who helped me to grow as an adult. It was really important for me to share their voices instead of claiming to “be a voice for them.” The experiences of indigenous women are incredibly diverse, complex, and sometimes difficult to articulate.