I grew up wandering the washes, mesas, and sandstones in Shą́ą́ʼtóhí, a small community located on the Navajo Nation in northeast Arizona. I am Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House) born for Lók’aa’ Dine’é (Reed People). My maternal grandfather’s clan is Tó’aheedlíinii (Water Flows Together) and my paternal grandfather’s clan is Tł’izi’łání (Manygoats). I am from the communities of Shonto and Blue Gap, Arizona and this is how I identify myself as a Diné (Navajo) woman.
As a nomad and desert girl at heart, I am most content outside, whether it’s hiking 17 miles in the Grand Canyon in one day, photographing insects and wildflowers in the Sonoran desert, or taking comfort in sleeping in a tent than in my own bed. No matter where my journey takes me, I always carry two items with me during my travels – tádídíín (corn pollen) and turquoise for protection and for prayer as I move through this world.
Personally and professionally, I am passionate about the protection and conservation of the diverse landscapes, cultures, and waters that I am surrounded by because it is part of who I am and where I come from. It is instilled in the stories, teachings, and clans that have been passed down to me. I am also a facilitator, consultant, researcher, educator, amateur photographer, and an External Advisory Council member with the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science, Board member with Flowers & Bullets, and former Board member with the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival.