Native Max Magazine - LGBTQ2S+ Issue

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JUNE/JULY 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 1

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Contents July 2020

Welcome to the Issue The Edge 007

ORLANDO DUGI: THREADING THE PAST INTO THE FUTURE ONE BEAD AT A TIME inspired by and handcrafted from traditions rooted in his Diné heritage, Orlando Dugi meticulously threads the past into the future one bead at a time, designing timeless yet modern pieces

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FIERCE & FEMME

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CONTEMPORARY CREATIONS OF CULTURE

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EMBRACING THE FLUX

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BRINGING LGBTQ2S+, NATIVE REPRESENTATION TO FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY

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handmade with love and care by Indigenous two-spirit femme jewelry designer Autumn White Eyes, these unique jewelry pieces feature activist idols and empowering messages blending contemporary with traditional, Katrina Brown Akootchook’s beadwork and designs she creates are just as creative and cultural as the methods she uses to make them and are also rooted in activism navigating the fashion world as a Navajo Two-Spirit

Two-Spirit Diné photographer Sean Parrish is pursuing fashion photography in hopes of bringing Native and LGBTQ2S+ representation and visibility to the fashion community

The Insider 019

INSPIRING, INCLUSIVE & INDIGENOUS: NATE LEMUEL & LADY SHUG

we talk to the two queens about maintaining their relationships with the community during the pandemic, holding LGBTQ2S+ spaces and support while social distancing and their experiences on HBO’s We’re Here

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TWO SPIRITED LEADERS IN SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA

Joel Pedersen talks with Warren Isbister-Bear and Osemis, First Nations Two-Spirit community leaders who work to ensure a better quality of life for urban First Nations people and families in Saskatoon

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CHARLIE AMÁYÁ SCOTT

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FROM THE FRONTLINES OF THE PANDEMIC TO THE FRONTLINES OF THE BLACK LIBERATION MOVEMENT: REGAN DE LOGGANS

Amáyá aspires to design equitable and inclusive policies and programs for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color [BIPOC] navigating higher education

Brooklyn-based Indigenous queer activist and community organizer Regan de Loggans went from the frontlines of COVID-19 to the frontlines of the Black liberation movement

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LANDA LAKES

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KEIOSHIAH PETER

there was absolutely no way we could have the LGBTQ2S+ issue without featuring Landa Lakes. We chat with the well-known drag queen about her journey from first starting drag in the ‘80s to being an integral part of the LGBTQ2S+ community of San Francisco and Indian Country we chat with Diné sex educator and aerialist Keioshiah Peter

On Radar

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SHAWNEE DROPPED NEWEST TRACK FOR PRIDE MONTH

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5 BOOKS WRITTEN BY TWO-SPIRIT/INDIGIQUEER AUTHORS

Mohawk Two-Spirit singer Shawnee just dropped a brand new single & we’re completely obsessed here are 5 books, poems, and stories selected by Lea of Gwaandak Theatre you can read today by two-spirit and queer Indigenous authors

Welcome to the Issue

We were excited to include well-known drag queen Landa Lakes, who is an integral part of the LGBTQ2S+ community of San Fransisco and Indian Country, in our first ever LGBTQ2S+ issue.

We featured Autumn White Eyes and Katrina Brown Akootchook, two Indigenous Two-Spirit jewelry designers who make unique creative and cultural pieces that include empowering messages.

Welcome to the Issue!

F

or this issue, we wanted to honor and recognize the Indigenous Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ community, all of whom this issue is dedicated to.

The Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ community is full of talented and brilliant activists, artists, changemakers, creators, educators, and performers, all who strive to not only represent the queer and Indigenous circles concurrently but who are on a mission to bring on change for their people. Inspired by and handcrafted from traditions rooted in his Diné heritage, Orlando Dugi meticulously threads the past into the future one bead at a time, designing timeless yet modern pieces. What makes Dugi stands out from the rest is his attention to the finest details of his fabulous frocks and gowns, which can be recognized as his signature design. Diné drag queens Nate Lemuel and Lady Shug were recently allowed to share their queer Indigenous perspectives and voices on a large platform–HBO’s series We’re Here. Charlie Amáyá Scott–who goes by Amáyá–is a Diné non-binary femme person who aspires to design equitable and inclusive policies and programs for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color [BIPOC]

navigating higher education. Brooklyn-based indigenous queer activist and community organizer Regan de Loggans has been working non-stop since the beginning of 2020, from the frontlines of COVID-19 to the frontlines of the Black liberation movement where they work in solidarity to support Black liberation and police abolition. Keioshiah Peter is a Diné non-binary queer femme and a sex educator and aerialist who works with Rez Condom Tour to try and reverse the stigma around sexuality on the Navajo Nation by promoting healthy sexual expressions for Navajo youth, raise awareness about the need for sexual education and increase access to contraceptives for Navajo youth. Lastly, there was absolutely no way we could have the LGBTQ2S+ issue without featuring well-known drag queen Landa Lakes.

We chat with the fabulous drag queen about her journey from first starting drag in the ‘80s to being an integral part of the LGBTQ2S+ community of San Fransisco and Indian Country.

We hope you enjoy the issue while staying safe and healthy out there!

PROMOTION

KELLY HOLMES Founder @kellycamilleholmes EDITORIAL Staff Writer Rhonda “Tree” Mangan Staff Writer Johnnie Morris Staff Writer & Photographer Ryan Young CREATIVE Director of Photography Zoe Friday Web Director Celeste Terry

Copyright Native Max & Other Media Ventures All rights reserved. All material in Native Max Magazine is wholly copyright and reproduction without the the written permission of the Publisher is strictly forbidden. Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by Native Max of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Native Max shall not have any liability for errors or omissions. We've done our best to acknowledge all photographers. In some instances photos have been provided to us by those who appear editorially and we have their permission in each case to use the images. We apologize if anything appears incorrectly. It will be a genuine mistake. Please let us know and we can give you a mention in the next issue.

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The Edge PLUS: ORLANDO DUGI: THREADING THE PAST INTO THE FUTURE ONE BEAD AT A TIME FIERCE & FEMME CONTEMPORARY CREATIONS OF CULTURE EMBRACING THE FLUX BRINGING LGBTQ2S+, NATIVE REPRESENTATION TO FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY

Fashion Designer

Orlando Dugi: Threading the past into the future one bead at a time

Orlando Dugi is a self-taught Native American fashion designer whose wellknown couture designs were featured in successful fashion exhibitions throughout the country. Inspired by and handcrafted from traditions rooted in his Diné heritage, Orlando meticulously threads the past into the future one bead at a time, designing timeless yet modern pieces. Fashion writer Niya DeGroat sat down with Orlando to talk about his queer background, his design aesthetic, and how he has been passing the time during the quarantine.

BY NIYA DEGROAT PHOTO BY JAMES ALMANZA (PHOENIX FASHION WEEK)

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The Edge PHOTO BY JASON ORDAZ

Photographed by AJ Goldman (Navajo). Models by MTM Model Management. Hair & Makeup by Dina DeVore (Jemez).

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O

rlando Dugi, 41, is a self-taught Native American fashion designer based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, who burst onto the scene when his couture designs were featured in the successful traveling exhibition, Native Fashion Now by Peabody Essex Museum, back in 2016.

In 2018, he launched his eponymous label after participating in Phoenix Fashion Week’s designer boot camp.

In the summer of 2019, in partnership with Fort Collins’ Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising, he debuted a solo exhibition entitled: “Walking In Beauty: Designs by Orlando Dugi,” which featured an 18-piece collection spanning nine years of his intricate beading technique.

In the wake of the pandemic, Dugi was tapped by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) to present a virtual fashion show for its Santa Fe Indian Market. The world-renown event was postponed due to social distancing but will be presented as a month-long digital event in August. I sat down with Orlando via Zoom to talk about his queer background, his design aesthetic, and how he has been passing the time during the quarantine.

What is your tribe and where are you from? How do you identify yourself within the LGBTQ+ community?

I am Diné originally from Gray Mountain, Arizona and I identify as a gay man with a preference for He/Him/His pronouns. I am also Kinyaa’aanii (Towering House clan) born for Todich’ii’nii (Bitter Water clan). My maternal clan is Tl’izi lani (Many Goats) and my paternal clan is Tse deeshgizhnii (Rock Gap).

Do you have a “coming out” story?

This is so weird because I’ve never really talked about it before. When I was young, I always knew that I was different. I’d watched T.V. and find nativemax.com

Orlando participated in Phoenix Fashion Week’s designer boot camp where he showcased his designs on the runway.

Photos by James Almanza (Phoenix Fashion Week)

certain men attractive, but I never said anything out loud.

I did come out to my mother in my late teens.

When I told her, she told me that she sort of already knew. She said she loved me and that I would always be her son. Unlike other coming out stories I have heard, when I came out to my entire family, there was no conflict. They were like ‘oh, okay,’ and we all moved on. Today, I have been in a relationship with my partner, Ken Williams, for almost 11 years.

How did you get your start in fashion?

When I first started out, I entered Native Art shows by presenting non-traditional contemporary beaded handbags, clutches, and other accessories. That was really my first step into fashion.

For my third year submission, I entered a couture dress into the Santa Fe Indian Market’s clothing competition and took home first place.

That experience was a turning point for me to pursue fashion because I really didn’t know anything about fashion, it was all very new to me.

But when I put my gown on a model and saw her transform into an empowered woman, that’s when I knew I wanted to continue on this path.

Do you consider yourself an indigenous designer or a designer who happens to be indigenous?

Oh, my goodness! That’s a tough question because I always find myself struggling to answer it.

Initially, I didn’t want to be known as just a Native designer, because I didn’t want to be put in this box. But, the more I think about it, the more I find myself acknowledging it because I think it’s important to embrace who you are and where you come from and to share your culture with the world. So, I consider myself to be a bit of both.

Indigenous fashion is open to interpretation, it doesn’t have to be one distinct look.

Explain your design process, your aesthetic.

I do everything in-house. I don’t make the fabric but I do bead and embroider everything by hand.

I don’t do fast-fashion, so I don’t mass produce anything. A lot of the sewing is done 80 percent by hand, and 20 percent by machine.

My inspiration really comes from my culture and trying to tell our stories in my own way without being literal. It’s really a poetic interpretation of how I see the world – through our songs and our teachings – presented in a modern way.

I see my designs as armor for any person to feel confident and beautiful.

How have you been passing the time during quarantine?

Currently, I’m working on a 10-piece collection for Santa Fe Indian Market’s virtual event in August.

It’s been a lot of hard work especially with what’s going on in the world. With fashion weeks being canceled and everything going virtual, we’re all thinking about how we are impacting the environment. It’s definitely made me more aware of the need for sustainability. For instance, I haven’t been able to order my go-to silk fabric from overseas so I have been forced to utilize alternative resources including using boxes of unused material and scraps to create this collection.

What’s next for Orlando Dugi?

A lot of future projects have been put on hold due to the pandemic, but I am definitely exploring a luxury ready-to-wear collection, so stay tuned for that.

Follow Orlando on Instagram at @orlandodugi and visit Orlando’s website at orlandodugi.com.

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The Edge

Must-Haves

Fierce & Femme

Handmade with love and care by Indigenous two-spirit femme jewelry designer Autumn White Eyes, these unique jewelry pieces feature activist idols and empowering messages.

PHOTOS BY AUTUMN WHITE EYES

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About the Artist: Anishinaabe and Oglala Lakota jewelry maker Autumn White Eyes, a spoken word artist and multimedia storyteller, launched her online shop to create jewelry for people to feel empowered by their activism while expressing their style with bold and beautiful earrings and accessories.

Please introduce yourself.

My name is Autumn White Eyes and I’m from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (located in the settler-state of SD). My Lakota name is Wanbli Ohitika Win which means Brave Eagle Womxn. I'm now temporarily living in Lenapehoking (the Lenape homelands in Edison, New Jersey) with my partner and our puppy, Ponyo.

What’s your tribe?

I’m Oglala Lakota and Northern Cheyenne on my father’s side and Turtle Mountain Band of Anishinaabe & Métis on my mother’s side.

What do you consider yourself in the LGBTQ2S+ space?

I'm Two-Spirit Femme and Queer. In my Two-Spirit identity, I feel that I'm genderfluid, not bound by the colonial gender binary. I use they/them and she/her pronouns. As a femme person, I'm feminine and masculine outside the bounds of Euro-cis-heteropatriarchal standards.

What’s your small business called? When did you first start it?

My small business is called Indigefemme. I started it two years ago in 2018.

My older sister first taught how to make decoupage earrings six years ago, and at that time it was somewhat popular on my reservation to see earrings with our ancestors in the Edward Curtis photos over floral and traditional geometric designs. I decided I wanted to also create these types of earrings but with an activist and feminist twist. I opened the shop because I was looking for a creative outlet and always found crafting and writing poetry to be a source of catharsis for myself. My small business is also used to sell my book of poetry, “Instructed by Haŋwí”, which speaks to my experiences as a Twonativemax.com

Spirit activist and feminist.

Where do you find your inspiration for your designs?

I wanted to create a shop that honored our activist and feminist ancestors and relatives. I started with making earrings that honored John Trudell (Dakota), Wilma Mankiller (Cherokee), Frida Kahlo, Angela Davis, Yuri Kochiyama, and Two-Spirit ancestor, We’wha (Zuni). For example, it is my hope when wearing earrings with these relatives you feel the power of poetry with John Trudell, grassroots community development movements with Wilma Mankiller, feminist art with Frida Kahlo, racial justice with Angela Davis, racial solidarity with Yuri Kochiyama, and decolonizing the gender binary with We’wha. I also wanted to create earrings and buttons with empowering statements that would affirm and celebrate activism, feminism, identity, and Indigeneity. My other earrings say phrases such as Indigenous Feminist, Decolonize, Indigenize, Resist, Queer AF, Fat Femme Fierce, Abolish ICE, Native Land, and No More Stolen Sisters. My earrings & buttons not only affirm and celebrate but also educate others on movement work surrounding Indigenous Sovereignty and Murdered and Missing Indigenous Womxn (MMIWG2S). In partnership with Sovereign Bodies Institute, I'm able to donate a small portion of every sale of my MMIWG2S design to their work, and I'm able to donate proceeds from the Abolish ICE earrings to Movimiento Cosecha, a movement for 11 million undocumented people in the US. What makes your designs stand out?

My designs stand out because I use colorful florals often associated with femininity and contrast this effect by displaying powerful activists and activists statements in black and white over these backgrounds. The fonts I use are often associated with streetwear culture which also appeals to many people. People of all genders have bought my work.

Shop Indigefemme designs at: etsy.com/shop/Indigefemme.

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One of Katrina’s denim jackets featuring her block print design. (Photo by Katrina).

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A pair of Katrina’s beaded earrings, which feature beads, medicine wheel and metal McPherson lids (which are used for jingle cones). Photos

by Katrina.

Contemporary Creations of Culture Blending contemporary with traditional, Katrina Brown Akootchook's beadwork and designs she creates are just as creative and cultural as the methods she uses to make them and are also rooted in activism.

Blending contemporary with traditional, Katrina Brown Akootchook's beadwork and designs she creates for her online shop are just as creative and cultural as the methods she uses to make them.

What makes Katrina's design stands out from the rest is their freshness; she works almost entirely in analog mediums. Her shirts, denim jackets, totes, and lino prints are all hand block-printed (wooden blocks are used, and screen printing uses a stencil to shift the designs on desired fabric) and hand-sewn beaded jewelry. Katrina's designs are also rooted in activism as shes been involved in various Indigenous protection movements such as NoDAPL, MMIWG2S, and the Kia'i at Mauna Kea. For Katrina, her designs are a reflection of the more significant work being done.

What's your name? Where are you from?

My name is Katrina Brown Akootchook, and my spirit name is Yehuhyakta or Berry Picking Woman. I currently live in Hawai'i, but I've grown up all over the world, and my family is originally from southern Ontario, Canada. Answering the "where are you from" question always gives me a small existential crisis!

What's your tribe?

I'm a member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames Bear clan. I also have ties to the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, turtle clan. I get my surname "Akootchook" from my Inupiaq husband, nativemax.com

but I am not Inupiaq.

What do you consider yourself in the LGBTQ2S+ space? What are your preferred pronouns?

I am a Two-Spirit woman, and my pronouns are usually she/her though I am also comfortable with they/them.

What's your small jewelry business called? When did you first start it?

My little business is called "Sweetgrass and Sage".

It's a blending of two of my favorite medicines.

They represent how I feel about beading, that it brings in goodness and beauty to the world, and also helps push the chaos back a little too. I started beading under this name in 2015, and as my skills improved, the business just sprouted up gradually and organically. I think a lot of beaders don't intend to sell their work at first, but when others start to notice our work, they naturally want to buy or trade for it. I originally started selling it so that I could buy more and better beads!

Where do you find your inspiration for your designs?

Lately, a lot of my designs are rooted in activism.

I've spent the last few years being very involved in Indigenous protection movements such as NoDAPL, MMIWG2S, and the Kia'i at Mauna Kea. Art has a massive place in these movements, that helps people unite, recognize other

protectors, and focus our messages. A lot of my inspiration has come after listening and learning from the brilliant people who band together for these movements. I hope that my designs are a reflection of the more significant work being done, just made tangible. I keep a sketchbook of all my beadwork and block-printing inspiration, which I can jot down quickly when an idea strikes.

Beadwork-wise, I listen to my materials. I've amassed quite a variety of beading supplies. When it's time to figure out a new project, I gather little piles of beads and create color stories first, then the design second.

What makes your designs stand out?

What makes my designs stand out is their freshness. I work hard to create something new but still recognizably Indigenous. Be that taking a traditional technique and applying it unexpectedly, or using traditional motifs to say something that's culturally relevant to a current movement, I think that blending activism with Indigenous design and aesthetic is always a winning combination.

I also work almost entirely in analog mediums; there's always a distinct physicality to my pieces.

For example, you know every image was hand block-printed and every bead hand-sewn. I think people respond to the little variations in my work that make it so entirely human.

Shop Sweetgrass and Sage at: etsy.com/shop/ SweetgrassandSageCo. JUNE/JULY 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 15

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Fashion Talk

Embracing the Flux Navigating the fashion world as a Navajo Two-Spirit, according to Niya DeGroat.

G

rowing up, I had the difficult task of juggling two distinct worlds: Navajo and American. Along the way, I eventually had to throw queerness into the mix, but before I could do that, it seemed like the rest of the world knew that I was gay long before I could come to terms with it on my own.

Like most queer experiences, I was constantly bullied in school. From my name to my unrealized feminine demeanor to my love of Disney princesses, I became everyone’s go-to punching bag. Also, gym class was hell.

One of my most vivid memories includes a preschool trip to the mall where my teachers gave me the look of disdainful confusion when I wanted to purchase a My Little Pony action figure. They tried desperately to navigate me towards the “boys” section to no avail. As a four-year-old, I never quite understood what all the fuss was about. In time, I understood and I began to suppress that side of me.

Traditionally, LGBTQ+ individuals, or Two-Spirits, are referred to in Navajo as nadleehi–meaning “one who transforms,” or “one who is in a constant state of flux.” Unlike Western cultures, Navajos do not use subgrouping labels. For us, the queer community exists on the same spectrum moving between or away from the constructed gender binary system.

Even as I listened to my mother tell me stories of the sacred role nadleehi served in Diné society, of why they are revered, I still could not bring myself 16 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | JUNE/JULY 2020

to tell her, or myself, those three impactful words: I am gay.

It wasn’t until the age of 24 that I finally accepted who I was. Prior to coming out, I had lived a life behind the mask of an overachiever. I excelled in school and joined every organization, from band to student council, just to uphold everyone’s perception of me as the “perfect kid,” as well as to distract myself from my sexuality. Out of sight, out of mind.

When I came out, I had to hit the reset button.

Fortunately, my creative side got me through it. My background in music, theater, film, and photography eventually led me to fashion. I always had a love for fashion, but I never pursued it due to a misguided fear of being outed.

In 2012, while working as a freelance photographer, I answered an ad from a Flagstaff designer who needed interns to help with her journey to Phoenix Fashion Week (PHXFW). Since 2008, PHXFW has been providing a platform for emerging designers and models to learn the business side of fashion through an intensive summer boot camp that culminates in a three-day fashion show in the fall. That summer changed my life. I taught myself graphic design, social media, and digital marketing.

Three years later, I joined the PHXFW team as an ambassador in the styling department. Within a year, I moved up the ranks to my current role as Branding and Social Media Leader where it is my responsibility to set the art direction and execute social media

A recent editorial photoshoot for ACONAV that Niya styled. Photo by Justin Villalobos. Hair and makeup by Gilbert Tellez. Model: Rebecca Jo Acero. Fashions by ACONAV (Acoma) and accessories by Dotlizhi (Apache/Yaqui).

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Niya styling another photoshoot.

Photo by Roberto Cordero Jr.

campaigns. I also assist in planning our year-round fashion events from start to finish.

Throughout my life, I’ve always made it a priority to include an indigenous point-of-view to whatever I do. Indigenous peoples are largely left out of the mainstream narrative; even in the fashion industry, where there is little to no coverage of the emerging field of contemporary Native fashion.

This oversight motivated me to obtain a master’s degree in fashion journalism at the Academy of Art University, which I completed last May in the middle of the pandemic. Through my studies, I learned additional skills on how to be an effective writer, visual communicator, and stylist. Last fall, I fulfilled a lifelong dream by attending New York Fashion Week where I attended fashion shows and covered my school’s Graduate Fashion Show. My work has been published in Academy Art U News and Indian Country Today.

True to the word nadleehi, I have gone through several transformations in my life and in my career.

Working in the fashion industry has allowed me to be comfortable with who I am and to live my truth in style.

Niya took a photo at Phoenix Fashion Week, whom he does branding and social media for.

Niya DeGroat is a Diné fashion writer, content creator, and photographer based out of Flagstaff, AZ, and originally from Mariano Lake, NM. He is also the Branding and Social Media Leader for Phoenix Fashion Week. Follow Niya on Instagram at @niyadegroat. nativemax.com

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SEAN PARRISH

Bringing LGBTQ2S+, Native Representation to Fashion Photography

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hile attending Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, two-spirit Diné photographer Sean Parrish grew an interest in photography while working for the college’s newspaper. Now, two years later, Paye’s pursuing fashion photography in hopes of bringing Native and LGBTQ2S+ representation and visibility to the fashion community.

What is your name? What would you instead be called in this interview?

Ya’at’ééh! Shik’éí dóó shidiné. Shí éí Sean Parrish yinishyé. Hello my name is Sean Parrish, but I recently rebranded, so I prefer to go by Paye (P-ay) Where are you originally from?

Originally I am from Arizona. But my adolescent upbringing occurred primarily in the Midwest.

When did you become interested in photography? What about fashion photography?

My interest in photography emerged two years ago at Haskell Indian Nations University during my time as a student journalist for the oldest Native American student newspaper, “The Indian Leader.”

As for fashion photography, I’ve always had an interest in it, but I never pursued it during my undergraduate years. I think it just took me to move 1,228 miles from Kansas to Arizona to focus on it finally.

How did you pursue fashion photography?

What do you hope to contribute to the fashion industry?

My journey within the fashion photography industry started when I attended my first fashion 18 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | JUNE/JULY 2020

Julissa Shell (Tohono O’odham/African American) posing in Downtown Phoenix while wearing Native American-owned brand: Hustle Tribe. Photo

by Paye.

show, which was the Indigenous Art + Fashion at The Churchill in Phoenix, Arizona. Ever since then, I have attended numerous shows and worked with countless talented models.

One goal that I do have in mind when it comes to contributing to the fashion industry is to add more Native representation and visibility.

Also, I strive to make an impact by establishing a pathway for the future of aspiring Native photographers.

Describe your style of photography. What makes you stand out from other photographers?

If I were to use one word to describe my style, it would be eccentric. My art encompasses energy that is captivating, elegant, and exquisite.

Being a young, creative, and culturallyempowered Diné man will always make me stand out from others. It is also the same thing that has allowed and will continue to allow me to connect with other creatives from all types of backgrounds.

Why is it essential to have LGBTQ2S+ representation in the fashion industry?

I think it’s essential to have a representation of all types, specifically LGBTQ2S+, because our creativity and our perspectives are unmatched.

ness, and cultural empowerment because I believe it is my duty to not only succeed and do the very best I can but to motivate others to do so as well.

Due to the stay at home order, what have you been up to? How have you been keeping yourself busy?

Living in a city with 1.7 million people had me nervous about going out. How I kept myself occupied during the lockdown was by hiking, reading, hanging out with my COVID-19-free friends, and doing some very important personal self-development.

With the state of Arizona opening up, I’ve wanted to book clients, but my mind has changed since I found out that the county I live in, Maricopa, has the highest amount of confirmed cases (20,000+) in the whole state.

Follow Paye on Instagram at @paye.productions.

Left: Andrea Tso (Diné) posing in Gilbert gym wearing Native Americanowned brand Hustle Tribe.

Below: Nizhóní Renéé (Diné/African American) posing for a Phoenix vintage clothing store The Ghost Vintage.

Photos by Paye.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In five years, I see myself living a life that I am meant to live. I don’t know where I’ll be exactly. I might be in Taiwan riding an elephant, residing in Singapore, working for Native Max Magazine, or living on my tribal homelands, empowering my people.

Regardless of where I will be, I will be centered around secure communication, respectfulnativemax.com

The Insider

Inspiring, Inclusive & Indigenous: Nate Lemuel & Lady Shug

PLUS: TWO SPIRITED LEADERS IN SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA CHARLIE AMÁYÁ SCOTT FROM THE FRONTLINES OF THE PANDEMIC TO THE FRONTLINES OF THE BLACK LIBERATION MOVEMENT: REGAN DE LOGGANS KEIOSHIAH PETER

Recently, Diné drag queens Nate Lemuel and Lady Shug were allowed to share their queer Indigenous perspectives and voices on a large platform–HBO’s series We’re Here.

Ryan Young talks to the two queens for Native Max about maintaining their relationships with the community during the pandemic, continuing to hold LGBTQ2S+ spaces and support while social distancing and their experiences on We’re Here.

PHOTO BY NATE LEMUEL

LANDA LAKES nativemax.com

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L to R: Lady Shug and Nate on set of the HBO taping of the show We’re Here. Lady Shug’s drag performance mentioned during the interview. (Photos: courtesy)

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or many queer and Indigenous people, spring and summer kickoff social gatherings for our communities, including powwows, ceremonies, drag shows, and other pride events. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many, if not all, of these exciting events we were looking forward to attending will be canceled and postponed to an unforeseen future date. While everyone works to do their part of practicing safe hygiene and social distancing, we are still feeling the impact of not being able to physically and socially connect with people in our communities. However, thanks to social media, our communities have adapted to these new health guidelines with community leaders continuing to provide support, resources, and entertainment for Indigenous and queer-Indigenous people around the country. Our presence and representation have also continued to expand to the big and small screens, where we have been able to share our perspectives and voices on larger platforms like HBO. We’re Here is a new series that debuted on HBO this year that features renowned drag queens Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara, and Shangela Laquifa Wadley as they visited different small towns to recruit residents to participate in a one-night-only drag show. On Episode 4, which premiered in May, the queens’ journey to Farmington and Shiprock, New Mexico where they meet Nate Lemuel (he/him), a gay Diné photographer (Darklisted Photography). Lemuel also brings along his friend, Diné drag queen Lady Shug (they/them or her/she), to guide him as he steps outside his comfort zone.

Native Max had the pleasure of connecting with Nate and Lady Shug to talk about their feature on We’re Here, their experiences as queer Indigenous/Two-Spirit people, and how they are staying connected with their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Native Max: Could you share your story on how you got involved with We’re Here? What was that experience like? Did you feel you and your community were represented well on the show?

Nate: The producers got a hold of me via Instagram. My experience with We’re Here was amazing. I usually never get to express my real self; I am the one who is always behind the camera rather than in front of one. I want to say that I did represent my communities well throughout the process. I know many individuals who have had a hard time being accepted within their community and their families. I’ve experienced the hardships of being queer on the reservation and off of it. I also knew it was time to let everyone know who I am, who I continue to support, and where my foundation of that support comes from, my friends.

Lady Shug: When HBO was reaching out to people to be a part of this project, they reached out to the community and the area, and my name kept popping up. I did three interviews with three different producers. I already did drag for 10+ years, and they kind of wanted somebody new to the art form. They kind of felt like I was already established, because I’ve been nationally published in magazines and featured in articles. Nate called me and said, “because you’ve been so active in that community as a Diné person, I have so much respect for you, and I don’t want to step on your toes, I’d want you to be here as well.” I was his go-to, or his little Yoda on this journey to We’re Here. We had multiple conversations prior, and even after every time we filmed, we would call and just talk. I was his support. I was very fortunate that Nate had such high praise for me, and so much respect for me as a person and as an artist to include me in his story; I was just genuinely myself during filming. The crew, the cast, and the producers kind of just fell in love

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with Nate and everything and with me.

Unfortunately, with television, you know because of editing and timing, we did a lot of filming that didn’t air, but I was very gagged that they showed my performance of that night. Nate and I were the closing acts of the night.

And I didn’t expect to be featured in the season finale–they did ask me to do the music video towards the end, and Nate produced it and filmed me at the Shiprock monument. Overall, the experience was something that felt so natural, felt so right, and it was much needed. I told the producers there’s not any presence of queer Indigenous people in the main media. You never see a full-blooded–I hate to use that term ‘full-blooded’ because that goes back to blood quantum, and that’s another story to talk about–or you never hear about anybody being out and proud, who is also Indigenous. You never see people who look like you, talk like you, who are from your neighborhood, born and raised on the reservation, on TV. For Nate and I to have that platform is amazing.

We have a bunch of amazing Indigenous artists who are queer or trans and doing amazing things, but they’re still not included. I am trying to break those boundaries even within our Indigenous communities as a performer, as an artist, and as an activist. We were wholly ourselves and tried to intertwine our truths of how it is to be raised on the reservation, to live on the reservation, and be surrounded by these border towns like Farmington and Gallup and all these racist towns that look down on us as Indigenous people and as queer people. I was very happy with how We’re Here portrayed that for us, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m so excited for Nate because he’s doing amazing things; I feel like I’m doing amazing things too, and I’m finally turning some heads or, you know, turning on some lights, finally making some tread work and space for queer artists to be included. That’s the biggest thing you know, people forget about us who identify as queer/trans/Two-Spirit. It was a very humbling experience, and I kept saying to the directors, “I’ll be ready for season two!” [laughs] What have your experiences been like performing in drag inside and outside of your community?

LS: So back story: Lady Shug started in Las Vegas, Nevada, over ten years ago. I grew up on the reservation in the eastern agency. I thought I was the only gay kid or the only different kid. I never knew anything about queer culture or drag in general until I moved away and left my reservation right after high school. I don’t know how I ended up in Vegas, but I went to my first gay club and started seeing people who were openly free about who they were. I was very timid. I was a little reservation kid living in this big city trying to figure out myself, and I fell into drag. I was a backstage manager, and I would help them get dressed, and I was just in awe because I never thought they could be so beautiful. I never imagined myself doing drag until one day when my drag mother was like, “Hey, somebody canceled, so you are going to perform.” She put me in drag for the first time, put me on stage, and I performed. And since then, it just took off.

I was very fortunate. I had a beautiful career in Las Vegas. I worked with many celebrities. I was working on the Las Vegas strip for seven nights a week at one of the biggest gay clubs in the world. My femininity as Lady Shug came out, and it empowered me not only as an artist but as a person because a strong matriarchy raised me, and that’s where I got my strength and power.

Then my grandmother got sick, and so I wanted to move back; she’s a lot better now. After I moved back here, I fell in love with the land, fell back in love with seeing people who looked like me, smelled like me, talked like me, people that understood my background and came from the same neck of the woods that I did. I didn’t want to leave as I felt like I established what I needed in Las Vegas. I had a beautiful career out there. But living out here so far away from these big towns like Phoenix and Denver and Albuquerque, I would have to travel about two to three hours or more to go to a gig. One day I woke up and said: “This is crazy, why do I have to drive?” Our people in general that live on the reservations lack resources like water, electricity, and essential stores where we can buy stuff. We have to go to these border towns to survive. For me to survive as an artist and as a performer, I would have to travel.

I was like, “You know what? Screw this. I’m going to bring drag culture to my people”. And the best time to do it was during our tribal fairs, so for the past three years I was doing pop up shows during the Window Rock Fair. The first year I did my show at the Ké Infoshop in Window Rock, it was raining cats and dogs, but everybody stayed. Everyone had blankets and umbrellas, and there were like 200 people that stayed. We started an hour late because it was coming down so hard. I was worried, but as soon as the rain stopped, it was overcast. A rainbow came out, and then I came out singing Rihanna’s song “Umbrella,” and people just lost it. There were little nativemax.com

The Insider kids and elders, and the audience stayed until we couldn’t perform anymore.

After that, it became an annual thing, and every year I would try to reach out to the Fair board to try to perform inside the gates, instead of outside. They never wanted it; they tried to protest my shows, tore down my fliers, decided not to let it happen, but we were strong in numbers. I was very fortunate this past year that the Navajo Nation Fair in the city picked us up.

In the history of any tribal fairs in Turtle Island, we were the first drag show to headline a tribal fair and be inside the gate on the main stage. Not at a side tent, or put in the corner, we were on the main stage. We were the opening act for Snow Tha Product, and it was an all-Indigenous cast. I felt appreciated that after three years of hard work, our blood, sweat, and tears paid off because I made it inside the fairgrounds. But, you know, they book all these amazing Indigenous artists, musicians, poets, rappers, singers, dancers, etc., but they never book the queer community. They need to remember there’s a queer community that is also very talented and too super fabulous. I’m very grateful for performing in cities and performing with celebrities and some amazing artists in Las Vegas, but it doesn’t compare to performing for my people.

My biggest inspiration of just being unapologetically myself and not being ashamed of who I am and living the life of being non-binary and being fabulous as just who I am is just to inspire other kids; other youth that might have issues or might be that one kid that looks like me that lives in the middle of nowhere and thinks they’re the only gay kid in their community. Now we are blessed to have social media, so it’s a little bit easier, and I’m trying to make those covers of magazines, those news press conferences, and be on We’re Here. I want to make my presence known for myself, for my community, my peers, and the young folks. Even our elders, because some elders are still in the closet, who are still not comfortable with themselves. I am hoping that my story or my presence inspires them to break down that boundary of always being told that we are in the wrong or our lifestyle is not right. I have some relatives that are much older than me that are like, “I saw you in the newspaper. You inspired me to come out to my mom, which I never thought I would do, and this is because of you. I got the courage to come out to my mom after 40+ years.” And I’m like, wow, you know, that’s amazing.

Stories like that just touch me, and I want to continue to be that voice and be that beacon of light for our queer and trans Indigenous people. They’re very sacred people amongst our community, and we were forgotten about. I want to make sure that people make space for us, and that was the biggest goal on We’re Here to let them know and to let the world know, that Indigenous folks are not just a myth but also that queer and trans folks are part of that community, and are bad*ss artists. Nate does amazing photography. I think I do amazing drag, but some people might disagree [laughs]. When I was in Vegas performing, I was taught to be a glamour girl, and I was just worried about the look. As I got mature and my voice got louder, I also realized that a lot of my peers were about Indigenous resistance.

I wanted to learn about how I could give back. Sometimes I feel like I’m not good about speaking. I’m a college dropout, but I’m still an artist, and I still have a voice. I wanted to use my voice, so I intertwined it with my drag.

As Lady Shug has matured, my drag has too. The glamour is always going to be there, but now I’m using my platform to make a political statement.

Lady Shug starts conversations and pushes boundaries that make people feel uncomfortable and pushes them to talk about different issues. I am excited because that’s my voice now. I might not be book smart, but my work is going to be visual, and it’s going to be in your face. And of course, it’s going to

Lady Shug (Photos: courtesy)

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be glamorous.

How has COVID-19 impacted your life?

N: It has impacted my life in so many ways personally. What matters right now is that I reach out to as many people as I can, whether it’s sharing helpful information, delivering aid, or gathering important causes that are happening within our reservation and getting that attention help in any way I can. COVID-19 has made me look at everything so differently.

LS: When the pandemic started, I put my grandma on lockdown. I was very protective of my grandma when I was caring for her during this pandemic.

I’ve been trying to encourage my followers and my family to practice social distancing. I already have that instilled in my head because when my grandma was sick, I was always washing my hands, always conscious of who was around her, making sure people wore masks and washing things constantly.

It was a norm for me, and I was already doing it in my everyday life, so this whole thing of just being mindful of practicing hygiene and protecting my hands and face and surroundings was normal.

In the midst of the pandemic, many queer Indigenous gatherings were postponed and canceled. How are you maintaining your relationship with your community?

LS: After episode 4 of We’re Here with Nate debuted, Bob the Drag Queen and I were having an Instagram Live discussion after our episode debuted, and they inspired me that night to start a challenge. The #shugchallenge asked my social media followers, my friends, and my family on social media to help me collect supplies for people that were affected by COVID-19 on the Navajo reservation, and I geared it towards our unsheltered relatives.

The latter were being forgotten by a lot of these fundraisers and organizations. Those are our relatives, our family, as well as Mother Earth’s kids too.

Between May and June, people donated sleeping bags, underwear, scarves, the little things that unsheltered folks need. I was very overwhelmed; the challenge got bigger than me. It made me feel very humbled, especially because the stuff I asked people to donate was eco-friendly or recyclable also to protect Mother Earth. I see a lot of these organizations collecting items, but they forget about where that plastic is coming from. I focused on making sure our donations were biodegradable, eco-friendly, organic, and not bad for the environment.

I also just started the #shugchallenge2, which is geared towards helping trans teens and youth. I wanted to uplift them, sponsor and mentor them, talk with their parents, and become a friend and let them know that there are people around to help them. I have five kids that I’m working with, and I’m still looking for more. I wanted to help get them some things to make them happy like pride swag or chest binders; some asked for art supplies because they’re into art or makeup. After all, they love makeup. I am putting together packages to let them know that they are loved and are supported. Especially with what is going on right now with our Black trans sisters getting murdered. I’m pretty sure they see that on social media, and that’s a scary thing for a young trans person to see. They wonder, “Am I going to be safe? Am I going to be next?” I just want to let them know that there are people who will support them so they can do greater things. I am so happy for We’re Here and diving into this work has been helping my mental health. Sometimes I deal with depression, and my inner saboteur sometimes gets to me. I am very thankful to be working and trying to do that work and be that voice for my people N: During these times of hardship, I have been working to help my community in many different ways. From selling art for community donations, working for organizations and collectives who are getting aid and PPE to the communities and hospitals on the Navajo Nation. I would carefully go out on the assignment of capturing photographs, filming individuals who are in the frontlines of helping the Navajo Nation during these times. Of course, I am taking extra safety precautions by making sure I have masks and sanitation before these trips. My mother works at the hospital, and she would tell me how progressive the facility would get, and most of the time, it’s not good news to hear. I lost two cousins to COVID-19 on both sides of my family.

My heart hurts, and I am sure that they would have wanted me to help my community as much as possible. That is the motivation that is keeping me strong. My mother, who works at the hospital, she is the one who has always helped and supported me. I see so many of my friends who are artists do as JUNE/JULY 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 21

The Insider I am putting myself at risk by helping out my community, and that is the decision that I am carefully looking at as I move forward with the support I have. I know I am doing great things, I have to keep reminding myself that I am here for a reason, and that is to help right now.

What could our tribal communities do to be more inclusive and supportive LGBTQ2S+ people?

Above: Nate, who is the photographer of Darklisted Photography. Left: Nate in drag during their performance, which was featured on HBO’s show We’re Here. (Photos: Nate Lemuel)

much as they can to help raise money for donations, and it amazes me to see how supportive everyone is right now. It should always be like that. I always had the mindset of what my grandmother told me, which was to learn, be careful, pray, and make good decisions that will help you be successful. I think of all that my matriarchs said to me when I make the decisions to go out during these times to help. One day I am photographing Dr. Michelle Tom in Winslow, AZ, while at the same time delivering PPE to a hospital nearby. This is a different kind of photography I am documenting. I have launched my official website, Darklisted Photography, where I also started to sell my art, and I started photographing again. I have always been careful about my surroundings lately, and I know there can be ways I can present myself as an artist, and that is by helping out my community first and supporting those who are in need. What matters right now is that I reach out to as many people as I can, whether it’s sharing helpful information, delivering aid, or gathering important causes that are happening within our reservation and getting that attention to help in any way I can.

What ways have you seen Native LGBTQ2S+ people continue to hold spaces and support each other during the current pandemic and regulations around social distancing?

N: Everything that has been happening as far as providing spaces for the Native LGBTQ2S+ is online. Drag shows are now live, webinars and events are celebrated on Zoom, and other artists are taking matters into their own hands by auctioning off their creative arts to help their communities. It is important as a community to keep in contact and to make sure everyone is doing okay. I take every measure of being careful, from planning a trip for work, or a trip to get groceries for the next few weeks. I make sure that I keep my spaces clean, and to remind myself to keep my hands clean, to wash my face masks after I am out and about, and to stay home if it is not important.

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LS: Include and invite queer/Two-Spirit and trans folks that are singers or artists or do drag. If you are a cisgender, heterosexual person help give us those spaces. Because our stories might be similar, don’t forget we bleed the same color. We are relatives. Our genders or orientations might be different, but we are all Mother Earth’s kids. I think once you hold that space for queer/2S/trans folks, the world will be a lot easier, and it will be a lot more fabulous. If people include us, it might be easier for those who are having issues with coming out. I was always taught that our presence, our existence is our resistance. Just you and I being unapologetically ourselves in public, and those spaces are the resistance. I would never want anybody to not feel like themselves. And as relatives as long as we include each other, the world will be a lot simpler. Stand up for our Two-Spirit and trans folks. A majority of the Two-Spirit and trans people that are Indigenous are the ones that are the caretakers and the glue to the family. They are the ones taking care of the elders and the children. And if you go back to our histories, the kids that didn’t have parents would be raised by their Two-Spirit relatives. They were the ones who were allowed to perform medicine, dances, and traditional values. They were the ones that were able to have both the male and female perspectives as they tried to carry the storytelling and culture. People forget that because of Christianity and this modern society of heteropatriarchy.

They think that we are the wrong ones, but people like us are pushing those boundaries and demanding those spaces to include us because we are Mother Earth’s children. Once we become the norm, like we were in the past, the world will become easier for a lot of us and the new, upcoming youth. Even me having a t-shirt with the word “fag” on it, which was a word that continually haunted me from middle school to adulthood. And now it’s my power word. It drives me, and it gave me a backbone. Granted, I would never want to have somebody go through the struggle and the issues I went through growing up, but, you know, that word was something that haunted me. To the people who want to be allies, watch how you talk to people. My greatgrandma always taught me that what comes out of our mouths, especially as Indigenous people when we speak is a sacred thing. It’s like a ceremony. Our words are so powerful. And she always said, “be careful of what comes out of your mouth because those words become like a pebble you throw into the water. You’re never going to see that same pebble again. So once you speak those words, whether its ill will, or a slur, or something negative to somebody, you’re never going to get those words back, just like that pebble.” That word is still a scar on my heart. Educate yourself if you want to be an ally. Or ask questions.

N: The communities need to be more inviting; I think having more events that are directed towards the LGBTQ2S+ is essential. History is being made today from many movements, and we need to learn about the importance of history and teach others the real meaning of it today. Having more Drag shows, more celebrations that can involve families and be accepting and to participate is something that I would love to see in my hometown.

Is there anything you’d like to say to the younger generation who might be struggling with not having community spaces or maybe feeling alone during this time of social distancing and self-isolation?

LS: Know that there are people like myself trying to speak up for us and always remember where you come from always be proud to be Indigenous.

Know that you can always rely on Mother Earth, especially during this pandemic. Go outside, talk to Mother Earth. Talk to Father Sky. Talk to the birds, the trees, the plants because those are our relatives too. Also, rely on yourself. Look in the mirror and realize you’re unique. You’re Indigenous, you’re part of a fantastic community and know that your voice is being heard in my heart and my soul. We are doing this for you. You can be anything you want to be, but always remember where you come from and who you are as an Indigenous person and be proud of it.

Follow Nate on Instagram at @darklistedphotography and Lady Shug on Instagram at @ladyshugdrag. nativemax.com

The Insider

Two spirited Leaders in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Joel Pedersen talks with Warren Isbister-Bear and Osemis, First Nations two-spirited community leaders who work to ensure a better quality of life for urban First Nations people and families in Saskatoon.

Tansi, Edlanete, my name is Joel Pedersen. I’m a member of the Fond du Lac Dene Nation, connected to the Mikisew Cree Nation and the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan. I live in Saskatoon, one of the larger cities in western Canada that was settled with the assistance of the local Dakota people in the 1800’s for the beauty.

I’m honored to contribute to Native Max Magazine’s issue, as this month’s theme focuses on Two-Spirited People. My journey to founding a socially responsible community-based health and wellness company has been enriching, and at times, challenging. At Fitness 2J2, we provide health and wellness programming along with consulting in our Indigenous communities, both urban and rural. Since 2011, we have visited over forty communities, providing fitness, self-defense classes for women and youth, and sports camps programming to more than forty-thousand youth and adults.

My start to this journey was through my friend Warren Isbister-Bear. Warren is a leader in our community, an honorable First Nations person, and a proud Two-Spirited person. I met Warren over ten years ago while he was an Indigenous Inclusion consultant with the City of Saskatoon’s Community Development Branch. He was instrumental in assisting me with becoming a fitness leader with the city’s Indigenous Leadership program and ultimately starting fitness programming in the inner city of Saskatoon. He and his husband Osemis have been supporters in my journey as a fitness leader, and the Fitness 2J2 programming provided in our community. I was able to catch up with both Osemis and Warren through a video conference call. Here is some of our discussion I wanted to share with the readers.

Warren and Osemis, thank you for meeting up for a chat, during this time of isolation during COVID-19, how are you staying active physically and mentally?

Warren: First of all, I want to thank you for allowing us to be part of this amazing opportunity. I appreciate it, and I’m glad you are taking the time to do this article. As for me, it is very challenging to stay motivated both physically and mentally, but I find that if I don’t have any physical activity in a day, it drains me mentally. That part is a struggle to overcome. So I need one to help out the other sort of a deal, and sometimes it’s the mental part that is weighing more heavily these days during this COVID-19 pandemic we are faced with. However, I do challenge myself to find time to devote to running and being active, especially now that I’m working from home. I give kudos to Charlie [Warren’s and Osemis’ pet dog] who will come to my office (bedroom desk) and whine to play catch. Then I’ll find myself goofing around with him and run around the house for a good five to ten minutes between Zoom meetings. nativemax.com

Osemis: As for me, I stay physically active with our dog Charlie. I usually take him for a 5 KM run every other day. I also play hide and seek with Charlie around the house, which helps keep us active and entertained.

This month’s issue of Native Max Magazine is honoring Two-Spirited Peoples. Can you share how important this is to you?

W: We need to see each other, learn from each other, and know that we are not alone, that we matter, and that our stories can be shared with other Two-Spirited peoples who may be struggling or may need to hear that we are all in this together. Kudos to Native Max Magazine for taking the time to create this issue.

O: I believe that as a Two-Spirit person, it is essential that we hear from each other’s stories and perspectives during this time. We are living in uncertain times, and we need to encourage each other to stay healthy.

Do you find people in our Indigenous communities becoming more open to Two-Spirited couples and marriages?

W: For the most part, yes, It has come a long way.

This next generation is breaking down barriers and is more open themselves and has encouraged families and communities to speak of love, acceptance, and kindness. As Indigenous people, we have always welcomed people into our circles when colonization has disrupted our family systems and the love we had for our people. We are slowly getting back to that place; we are mending the circle again and reclaiming our space within those circles. This is gradually being seen in our communities that practice these foundational and traditional laws of kinship.

O: Yes! Do you see a change in mainstream society with recognizing and respecting Two-Spirited people?

W: In some areas, yes, I do believe that it has got better in some regards. However, with the release of the Final Report on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Inquiry (2019), it tells a darker chapter in Canada’s most recent history. What is happening to the most vulnerable people, and that is our Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit (2SLGBTQQIA) people. We must not be complacent as we move forward and paint a picture that it is positive, and we are moving in a positive direction when we have evidence that speaks to the high rate of people who have been murdered.

However, I am hopeful that through the release of the National Inquiry, we can challenge these injustices that Indigenous people continue to face and that we continue to challenge systems that create injustices for our people in a respectful and peacebuilding way. We need to challenge

leadership to become those trailblazers that pave the way for us to live a better quality of life, and take the lead so others may not face these same injustices and discrimination we had. We honor those who have done so much before us.

O: Yes, absolutely!

If you could tell yourself at a young age about being Two-Spirited, what would you say?

W: I would quote Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

O: Surround yourself with people who fully accept you and make you feel like you are essential and that you matter.

You are both highly educated people with professional careers; do you feel anything is holding you back in your careers?

W: I wouldn’t say there is much holding me back.

I’ve found a great network of friends, colleagues, and community supporters who have walked with me on my professional journey and who have provided guidance and inspiration to continue doing what I can to bring community voice to decisionmaking tables. I’ve always centered my work around the community to ensure that their voices are heard. Plus, its a lot more fun and humbling to be connected to such great community members who have the same goals in mind, which is trying to make a better future for our nieces, nephews, and those coming after them.

O: Nope! I’ve worked in a variety of different professions in both mainstream and Indigenous organizations, and both have valued my work ethic and my skills. What I find in non-Indigenous organizations is that there is still a lot of learning and work needed to be done in the area of Indigenization, inclusion. We have a strong and growing pool of Indigenous talent, but organizations don’t seem to be ready to let go of the old narrative about Indigenous people.

Where do you see yourselves in five years from now?

W: Probably doing the same thing, looking at creative and innovative ways to empower and equip the next generation of Indigenous leaders.

O: I love where I am right now; working for a great Indigenous organization that truly values and appreciates me as a person and values my contributions to the work environment. I love what I do and how I can contribute to a better quality of life for urban First Nations people and families in Saskatoon.

Thank you, Warren and Osemis, for sharing with us some of your strength and determination. I am so grateful to know you both and to have shared some of this journey with you both.

Megwich Hiy Hiy.

JUNE/JULY 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 23

The Insider it means to be non-binary and femme.

Now, in my community, there is a whole explanation, but that does not necessarily equate to being part of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Please explain your educational background.

So, I’m a first-year doctoral scholar in higher education. I do not know what my general focus is going to be. Yet, I am interested in social media, memes, collegiate pathways, relationships to land and their influence, and how colleges and universities are organized. I have a Bachelor’s in Ethnic Studies and Sociology. I have a Master’s in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in college student personnel, which is essentially student affairs.

Charlie Amáyá Scott Charlie Amáyá Scott–who goes by Amáyá–is a Diné non-binary femme person who’s certainly had extensive experience of navigating the world of academia as a Queer, Trans, and Indigenous student. Ultimately, Amáyá aspires to design equitable and inclusive policies and programs for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color [BIPOC] navigating higher education.

In the meantime, they address issues of harm within BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ communities utilizing social media, blogging, and photography.

Although the U.S. is slowly moving towards equality for all, there’s still much work to do, mainly for higher education. In the realm of higher education, there are many challenges that black, brown, and LGBTQ2S+ students still face today.

And no one understands these challenges better than Charlie Amáyá Scott, who’s on a mission to make these spaces a much better place for them to succeed.

Charlie Amáyá Scott, who goes by Amáyá, is a Diné non-binary femme person who’s certainly had extensive experience of navigating the world of academia as a Queer, Trans, and Indigenous student. Born and raised in the central part of the Navajo Nation, Amáyá graduated from Brown University with an A.B. in both Sociology and Honors in Ethnic Studies as well as the University of Rhode Island with an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies. Now a doctoral student at the University of Denver in Higher Education, Amáyá aspires to design equitable and inclusive policies and pathway programs that center the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color [BIPOC] navigating higher education, making these spaces a much better place for them 24 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | JUNE/JULY 2020

to succeed. In the meantime, they advocate and facilitate workshops supporting Indigenous scholars’ educational aspirations and speak on various issues that affect them as a non-binary Indigenous femme navigating the educational landscape along with addressing issues of harm within BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ communities utilizing social media, blogging, and photography.

We visit with Amáyá about their journey in academia, their partnership with non-profit organization Breakthrough on a TikTok series, and their mission of disrupting the narratives of colonization while challenging the power dynamics that allow settler colonialism to prosper.

Thank you for joining us today, Amáyá. Where are you from? What’s your tribe?

I’m from the central part of the Navajo Nation, born and raised in Chinle, Arizona. My mom’s family is from both sides of Canyon De Chelly, and my father’s biological family is from the Teesto/ Dilkon area. I’m an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and have ancestors from the Zuni, Hopi, and Yavapai communities.

What are your preferred pronouns? What would you like us to call you during this interview?

My English pronouns are they and them. They are not preferred, and I emphasize English because I come to understand that in my language, Diné bizaad, pronouns do not necessarily exist yet because of colonization and the translation of our language, they “supposedly” do.

How do you identify yourself in the LGBTQ+ space?

I am Queer, and I am Trans. And I define those terms as being both specific yet also very broad. I don’t necessarily define my queerness; rather, it encompasses our ancestors have once celebrated a sort of marginality, a deviancy that may or may not. Yet, it is personally a play on the English word, a reclamation of a taboo. Now for Trans, it’s very much similar, yet there is such an expansiveness in being Trans that I appreciate, and it is also very accessible. Everyone outside the Trans community has some idea of what we mean by Trans, yet not everyone knows when I tell them that I am a non-binary femme person. It is just easier to say Trans instead of giving a whole lecture about what

What made you interested in pursuing higher education?

Well, I initially became interested in pursuing higher education because of my mother, who was the first in her family ever to attend college. For her, education was a means for improving her life and her family’s. For me, though, education is a pathway towards justice, especially for others like me, who are Queer, Trans, and Native. We know of the American Indian boarding school era, in which Native children were stolen from their families and forced to attend these violent schools.

They were forced to learn to be an American and forced to recycle logic of colonialism that was antithetical to many Indigenous communities’ way of being and knowing. For me, being in education, being in these elite-white spaces, means disrupting those narratives of colonization and challenging the power dynamics that allow settler colonialism to prosper. I’m interested in continuing my educational journey because I have so much to learn and also so much to give to other Queer and Trans Natives. They are also navigating these violent spaces.

Primarily in Rhode Island, where you received the majority of your higher education, there were changes in laws that protected the LGBTQ community in housing, employment, and healthcare, among others. However, when it came to education, there’s not a law yet that addresses discrimination against students based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Being a non-binary Indigenous femme, what was your experience like navigating the educational landscape in Rhode Island? What about Colorado, where you’re going to school currently?

I only knew that Rhode Island was quite supportive of the LGBTQ community, yet I was not sure in what capacity. It was actually during my time studying abroad in Ireland that I began to think more about my identity and what it meant to not identify as a woman or a man. Strangely enough, it took me being across the Atlantic Ocean to learn who I was and also to begin falling in love with myself.

When I did come back to Brown after my study abroad, I asked people to begin calling me Charlie and to start using they/them pronouns. It took folks a while to get used to it, yet many were quite supportive. I think there was probably one hiccup, yet that was resolved rather quickly; the hiccup was my email and my name on my ID. Brown had very gender-inclusive policies, which was made possible from years of student activism before, so nativemax.com

The Insider I am always grateful for those who did the work before me because it made my experience so much more seamless and easier. That is something I hope to continue doing, and something I was trying to express in my response earlier.

For Colorado, because I have not legally changed my name yet, it has been more limiting than Brown. Yet, I was able to choose my email and also change the way my name is displayed. I think what initially bothered me the most, though, is that people have immediate access to my legal name because some of my colleagues work in the Office of Financial Aid or the Office of Graduate Admissions. Yet, no one has ever said my legal name at the University of Denver (DU), and I like to think no one will ever will or share it.

I look forward to the day I can change my name legally and not have to worry about too much about encountering transphobia.

Your goal is to design equitable and inclusive policies and programs for BIPOC navigating higher education. Specifically, what sort of programs and policies? Why should there be more resources like these for BIPOC in higher education?

Yes! That is one of my many goals and hopes. So much of my work before my doctorate program focused on cultural relevancy and cultural competency, and to be quite honest, not higher education, in general, cannot be equitable and inclusive towards Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The knowledge is there, yet the application of knowledge is not. And so, you have many individuals in positions of power and influence at colleges and universities, and many of them do not know (or care) about their Black students, Indigenous students, and students of color. With that lack of knowledge (or care), you have programs and policies that only hinder the student success of BIPOC, rather than encourage or support it.

For example, at DU, the mascot name is the Pioneer. Well, a lot of scholarships discuss the role and importance of an environment in facilitating student success as well as it’s organization’s history and culture. The celebration of pioneers can be very inhibiting towards Native students, considering the role of pioneers in colonizing, which is now known as the United States. If DU considered a policy that was against harmful imagery or messages towards Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples, then they would be required to change the name of their mascot and the imagery of their mascot, which would arguably make DU a much more equitable and inclusive space.

And that was just one example, there are so many possibilities that celebrate and supports the success of Black students, Indigenous students, and students of color, and if higher education would just listen to the Black, Indigenous, and scholars of color who have done this work and who continue to write about this kind of work, higher education would be a much better place for us.

In your spare time, you also photograph portraits and landscapes. Is photography an outlet for you?

Yes! It was something I got into back in my undergraduate, actually, at the end of my junior year. I was becoming interested in photography nativemax.com

as a byproduct of colonialism and how aesthetics contribute to settler-colonial understandings of what it means to be Native and Indigenous.

And then, from there, it became more of an outlet in looking at the world through a Diné critical lens and how I might challenge the history of exploitation that photography produced.

You have a blog called Dine Aesthetic(s), what is the purpose of your blog, and in what ways do you hope it serves for readers?

I do! So, the way I describe Diné Aesthetic(s) is a space in which I reflect, analyze, critique what it means to be Diné in the 21st century. It is, right now, a personal blog where I write about what it means to be Queer, to be Trans, to be a survivor of sexual violence, to be a 25-year-old in a doctorate program, and so much more. Sometimes, my writings are very academic, like I’m sharing my paper, and sometimes they’re like journal entries.

I think at the beginning of starting my blog, I wanted it to be a space where I share my journey of reclaiming my own Diné aesthetic, and what I mean by that is my understanding and outlook on what it means to be Diné. And now, I want it to be a space where people read what I am going through and know that they are not alone, especially other queer and trans Natives. Yet, also that everything in the world is connected to how we address systems of oppression. I know that there are some, for lack of a better phrase, controversial blog posts, especially when I address anti-Blackness or when I critique the usage of two-spirit. All of which, I do want to write about with a lot more nuanced as I grow, learn, and love myself a little more each day.

Lately, you’ve been taking off in the social media realm with your posts where you highlight the continuous problems indigenous people face today. How and why do you use social media to tackle these issues and bring them to light?

Honestly, it still surprises me that I am a supposed “influencer.” Yet, initially, I got back into social media because I needed an outlet outside of academia, and I wanted to write about things that were outside my studies. Social media was a means for that. I was not able to reflect on my queerness or what it personally meant to be Trans. I was not able to talk about my experience growing in the Navajo Nation or talk about instances of violence I experienced or saw. Social media became a way for me to share all that and more.

At first, it was just Twitter, and I would just write about power dynamics within my community and also within “Indian Country.” From there, I started to become more visible and addressing issues of harm within our communities and how we can challenge ourselves to be better and what we could do to move forward. Yet, unfortunately, social media tends to recycle conversations, and honestly, at this point it is exhausting talking about white fragility within “#NativeTwitter,” and so I’ve been trying to focus on other conversations, especially within the LGBTQ community and my nation.

I would say that I use social media as a medium to amplify my voice and build a digital community with others. There are issues that I experience and that I want to highlight with my platform, and I know that others experience simi-

Amáyá partnered up with non-profit Breakthrough on a TikTok series to integrate complex issues into 15-second videos.

lar strands of violence that I do. For me, social media is making these issues known and rallying people around causes while lending my support to other people’s causes too. Social media has also allowed me to build friendships with people that I probably never would have met beforehand. I have some longtime Twitter or Instagram friends that I look forward to meeting.

You partnered up with Breakthrough, a non-profit organization on By & For: A TikTok Community, a TikTok series exploring timely issues affect BIPOC in fun, informative short videos. How did this come about? What sort of educational videos are you planning on doing?

Yes, collaborating with them is pretty fun. The team is amazing, and I am quite fortunate to have their support. So, my first contact with Breakthrough was through Moni Vargas, who is the Creative Director of Programs and Strategy for Breakthrough. And Moni reached out to me via Twitter after one of my TikTok videos went viral on Twitter. The reason why it went viral on Twitter is that TikTok actually took down my first video, and the video was using a trend to highlight what Thanksgiving was actually about, yet also celebrating the fact that Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples are still here. But Moni saw the video and loved it and asked to meet with me.

And from there, she saw more of the TikToks I was posting and loved the way that I’m able to integrate these complex issues into 15-second videos. Now I am a creative collaborator with them via TikTok. So some of the videos at work, well, to be honest, they kind of just happened. I see a trend that I like and start thinking of possibilities for the #ByandFor while also keeping in mind the month’s theme for Breakthrough. This month, which is also Pride Month, centers around the engagement of queerness and the arts. Something I was thinking of doing was sharing about how my community celebrates queerness and how art is engaged or integrated into that celebration.

JUNE/JULY 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 25

The Insider

Regan often organizes and/ or participates in protests. Photos

by Roxy Romero.

collective at indigenouskinshipcollective.com.

Photograpner unknown.

From the Frontlines of the Pandemic to the Frontlines of the Black Liberation Movement: Regan de Loggans Brooklyn-based indigenous queer activist and community organizer Regan de Loggans has been working non-stop since the beginning of 2020. We have seen them go from the frontlines of COVID-19 helping and organizing with aid and other resources to the frontlines of the Black liberation movement, where they work in solidarity to support Black liberation and police abolition.

Regan took time out of their hectic schedule to fill us in on their work with the communities and why indigenous people need to work in solidarity with the Black community towards Black liberation.

Thank you for meeting with us.

Where are you from?

Lenapehoking utaa li. I live in the so-called Brooklyn, New York, on Lenape land.

What are your tribes?

Mississippi Chahta sia hoke. I’m a Mississippi Choctaw. And a descendant of the K'iche' Maya of Guatemala.

What are your pronouns?

They, themme and theirs.

How do you identify yourself in the

LGBTQ+ space?

Hattakholba, yukpa sia hoke. I am a queer, transgender, non-binary person.

You're one of the co-founders and a member of Indigenous Kinship Collective, could you explain to us what this collective is? Why was this created?

Yes! The collective started in 2018 after an Indigenous womxn's gathering in Lenapehoking. And we started in hopes of creating a community for indigenous femmes, trans folx, and womxn in an urban space where there is so much erasure in terms of urban indigenous folx. We wanted to create a community with one another, which we did! And as we grew, our mission changed, and we became more education, art, and direct action-oriented. And now, we are a multifaceted collective that not only generates educational content but is committed to providing a long term community in New York City through social justice activism. Our group is made up of designers, photographers, educators, filmmakers, poets, and we are all activists in our community. We will always continue to demand change and liberation for our kin. Read more about the

26 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | JUNE/JULY 2020

You went from being on the frontlines of COVID-19 helping and organizing with aid and resources for all of those affected by the pandemic to now being on the frontlines of the Black liberation movement where you work in solidarity with BLM by partaking in cop watch, jail support and protection among other ways.

What has this year been like for you? How do you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually deal with everything?

This year has been a f***ing roller coaster. I have always been a very "busy" person, but COVID-19 and the continued police violence highlighted injustices within different communities. COVID-19 exacerbated underlying issues of racism and capitalism, so it was essential for us to act. And the continued horrific murders of Black people by the police escalated abolition conversations. As a non-Black indigenous person and educator, it is my duty to stand in solidarity with Black liberation. So it was a no-brainer to get back out in the streets. Community organizing in this present time impresses on all of us the importance of mutual aid work, community solidarity, and abolition in our day-to-day conversations.

And I will be honest; I am horrible at taking care of myself. Like many people socialized as womxn, we are often taught or expected to take care of others before ourselves.

Which is essential work for the revolution, but can lead to burn-out and exhaustion. As a queer person of color, there are real risks to not doing that selfless work, so I rarely find time to take care of myself. I often pray and lean on the Indigenous Kinship Collective for support in much of the work. I am so thankful for consistent support; it keeps me motivated.

You created a zine full of information on what to do if someone was exposed to chemical attacks like pepper spray and tear gas. What moved you to create this informational zine?

I wrote "Let's Talk: Chemical Attack Safety" because I saw a lot of people on Instagram sharing chemical attack safety information from military personnel, and it angered me! I could not fathom that people were still supporting military knowledge as an authority, especially when we are calling for the abolition of the police, who are militarized. The legacy of military violence is born of police violence, so it blew my mind that radically-minded people were sharing information generated by perpetrators of continued colonial violence. Black and Indigenous people must reclaim information and identify ourselves as the authorities in knowledge. It was the same reason I wrote "Let's Talk: Mutual Aid" Zine, because of the co-option of Black and Indigenous knowledge in a time of crisis. Indigenous and Black communities were and are targeted and criminalized for practicing what folx now define as "mutual aid."

Hence, it was important for people to know that the legacy of Mutual aid is based on the knowledge of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.

So I wrote a zine on it to re-educate and re-define the discourse before it could be co-opted.

Is there anything else that you'd like to add?

I want to take this space to remind everyone reading this that it is our duty as Indigenous people to support Black liberation and police abolition. Tools of colonialism are used to divide our communities, and we must push back on that. Black liberation is Indigenous liberation is Black resistance is Indigenous self-determination. Taklosa okchaya kvt holitopashke [Black Lives Matter].

Follow Regan on IG Follow Regan on IG @Phaggot.Planet nativemax.com

The Insider

Landa Lakes There was absolutely no way we could have the LGBTQ2S+ issue without featuring Landa Lakes.

We chat with the well-known drag queen about her journey from first starting drag in the '80s to being an integral part of the LGBTQ2S+ community of San Francisco and Indian Country.

BY KELLY HOLMES PHOTOS BY JOSE GUZMAN COLON

nativemax.com

JUNE/JULY 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 27

O

nly a few people I have met can boast a humble yet inspiring personality as Miko Thomas, also known as Landa Lakes.

Originally from Oklahoma but based in San Francisco, Landa’s career spans decades and platforms, although her name is mostly linked to the two-spirit drag community. Between participating in both American Indian and Gay and Lesbian student organizations in college as a youth and acting as a mentor to younger drag performers, two-spirit Chickasaw drag queen and community organizer Landa always played a massive part in the LGBTQ2S+ community and continues to. In addition to serving as a board member of Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS), a community-based volunteer organization offering culturally relevant activities for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Native Americans of the Bay Area, she’s been a judge on drag pageants. She has utilized drag to raise funds and awareness for communities. Currently, she and her drag troupe Brush Arbor Gurlz perform nationwide to educate others about Native politics and issues.

Although Landa first became interested in drag in the '80s, she admits to already borrowing her sister's dress at four years old. Despite being called a "sissy," Landa continued, eventually using drag as a means of getting into clubs in Oklahoma City despite being underage. Landa didn't drink, though, as she just wanted to be where the crowd gathered and were accepted. Landa was heavily involved in both American Indian and Gay and Lesbian student organizations while attending the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK; Landa considered herself very comfortable. However, she had to "go back into the closet" when she joined the US Navy.

Landa is known to be outspoken and political; even her drag name "Landa Lakes" is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Land-O-Lakes butter mascot.

She credits her AIM and political upbringing for her activism, especially her father and uncle. For Landa, it's hard to leave behind being an activist, which is why Landa incorporates activism in her drag performances. In her performances, she focuses on Native issues, including misconceptions about Natives to real political topics such as NO DAPL, natural resources, and MMIWR. Landa also mentions that at the beginning of some of her performances, she acknowledges the land she and her audience are on, which she says is a form of activism. "Land acknowledgment is a form of activism, you're making a political statement," she says.

Landa is one of the oldest, prominent Native American drag queens and undoubtedly influential in the LGBTQ2S+ community. She's well known throughout Indian Country, primarily San Francisco, California. She founded the Brush Arbor Gurlz, the first all-Native American drag troupe, in 2005.

Landa also became the "drag mother" [experienced drag performer who acts as a mentor and guide to someone who wants to learn the art of drag] of "drag children" [a collective of younger, inexperienced drag performers] and formed a "drag family" [group of drag performers] called House of Glitter, or HoGz for short. HoGz is a multi-ethnic drag family that has established itself well in the Bay Area, having made considerable contributions to the nightlife in San Francisco. Composed of a diverse troupe of drag performers from Glamor to Goth to Camp Drag, these girls mix their talents to create fun numbers and performances.

We sat down with Landa to chat about her journey from first starting drag in the '80s to being an integral part of the LGBTQ2S+ community of San Francisco and Indian Country.

Where are you from?

I'm originally from Tupelo, Oklahoma.

When did you first become interested in drag?

I first became interested in drag in the '80s. But, it's not like I wasn't already "borrowing" my sister's dress from early on from the age of four. Yes, I got in trouble a lot and was often called iknakfi (sissy). I first used drag as a means to get into clubs in Oklahoma City. I've never drank mind you, but when you are young, you want to be where the crowd gathers. When I wasn't trying to get into Angles or Tramps, I did love the Wreck Room, which was an underage club that had a drag show with hostess Patty Melt of the Melt Sisters.

In those days, we used to have to bring cassettes tapes to play our music for performance.

At what point where you were comfortable enough to be yourself and do drag?

Being a child of the ‘80s, I guess I was comfortable before it was cool back then. At the University of Oklahoma in Norman, I belonged to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GLA) and American Indian Student Association (AISA). I 28 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | JUNE/JULY 2020

didn’t think of it as being anything other than myself. Strangely enough, I did have to go back into the closet when I was in the US Navy, which was before the don’t-ask-don’t-tell era, but I was doing drag at a little club in San Francisco called Esta Noche. I didn’t tell my mother until around 2006 that I did drag. She came to visit and stayed in the guest room; my drag had expanded beyond my closet, and the room was being used as a dress/wig depository or drag room.

Tell us about your political upbringing. How has that influenced your life and everything that you do?

When I was five, my father was attending Murray State College, and we lived in Tishomingo at the time. My father got involved with the American Indian Movement through his classmates, also at the same time, my uncle Buster Ned had started up the Six Town Troupe made up of Chickasaw and Choctaw members promoting cultural preservation through music, dance, and language. Both of these things shaped my future. Kids wanted to be doctors and lawyers, but I just wanted to be like my relatives. If my dad wasn't going to be idle in life, there was no reason for me to accept things as they were, and if Buster was so proud of our heritage, then I was going to be too.

Why is it hard to leave behind activism as you move through life?

Activism is something I think that either happens to you or something that you witness that you cannot abide by because of its sheer inequality that can be implicit or direct. I think being in my 50's I've seen a lot of progress, but much of it couldn't have happened without activism. I think people often see the status quo as a comfortable bed that is easy to sink down into even when it's missing a few springs. I want there to be fairness that will make the lives of my nieces and nephews and next generations an easier path.

How do you incorporate activism in your drag performances?

My drag name, Landa Lakes, in itself is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Land-O-Lakes butter mascot. It can be argued that an Ojibwe artist rebranded the mascot and gave representation to Natives, but ultimately the maiden was created by Arthur C. Hanson, a white man. A white man imagined it before it finally landed onto a Native American artist's desk. But why was it a Native maiden? I believe all Native mascots are used as a message, some are for their fierceness, and some, as I believe this is the case, is for their sense of Americana, down-home American wholesome goodness, while not giving back to the Native people companies claim to honor.

My performances are varied from camp to art to glamour. Still, I do like to tackle Native issues and introduce them to an audience that is not familiar with "Indian Country", from misconceptions about Natives to real political topics such as NO DAPL, natural resources, and MMIWR. You were one of the founders of the first Native drag group, Brush Arbor Gurlz. When was this? Why did you decide to start this drag group?

Yes, I founded the Brush Arbor Gurlz affectionally known as BAGz in 2004.

The Bay Area American Indian TwoSpirits (BAAITS) volunteered to host an International Two-Spirit Gathering, which meant raising a lot of funds. I was the only person doing drag at the time in our group, and since BAAITS events are clean and sober, I decided to create the drag troupe so we could raise money at the PowerHouse, which was the sponsor of my softball team. I then talked a lot of the Native girls into performing some for the first time, others had done occasional drag before, but no one else was really in the scene. And that's how I became the Mother of the Arbor. I choose Brush Arbor Gurlz to reference the pretty girls you see at stomp dances that have a habit of staying under the brush arbors to keep out of the sun and the dust. We ran the shows for a couple of years as monthly; now we do more occasional special appearances and festivals. We didn't even realize we were the first Native drag troupe until Randy Burns (founder of Gay American Indians in 1975) inform us at one of the events.

When did you become the mother of drag house House of Glitter?

I was still reigning under an infamous underground drag title in 2005 known as Trannyshack (the name has since been changed due to its unintended at the time offensive nature) StarSearch. I started to collect "drag children" that were not Native identified, and so I didn't want to pull them into the BAGz. BAGz performer Ken Harper (Cherokee) suggested I name them House of Glitter. I did so before realizing that the acronym would be HoGz. The House of Glitter has since made considerable contributions to the nightlife here in San Francisco. nativemax.com

The Insider

“I want there to be fairness that will make the lives of my nieces and nephews and next generations an easier path.”

-Landa Lakes

Follow Landa Lakes on Instagram at @landalakes.

nativemax.com

JUNE/JULY 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 29

The Insider

Keioshiah Peter We chat with Diné sex educator and aerialist Keioshiah Peter.

Peter.

Follow Keioshiah’s journey on Instagram: @sexisceremony

Photo by Hannah Manuelito

30 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | JUNE/JULY 2020

nativemax.com

The Insider

K

eioshiah Peter is a Diné nonbinary queer femme and a sex educator and aerialist. They work with Rez Condom Tour to try and reverse the stigma around sexuality on the Navajo Nation by promoting healthy sexual expressions for Navajo youth, raise awareness about the need for sexual education and increase access to contraceptives for Navajo youth. They also practice self-love and explore their own intersectional experiences within their surroundings with circus arts as an aerialist.

A little about Keioshiah…

I grew up running in the hills and swimming in the San Juan River in the Four Corners region of Kirtland, NM. Working with Rez Condom Tour...

Matthew Skeets founded rez Condom Tour in May 2013 after successfully securing our first 2,000 condoms from the New Mexico Department of Health and handed out all the condoms in Gallup, New Mexico, and Ya-ta-hey, New Mexico. They saw this as a need in our Nation, and soon after, the Rez Condom Tour was launched as a grassroots community project. Rez Condom Tour has been spearheaded by myself and Faith Baldwin, alongside so many amazing volunteers and supporters of our work.

• • •

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“By protecting our bodies, we are protecting our people.”

Why sex, sexual expression, sexual activity, and sexuality are all taboo subjects on the Navajo Nation and why it’s essential to raise awareness about the importance of sexual education along with increasing access to contraceptives for Navajo youth...

Sex is something not talked about in the Navajo Nation. Sexual expression, sexual activity, and sexuality are all taboo subjects. Yet we know that more than half of high school seniors have been sexually active, and 36% of those seniors did not use a condom (Navajo Nation and the Indian Health Service. Navajo Nation High School Youth Risk and Resiliency Report. 2008). According to the Navajo Area Indian Health Service 2012 Annual HIV/AIDS Report, we also know that HIV cases on the Navajo Nation are on the rise at a dangerous level.

How Rez Condom Tour tackles these issues...

The Rez Condom Tour was launched to try and reverse the stigma around sexuality in the Navajo Nation. It is the mission of the Rez Condom Tour to promote healthy sexual expression for Navajo youth, raise awareness about the need for sexual education, and increase access to contraceptives for Navajo youth. We utilize a decolonial sexual health framework to initiate conversations on body autonomy, reproductive justice, social justice, and wellness through Diné-specific knowledge systems that guide our work alongside the community.

Other significant issues and causes that Rez Condom Tour and Keioshiah address...

• Encouraging safer sex practices for our relatives • Helping other Native Nations and organizations learn from our Diné knowledge-centered approach • Providing increased access to harm reduction materials such as condoms, lubes, and testing • Our co-organizers are invested in removing nativemax.com

the stigma surrounding conversations about sex and sexuality on our reservations. By protecting our bodies, we are protecting our people.

Promote healthy sexual activity Young folx invested in removing the stigma around sexuality We have a right to have access to harm reduction material for free. Protective measures must be taken to ensure our safety. In this way, we are putting control back in the hands of our people, communities, families, and individuals Rez Condom Tour also acknowledges the 2012 spike of human immunodeficiency virus in our Nation to the elevated rates of HIV/AIDS in the Navajo Nation, as reported

by Dr. Iralu. We want to address the stigma of talking about sex and our right to HIV education It is our inherent right to be able to feel safe in our territories free of racism in border towns and environmental violence against our land and people We deserve the necessary access to these

-Keioshiah Peter

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materials and resources to protect our bodies, thus protecting our people. Our inherent rights as Indigenous to these lands is to be able to live without fear, discrimination, or relation With this in mind, we strongly understand that what happens to our bodies, happen to our people, and what happens to our land, happens to our womyn and genderqueer relatives. The impacts of environmental violence against our bodies directly affect our bodies and violate our sexual and reproductive rights. This includes the violence caused by resource extraction and extractive industries within our homelands (mining, gas, oil, encroachment on our sacred sites). Fighting for our lands is fighting for our people

Introducing Reproductive Justice [for more information: sistersong.net/reproductive-justice]...

I want to take some time to acknowledge and honor the work of the Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice, who created a term grounded in addressing the intersectional experiences that POC womyn have faced and continued to such as forced sterilization, abortion rights, healthcare.

Reproductive Justice is defined by SisterSong

based in Atlanta, GA, as the “human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.”

Reproductive Justice combines reproductive rights and social justice. Reproductive Justice means to Rez Condom Tour: #SexIsCeremony.

What Keioshiah does besides Rez Condom Tour...

My narrative demonstrates admiration towards our creation stories, land, inherent knowledge systems, and love for our Holy People. I understand that our land, people, ancestors, and relatives are also supporting my efforts as I navigate through a reality filled with settler colonialism, genocide, racism, and more. I’m highly motivated by my love of water as a holder of knowledge; as a young person, I worked as a river guide and use many of the teachings that I learned within health promotion as a way to navigate this reality. Fluidity and compassion are leadership traits that I work to incorporate into my understanding of accountability to our territory, knowledge, and ancestors.

In this life, my critical consciousness has grown in ways that I am still in awe as I continue to be in this world.

Healing with movement arts...

The act of movement allows for me to practice self-love as I weave my body around queer apparatuses to explore my own intersectional experiences within Dinétah, border towns, and as a visitor currently taking space on Tewa Territory.

Circus arts continue to heal each wound inflicted by trauma stemming from settler colonialism, heteropatriarchy, racism, white supremacy, and land/gender-based violence. My understanding of meeting new goals informed by creativity and movement arts has allowed me to acknowledge my potential to realize my goals and to navigate through difficult situations. I hope to continue this pathway to more areas in my life as I move away from my full-time position in the non-profit industrial complex, and return to organizing for our relatives while also navigating a world alongside the COVID-19 pandemic. In my community on Tewa territory now, my role is to learn all that I can and bring it back to our territory as a Diné queer femme for the sake of liberation.

Admiration for my homelands and the San Juan River has embedded fluidity into my understanding of my movement building, as I realized that my passion and heartwork is grounded in the knowledge I have engaged and grown from through Indigenous feminist theory, being in solidarity with my LGBTQ2S+ relatives, and organizing for our relatives.

The possibilities are endless, and I’m continually working to understand my past to gain insight into the power of my autonomy underneath societal expectations built over years of survival, which can only be further supported. My creative and organizing process is informed by movement and critical consciousness; to understand my gender identity, I must also work to expand my analysis of the structures of oppression and dismantling settler colonialism and heteropatriarchy.

It has been a few years since I’ve been introduced to circus arts, and I also feel as if I am still at the beginning of my organizing and movement building through movement arts even more so with the current pandemic.

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On Radar New Music

Shawnee Dropped Newest Track for Pride Month Mohawk two-spirit singer Shawnee just dropped a brand new single & we’re completely obsessed.

Listen to Shawnee’s newest single “Don’t Go” on Spotify.

With her music, First Nations two-spirit pop singer Shawnee (Mohawk from Six Nations of the Grand River) advocates for LGBTQ2S+ issues as well as the youth. Known throughout Canada as a rebellious, passionate, powerhouse female and award-winning vocalist, Shawnee surely created a buzz when she announced dropping a brand new track from her upcoming album.

Shawnee’s newest release, titled “Don’t Go,” is a fun and upbeat 80’s style song. “The song is a fun dance track that is different than anything I have done previously. It’s got an 80’s vibe,” she explained excitedly. Shawnee had planned to release it during the Pride month of June. This is just a taste of her next album, which is set to be released later this year.

Her newest single reflects her signature style of music: emotional and personable. When asked where she finds inspiration for new music, Shawnee answers, “I find inspiration from what I have overcome, from my journey and path, and from what is going on around me in the world.” Shawnee also finds inspiration in knowing that music is medicine and a powerful tool that can be used to change someone’s life by inspiring them, the same way it has done, and continues to for her.

Shawnee’s music, including music videos, frequently features and focuses on youth. This is because the youth are the future, and it’s important for youth to feel honored and valued.

“Any opportunity I have to give to youth to feel empowered and inspired, I will.”

Shawnee’s had a musical upbringing. She grew up playing instruments, singing, and writing music. When asked what music she listened to, she answers mostly classical music and Melissa Etheridge. Her first singing performance was when she portrayed a Shania Twain impersonator at the age of 12.

It wasn’t until graduating high school she began performing original music.

PHOTO COURTESY

PLUS: 5 BOOKS WRITTEN BY TWO-SPIRIT/ INDIGIQUEER AUTHORS 32 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | JUNE/JULY 2020

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On Radar

5 Books Written by Two-Spirit/ Indigiqueer Authors The month of June is both Pride and Indigenous History Month (Canada), and this is a reminder to take the time (tomorrow and every day after) to learn from and listen to two-spirit and queer Indigenous voices. Here are 5 books, poems, and stories selected by Lea of Gwaandak Theatre you can read today by two-spirit and queer Indigenous authors.

2. Passage by Gwen Benaway In her second collection of poetry, Passage, Gwen Benaway examines what it means to experience violence and speaks to the burden of survival. Traveling to Northern Ontario and across the Great Lakes, Passage is a poetic voyage through divorce, family violence, a legacy of colonization, and the affirmation of a new sexuality and gender.

Striking and raw in sparse lines, the collection showcases a vital Two Spirited identity that transects borders of race, gender, and experience.

In Passage, the poet seeks to reconcile herself to the land, the history of her ancestors, and her separation from her partner and family by invoking the beauty and power of her ancestral waterways. Passage is a book burning with a beautiful intensity and reveals Benaway as one of the most powerful emerging poets writing in Indigenous poetics today.

About the author: A Two-Spirited Trans poet, Gwen Benaway is of Anishinaabe and Metis descent.

Photo: Kegedonce Press

1. Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist In her powerful debut collection of poetry, Arielle Twist unravels the complexities of human relationships after death and metamorphosis. In these spare yet powerful poems, she explores, with both rage and tenderness, the parameters of grief, trauma, displacement, and identity. Weaving together a past made murky by uncertainty and a present which exists in multitudes, Arielle Twist poetically navigates through what it means to be an Indigenous trans woman, discovering the possibilities of a hopeful future and a transcendent, beautiful path to regaining softness.

About the author: Arielle Twist is a writer and sex educator originally from George Gordon First Nation, Saskatchewan, Canada. Arielle is a Cree, TwoSpirit, trans femme supernova writing to reclaim and harness ancestral magic and memories.

Photo: Arsenal Pulp Press

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On Radar 3. NDN Coping Mechanisms: Notes from the Field by Billy-Ray Belcourt In the follow-up to his Griffin Poetry Prize-winning collection, This Wound is a World, Billy-Ray Belcourt writes using the modes of accusation and interrogation. He aims an anthropological eye at the realities of everyday life to show how they house the violence that continues to reverberate from the long twentieth century. In a genre-bending constellation of poetry, photography, redaction, and poetics, Belcourt ultimately argues that if signifiers of Indigenous suffering are everywhere, so too is evidence of Indigenous peoples’ rogue possibility, their utopian drive.

About the author: Billy-Ray Belcourt is a Two-Spirit writer and academic from the Driftpile Cree Nation.

Photo: House of Anansi Press

4. Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead Off the reserve and trying to find ways to live and love in the big city, Jonny becomes a cybersex worker who fetishizes himself in order to make a living.

Self-ordained as an NDN glitter princess, Jonny has one week before he must return to the "rez"--and his former life--to attend the funeral of his stepfather.

The seven days that follow are like a fevered dream: stories of love, trauma, sex, kinship, ambition, and the heartbreaking recollection of his beloved kokum (grandmother). Jonny's life is a series of breakages, appendages, and linkages-and as he goes through the motions of preparing to return home, he learns how to put together the pieces of his life. Jonny Appleseed is a unique, shattering vision of First Nations life, full of grit, glitter, and dreams.

About the author: Joshua Whitehead is an Oji-Cree/nehiyaw, Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer member of Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1).

Photo: Arsenal Pulp Press

5. Fireweed by Tunchai Redvers Fireweed is a collection of poetry that explores the rawness, trauma, and realities of adolescence compounded with the experience of being a young, Indigenous, and two-spirit intergenerational residential school survivor. Rooted in the symbolism and growth of fireweed, a flower native to the northwest of Canada, this collection takes readers through the hurt, healing, love, and spreading that encompassed the first twenty-three years of the author's attempt to find the truth, safety, and connection. Grounded in the simplicity of words and the illustration of the north, this book is a powerful window into the process of finding oneself while reclaiming culture and identity.

About the author: Tunchai Redvers is a two-spirit writer of the Deninu K’ue First Nation.

Photo: Kegedonce Press

About the Gwaandak Theatre: Gwaandak Theatre, the Yukon’s only Indigenous-centered theatre company, was founded in Whitehorse in 1999 by theatre artists Leonard Linklater and Patti Flather. Gwaandak Theatre’s vision is to illuminate Indigenous and Northern stories around the world. Gwaandak Theatre develops, produces and tours plays for both youth and adults. Their programming also includes new play workshops, readings, and training for theatre artists.

This list of books written by Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer authors was curated for Gwandaak Theater by Léa Roy-Ber-

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natchez, who is the Artistic Producer for Gwandaak Theatre.

Léa is a movement artist, stage manager, and producer who was born and grew up in Gaspésie, on unceded Mi’kmaq territory. She identifies as a white Queer woman who also acknowledges her mixed French, Basque, and Mi’kmaq ancestry. She has been involved with Gwaandak Theatre since 2015 as a production stage manager, assistant producer, and performer–and since July 2019 as Artistic Producer.

For more information about Gwaandak Theatre, visit www. gwaandaktheatre.ca.

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