Welcome to the December edition of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Newsletter. This edition includes recent news and past, current, and upcoming happenings at IAIA. For questions, comments, or feedback, please contact IAIA Director of Communications Jason S. Ordaz at jason.ordaz@iaia.edu.

Students and graduates know first-hand that it is hard work staying in school—semester after semester, year after year. In this short series, Many Nations, One Family, students and graduates share reasons why they decided to stay in school at IAIA. Aside from earning a degree, additional benefits include access to studios and supplies, professional equipment, Library and Counseling resources, and peer-to-peer engagement. IAIA students are part of a unique Indigenous legacy formed by resilience and unity, and together they are Many Nations, One Family.

IAIA student Fonzy Nequatewa (Navajo/Hopi) ’25 explains how she has roots at IAIA, which allows her to continue to grow. Even though she took a gap year during the pandemic, she returned to IAIA, and with a new perspective.

“I enjoy going where my mom went for her art experience. Now I’m going, and I’m setting a new path off from the artists in my family by going into cinematic arts to make Indigenous films. I basically grew up in Santa Fe from going to Santa Fe Indian Market, so I’ve been coming here since I was in the womb! When I first discovered IAIA in my hometown in Flagstaff, AZ, this school called out to me.

When I first came here, I was a Performing Arts major. When COVID hit, I decided to take a gap year, and during that time, I decided to go into Cinematic Arts and Technology because I grew up on movies. My mom is really proud of me for attending IAIA and for doing what I want to do. Movies are very enjoyable and I want to be behind the camera for once.”

Another IAIA student who took time off and decided to return, Michael Bozzuto (Taos Pueblo) ’23 (pictured in the newsletter header) says that the connections he’s made with peers have been authentic and life-saving.

“It wasn’t entirely my decision to take time off. I’ve been a chronic alcoholic for more than half my life and, because of that I was kicked out of IAIA. But it was my decision to come back. I went to rehab, I got really spiritual and into meditation, and I decided to write a letter of apology to IAIA and explain my change of behavior and consciousness. I was readmitted and when I returned everyone was happy to see me and I thought that was a beautiful thing.

It’s nice to be in a creative environment and draw inspiration from other artists who work in various different mediums. It gives me a different perspective to see how they see things. I’m so happy I’ve made these connections. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to, human energy, someone to witness.

Now, I’ve been sober for 14 months and I’m glad I decided to write those words of apology and account for what happened. This is the best way for me to stay on track. Recently, I lost my mother, and she really wanted to see me graduate. So, my finishing, it’ll count for something.”

2021 has been a year of perseverance and growth. We awarded more students scholarships than ever before, we welcomed our first grad students into our new Low-Residency MFA in Studio Arts (MFASA) program, we began construction for our new IAIA Research Center for Contemporary Native Arts (RCCNA), we expanded our Land-Grant Program with initiatives such as on-campus apiaries, and so much more. But our mission “to empower creativity and leadership in Native arts and cultures through higher education, lifelong learning, and outreach” would not be possible without your generous support!

We would like to offer a very heartfelt “thank you” to all our supporters. You have made a tremendous difference in the lives of so many students through scholarships, the Student Emergency Fund, enhanced programs and facilities, and other vital resources and services that our students from almost 100 tribal nations need to complete their education.

As we look to 2022, we hope you will continue to support the important work that IAIA does. To show our gratitude, if you donate $150 or more to IAIA, your name will be entered in a raffle to receive one of several gifts, including an overnight stay in a King Casita at the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado, Santa Fe; a one-night stay at The Blake Hotel in Taos Ski Valley; an overnight stay at a Heritage Hotel in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, or Taos; a copy of Making History: IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) (a beautifully illustrated history of IAIA); passes for free admission to MoCNA; and more! The deadline for the drawing is December 15 at midnight (MST).

Generations of IAIA graduates have become renowned artists, filmmakers, poets, writers, and community leaders. Please, take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to empower tomorrow’s Indigenous artists and leaders.

Please, take a moment to make a generous donation today!

On Saturday, November 6, 2021 Santa Fe-based Mountain Mover Media won Rocky Mountain Emmys for two of its productions: “Becoming: ORLANDO DUGI,” in the Arts Programming (Short Form) category, and “Yo Prometo” for best Musical Arrangement/Composition.

“Becoming” is an intimate, eight-minute biopic on Navajo fashion designer, and former IAIA Artist-in-Residence (A-i-R) artist, Orlando Dugi. It was directed, shot, and edited by Mountain Mover Media owner Kaela Waldstein and produced by IAIA Assistant Professor Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (Blackfoot/Siksita) for the Southwest Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA). The Emmy received for this film marks the second time Bear Robe and Waldstein have won an Emmy on a collaboration—the first being their 2018 video “Walk with Pride: Santa Fe Indian Market’s Haute Couture Fashion Show.” Through vibrant imagery and interviews, “Becoming” follows the creation and reveal of Dugi’s stunning 2020 Capsule Collection and explores how his work draws from his Navajo culture, his upbringing, and his deep love and respect for the women in his family, who he has dearly missed during the pandemic. “Becoming” was the feature video for SWAIA’s 2020 Virtual Indian Market Fashion Show and, during the past year, has been selected for 15 film festivals and has received multiple awards.

We are deeply saddened to acknowledge the loss of DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo (Diné, Taos Pueblo), who recently passed away. A memorial service was held in the Performing Arts and Fitness Center Gym on Wednesday, December 1, from 12–2 pm. During the Memorial and Celebration of Life, family, friends, and the IAIA Community offered sentiments about DeAnna. The event was livestreamed on the IAIA website and IAIA’s official Facebook page. The video is archived and can be watched on the IAIA website.

DeAnna graduated from IAIA in Spring 2021 with a BFA in Studio Arts and was admitted into IAIA’s inaugural MFA in Studio Arts cohort in Summer 2021.

DeAnna loved to celebrate her Diné and Taos Pueblo heritage and to create art that reflected Pueblo cultural significance and aesthetics. Inspired by heroic figures of Japanese manga novels including Sailor Moon, she imbued her work with memory, resilience, and good intentions. Her most recent work emphasized figural paintings of strong Indigenous women who, in her words, “grind every day for a better community.”

DeAnna showed artwork at SWAIA for over a decade and was also a featured artist at many national arts markets, including the Heard Museum Indian Market and Fair, the Autry Museum Artist Market, and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian Artist Market. She was a SITE Santa Fe Scholar and a 2021 Taos Fine Arts Visionary Artist.

DeAnna’s artwork has been exhibited across the country, including recent shows at MoCNA in the 2021 BFA Virtual Exhibition Manifesting Our Destinies and the IAIA 2021 BFA Exhibition A Retrospective of Change. She will be remembered as a dedicated student, a devoted friend, a kind person, and a passionate artist whose creativity knew no bounds.

Get your holiday shopping done from home this year and visit IAIA’s annual Holiday Art Market, being held virtually this year through December 24, 2021. This online market featuring artwork by IAIA alums, students, faculty, and staff is a great opportunity to pick up handmade items created by Indigenous artists.

View the full list of participating artists with links to their online shops and watch a recording of the launch event at www.iaia.edu/holidaymarket.

If you have questions, please contact foundation@iaia.edu or the Office of Institutional Advancement at (505) 424-5730.

Holiday Art Market art by IAIA Student Tiara J. Yazzie (Navajo) ’22.

161—that’s the number of people who received a COVID-19 vaccine on campus through the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) on Friday, December 3. The vaccines (Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer) were administered in the Performing Arts and Fitness Center Gym by NMDOH staff and active US armed forces members. “This was much more convenient than making [and going to] an appointment in Albuquerque. I only had to walk from my office to the gym—it’s about a one-minute walk,” said Madge Duus (Diné), IAIA Mental Health Counselor and Art Therapist. “And, I did not have to wait in line at all. In under 15 mins, I was able to receive my shot and hang out during the waiting period.”

IAIA President Dr. Robert Martin plans to schedule another vaccination clinic in Spring 2022—stay tuned for an announcement in the new year.

The IAIA staff, faculty, and student vaccination rate is currently hovering at 98%, and now with community members receiving booster shots, the IAIA Community continues to be a safe place. As an added perk, Dr. Martin is offering $50 Visa gift cards to staff and faculty who receive a COVID-19 vaccination booster.

The National Emerging Museum Professionals Network (NEMPN), a major nonprofit network for museum professionals, has launched its very first awards program in order to “recognize individuals and institutions who have shown outstanding service to emerging museum professionals.” For the Inaugural EMP Awards, IAIA’s Museum Studies Department has received an award for Best Museum Studies Program. For this category, three museum studies degree/certificate programs in the nation were recognized for the diversity and inclusiveness of their programs and the quality education and training they provide to emerging museum professionals. The other two were The Cooperstown Graduate Program and The University of Washington Museology Master of Arts Program.

Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery Director Mattie Reynolds (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) explains that the national recognition from this award expands museum professional networks exponentially. “We’ll not only have more people and organizations exposed to IAIA, but this also exposes our students to NEMPN,” Reynolds says. “We’re one of the oldest Museum Studies programs at a school in the country, so it’s a very well-established program. Larger nonprofits and organizations that are dedicated to museum professionals and the field highlighting what IAIA does helps get our name out there as a competitive program for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous museum professionals.” Currently, New Mexico is beginning their own NEMPN affiliate chapter through the New Mexico Association of Museums (NMAM), according to Reynolds. This will be an extraordinary resource for current students and recent graduates in museum studies programs in New Mexico and it exemplifies the exponential network growth that Reynolds speaks of.

What makes IAIA’s Museum Studies program stand out as one of the best programs in the country is its Indigenous approach to learning as well as its practical, hands-on methods which readily prepare emerging museum professionals for work in the field straight out of the program. “Our program is focused on Indigenous ways of knowing and practice, as well as ethical and moral approaches to museum work,” says Reynolds. “This makes us really unique. We teach our students the traditional Western way to do things in the museum, and then we tell them to unlearn all that and we teach them a more Indigenous approach to museum work.” This well-rounded, inclusive methodology places emerging museum professionals at an advantage, whether they are new to the museum field or looking to expand their knowledge in the field.

While students in IAIA’s Museum Studies program receive their share of theory, the hands-on applications in the curriculum exceed that of other programs. “We’re very logically structured to support museum professionals right off the bat,” says Reynolds. “Working in the gallery, for example, is one of the required classes. Students get a lot of experience installing and deinstalling exhibitions. We also have collections care and conservation classes. This practical, applicable approach to learning museology is very unique.”

This awards program comes as part of NEMPN’s rebranding they underwent at the beginning of the year. As another part of their rebranding, they have officially changed their title to the acronym, and as this act has reminded them of IHOP, the trophy for the Inaugural EMP Awards will be an engraved bottle of maple syrup. “I’m thinking of maybe having a pancake feast so we can use up our maple syrup award,” says Reynolds. The announcement of the Inaugural EMP Awards can be viewed on the NEMPN website.

This semester, the IAIA Creative Writing Department hosted a writing contest open to all IAIA students. The categories were Poetry, Fiction, and Non-Fiction, and four winners were chosen overall. We are pleased to showcase the incredible talent that is coming out of IAIA. Read the winning submissions Unforgotten by Dante Biss-Grayson (Osage), that night i couldn’t sleep by Rebakkah Santos (Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma Descendant), Always Remembered by KamiJo Whiteclay (Crow), and You Helped Me by Shantel Chee (Diné).

When I walk I carry the weight of my bones through miles of pain and heartache. An ache so deep it calls upon the ancestors for healing and guidance. My sisters and brothers, missing and murdered. Leave us missing a piece of our hearts. As I bleed out onto the world, I remember the strength that runs through these veins. Coursing like a river flowing through the majestic mountains. Washing away all the tears and pain. May the stars watch over the souls of the missing and murdered and bring peace to those who hurt. Let the light shine down into the darkness as we try to gain understanding. Missing and Murdered. Murdered and missing. Why not always remembered? May we always remember our brothers and sisters when we look up to the stars. May their eternal light shine down on our broken hearts. I’ll dance and sing for you until my soul joins yours. We’ll meet in the heavens and dance and sing forever and ever.

—KamiJo Whiteclay (Crow)

Read the full story.

In November, the IAIA Communications Department hosted a Polaroid Pop-Up Booth to promote the IAIA social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok. IAIA Students Monika Guerra (Mexican-American) ’22 and Derrell Lopez (Diné) ’23 made polaroid portraits of any student, faculty, or alum who wanted to stand in front of the lights and smile for an instant image. To go alongside the portraits, guests were presented with the opportunity to anonymously write down their answer to the question, “What is one thing that being here at IAIA has taught you?” Some of the answers include “It has taught me there is no fear in being Two-Spirit,” “Indigenous empowerment. Being Native is unique and beautiful,” and “I really learned how to embody the ‘SKODEN’ mindset. It’s workin’ for me.”

Curated by Guerra and Lopez, the one-of-a-kind Polaroid portraits and hand-written responses were displayed in a small exhibition in the Lloyd Kiva New Welcome Center Lobby.

Guerra said, “Looking back on the students’, faculty’s, and alums’ answers that were written down, and seeing how much this school has really helped them in one way or another, was heartwarming to see.”

“Being able to share my interest in instant photography with my peers, professors, and the friends I’ve made here at IAIA has been a dream come true,” is Lopez’s view.

IAIA is pleased to host French actor, director, and painter Sébastien Lange as a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence. Lange’s residency at IAIA is for the 2021–2022 academic year. Lange brings expertise in not only performing arts, but also in the use of technology, as many of his productions incorporate projections and 3D immersive techniques. This knowledge that Lange is sharing with the IAIA Performing Arts faculty and students will greatly enhance the program, advancing knowledge and options for performing arts production and utilizing the IAIA Digital Dome, which previously has been primarily used by IAIA’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department.

Lange has worked with artists from all around the world, including various Indigenous peoples—most recently the Rarámuri in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. “I’m an artist and a traveler,” Lange explains. “I’ve traveled to about 100 countries in my life. My aim from the beginning was to go into art schools and meet artists from all over the world.” Lange has been in contact with the IAIA community since 2014 and over the years has been a visiting talent in IAIA’s Performing Arts classes.

While at IAIA, Lange plans to share knowledge in aspects that have been helpful to him as an artist—not just in his specialization, which is theater, but in a broader sense. “I want to teach the connection between things in art and culture and human knowledge,” he says. “My passion is that everything is linked. You cannot act well if you don’t know how to analyze where a writer is speaking from. You have to be passionate for curiosity, for always hearing the world.”

Lange will teach various workshops and participate in community collaborations, such as teaching a workshop at the Santa Fe Indian School. At the culmination of Lange’s residency, there will be a public performance in the IAIA Digital Dome. For all upcoming workshops and presentations, visit the IAIA Community Calendar.

IAIA Students,

Don’t let living away from home while you attend college stop you for casting your vote. Did you know that if you’re away from home, you can still vote by mail? You can request an absentee ballot on your state’s voter website. You can also register to vote or check your registration status.

Go to www.vote.gov and enter your state to find your state’s voting website, or if you are a resident of New Mexico, go to www.nmvote.org. You can also find answers to questions about voting, find out more about candidates, and find polling locations, all from your state’s voter website or www.vote.gov.

For nearly 60 years, IAIA has played a major role in empowering Native storytellers to give voice to the Indigenous experience and share their perspectives in mainstream media. In the Fall 2021 semester, IAIA expanded this role with the new Certificate in Broadcast Journalism.

The 24-credit Broadcast Journalism Certificate program incorporates pre-existing courses from the Creative Writing, Cinematic Arts and Technology, and Performing Arts departments, and involves writing courses, hands-on training, and an internship. The certificate was designed in response to IAIA's recent partnership with NBCU Academy, which is granting scholarships of $10,000 to third- and fourth-year bachelor-degree-seeking IAIA students who declare the certificate. IAIA is one of 17 colleges/universities that NBCU Academy has partnered with as part of their commitment to diversify their newsrooms. “In all aspects of storytelling, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, it’s important for Native storytellers to take responsibility and ownership over their own stories,” explains Cinematic Arts and Technology Department Chair James Lujan (Taos Pueblo), who oversees the Broadcast Journalism Certificate. “The Broadcast Journalism Certificate is a good opportunity for Native storytellers who want to tell stories from their own community, from their own point of view. This certificate will give them the tools to be able to do that and take ownership of their stories.”

In addition to providing students with the necessary skills and experience to pursue careers in broadcast media, students in the Broadcast Journalism Certificate program will have an internship to add to their résumés and students who receive the NBCU Academy scholarship can also add that they are NBC News Fellows. The deadline to apply for the $10,000 NBCU Academy scholarship is January 4, 2022.

Photograph by Lonnie R. Begaye (Diné) ’21.

If you missed MoCNA’s monthly announcement on November 23, you can still view the December Exhibitions and Public Programs newsletter on the Constant Contact website. The newsletter features recent news, happenings, exhibitions, public programs, new offerings from the IAIA Store, and much more.

The Museum is open Monday and Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 am–5 pm, and on Sunday from 11 am–4 pm. The Museum remains closed on Tuesdays.

IAIA is looking to hire driven individuals who believe in and support IAIA’s mission, “To empower creativity and leadership in Native arts and cultures through higher education, lifelong learning, and outreach.”

IAIA offers competitive salaries and an outstanding benefits package for regular full-time positions, which includes, medical, dental, vision, term life, long term disability, short term disability, a 403B investment plan, and Employee Assistance Program.

To see available positions, view the Employment page.

Watch Town Hall Meetings hosted by IAIA President Dr. Robert Martin.

The Vimeo playlist includes 21 videos, all of which are archived and can be viewed at anytime. (Includes town hall meetings, convocation, and others.)

When it comes to higher education, it would seem IAIA was only the beginning for IAIA Alumna Angelica Gallegos (Chicana) ’15. Since graduating with a BFA in Museum Studies, Gallegos has gone on to pursue two additional degrees—an MA in History at Arizona State University, which is nearly complete, and a BFA in Chicano Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. After completing her degree in Museum Studies, she recognized the interconnectedness of knowledge and decided to further her education to support her interests. As a first-generation college student and mother, Gallegos hopes her passion for education and lifelong learning inspires her son to discover who he is, contribute to his community, and know that he can achieve anything with hard work, determination, and compassion.

As A-i-R Assistant, Gallegos combines what she learned from IAIA with new knowledge she has acquired to contribute to the community in a meaningful way. The Museum Studies program at IAIA provided Gallegos with a better understanding of the relationship between museums, institutions, public programming, and the community. She enjoys working with the Artists-in-Residence and learning about their practice, techniques, and who they are as individuals. With the connections made between the IAIA community and artists from across the nation and Canada, the A-i-R program has allowed Gallegos to embrace her passion for community and public programming. As she goes on, she hopes to continue to apply her knowledge and skill sets for community collaboration.

The following contains information about recent happenings and news within the IAIA community.

Upcoming and ongoing Happenings at IAIA and MoCNA.

Current Exhibitions at MoCNA.

Additionally, you can view the IAIA Community Calendar, which includes community-only happenings, as well as important dates from the Academic Calendar. (IAIA Community: If you would like to subscribe to the IAIA Community Calendar, please send a request to jason.ordaz@iaia.edu.)

For questions, comments, or feedback, please contact IAIA Director of Communications Jason S. Ordaz at jason.ordaz@iaia.edu.

Newsletter written by IAIA Communications staff Jason S. Ordaz, Nicole Lawe (Karuk) ’16, and Veronica Clark ’21. All photographs by Jason S. Ordaz, unless cited otherwise.

The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is the only college in the world dedicated to the study of contemporary Native American and Alaska Native arts. IAIA offers undergraduate degrees in Cinematic Arts and Technology, Creative Writing, Indigenous Liberal Studies, Museum Studies, Performing Arts, and Studio Arts; graduate degrees in Creative Writing and Studio Arts; and certificates in Broadcast Journalism, Business and Entrepreneurship, Museum Studies, and Native American Art History. The college serves approximately 500 full-time equivalent (FTE) Native and non-Native American students from around the globe, representing nearly a hundred federally recognized tribes. Named one of the top art institutions by UNESCO and the International Association of Art, IAIA is among the leading art institutes in our nation and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).