DALE DEFOREST
BORDERLANDS REGION, 2022 - 2023
Dale Deforest (he/him) grew up in the Four Corners area of the Navajo Nation, around Shiprock and Farmington, New Mexico, graduating from the Navajo Preparatory School in 1995 and then studying 2-D Arts and Photography at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, from which he graduated in 2000. Deforest works in photography with grainy film and rough edges while maintaining crisp and cleverly captured moments in a solid frame. His other primary practice is sequential and 2-D art. He employs high-contrast and thick lines to convey bold imagery matched with bright and vivid colors. Artwork that can be used to not only express, but captivate and manipulate thought and action, has always been Deforest’s goal as an artist.
Dale is writing and illustrating a graphic novel that depicts Native American entrepreneurs in his community. In collaboration with Vanessa Roanhorse, CEO and Portfolio Lead of Roanhorse Consulting, they hope their work celebrates and raises visibility for indigenous entrepreneurs, as well as inspires others to pursue their own projects.
CULTURE HUB
Albuquerque is a culturally rich community, due largely in part to the efforts of the City of Albuquerque's Department of Arts & Culture. With 19 Public Library branches, two museums, two performance theaters, a zoo, aquarium, botanic garden, and popular fishing ponds, numerous large- and small-scale family-friendly events and activities, a vast array of Public Art, the historic plazas of Old Town, government/community television, and much more, the department sustains Albuquerque's quality of life at a high level for residents and visitors alike. The mission of the Department of Arts & Culture is to enhance the quality of life in the city by celebrating Albuquerque's unique history and culture, and providing services, entertainment, programs, and collections that improve literacy, economic vitality, and learning in state of the art facilities that enrich city life and increase tourism to Albuquerque.
SOCIAL IMPACT INITIATIVE
Roanhorse Consulting LLC is an Indigenous women-owned firm working with unheralded communities, businesses, organizations, and individuals to achieve and aspire their self-determination through forging communities of practice, strengthening indigenous evaluation methods, creating equity through entrepreneurship, and encouraging economic empowerment from within. RCLLC co-designs wealth and power building efforts that directly invest in our leaders, support meaningful data collection informed by indigenous research approaches, and helps build thoughtful community-led projects that enforce values that put people at the center.