Here Before, Hear Now

Dr. Two Bears is from the Navajo Nation. She brings a native perspective to archaeology, most recently recovering and recording information on federal Indian boarding schools. Her most recent work profiles the tribal response to the boarding Indian schools with its own community schools that heavily promote and teach Navajo language and culture.

Patty Talahongva is a Hopi journalist whose made her career in the television news industry. She’s currently working on a book focusing on Indian Boarding Schools using her first-hand experience at the Phoenix Indian School.

Chelsea Curtis is a Navajo journalist currently working for AZ Luminaria. She is currently focusing her reporting on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Transgender People crisis through a new grant. Chelsea is currently building a database of these cases and profiling victims, their families and advocates. She hopes data will spur change.

Logan Tsinigine details his great-great grandfather Hastin Taadidiin’s life story in the new documentary Bad Indian. It focuses on Taadiiin’s story of survival amid the forced relocation of Navajo people during the “Long Walk” by hiding in Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Nation. Tsinigine details Taadidiin’s story and also shares how his legacy in the canyon lives on to this day with Taadidiin Tours.

Arlyssa is a member of the Navajo Nation. She’s the breaking news editor and indigenous affairs reporter for The Arizona Republic. She has over a decade of experience covering Navajo Nation. She talks to Colton about her journey into journalism and about her reporting process. 

A member of the Navajo Nation, Connor Chee is a classically-trained pianist and composer. He blends his skills on the piano with his cultural heritage. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at 12 years old, and he currently has four studio albums out. 

Dr. Yvette Brown-Shirley is a member of the Navajo Nation who is a sports neurologist at Barrow Neurological Institute. Her passion is building relationships with Native American communities to address neurologic health inequities.

Natalie Benally is a Native artist who has graced the small and silver screen. She's currently based in Santa Fe, New Mexico with several projects under her belt and more in the works. 

Laney Lupe is from the White Mountain Apache Tribe. She was crowned Miss Indian Arizona in October 2023. Her mission as part of her reign is to visit all 22 tribal nations in Arizona to promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

Hosava Kretzmann (Navajo/Hopi) has dreams of competing in the Olympics as a marathon runner, as he was the first American to finish at the 2023 LA Marathon. He points to his culture and background as to what inspires him.