KASSAUNDRA JOHN

Yá’át’ééh, Shí eí Kassaundra John yinishyé. Hello! My name is Kassaundra John, I am a proud Native woman hailing from the Navajo (Diné) Nation Growing up on the Navajo reservation, where the mesas and mountain ranges gave me a boundless imagination, I had witnessed the many hardships my Diné people face, especially those problems experienced by the youth. Drug and alcohol abuse, suicide and depression are just a few things I know all too well, however, instead of falling through the cracks my family encouraged me to use art and Pow Wow dancing as alternative ways to express myself.

Attending a Universtiy that’s predominantly White, made me realize how important it is for me to make sure people know that I’m still here. The big misconception that all Native Americans still live in tipis, wearing headdress and hunting buffalo is a white lie that we use to cover up the years of cultural genocide. In my graphic artwork, I want to show today’s contemporary Natives by highlighting my role models. My goal is to show the world the life of Inter-Tribal Pow Wow dancing and how it’s empowering my Indigenous communities just like how Gen-I embodies our Native voice.