NMAI Artist Leadership Program, and Life

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

There are not many ways to describe this season in life. One of the worst summers of my life, and it ended with my dad’s passing. Then I got a phone call.

June 2012

In May, 2012, I had applied for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian’s Artist Leadership Program. Amid the disasters of the summer, I still checked the mailbox every day in August, catching myself going out there on Sundays too. Waiting, waiting for a letter that would either accept me or a say a polite try again.

Givers

Choctaws are a giving people. How many examples do I see of this at Labor Day every year? I’ll just recount my personal ones from 2011.

Commemorative

It was the journey of many lifetimes.

The day started last May at five a.m.. With the three hour drive from East Texas to Tvshka Homma, Oklahoma, we left nothing to chance on missing any part of this great day.

The moment we arrived on Tribal Grounds, our family was treated like VIP’s. Shuttled on a golf cart from the parking area and then by bus to the starting point, we were greeted by Chief Gregory Pyle and Assistant Chief Gary Batton.