“Indigenous art is often perceived as resistance when, in fact, it is our very existence which is an act of resistance.” – Elizabeth La Pensée

A parallel to Afrofuturism, Indigenous Futurisms (a term which Dr. Grace Dillon coined in her book Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction) is a reclamation of Indigenous sovereignty from mainstream media. Transcending past/present/future, it imagines a world where colonization hasn’t disrupted the civilization of Indigenous people and the representation of Indigenous people hasn’t been skewed in favor of the colonial project. In this body of work, dripped in blood memory, I strive to place Black and Native narratives and agency at the forefront, gesturing toward collective acts of resistance amid present-day nefarious modes of systemic racism. By creating a glimpse of who came before us, we address the intertwined Afro-Indigenous histories of colonized life and demand futures of decolonization in art and community.

Juleana Enright is an Indigenous, queer, non-binary writer, curator, and DJ living in Minneapolis. They are a member of the Sicangu Lakota Tribe of Lower Brulé, South Dakota. Their past roles have included culture editor for l’étoile magazine and communications specialist for art space, Gamut Gallery. They have contributed to local platforms Pride Magazine, mplsart.com, Primer, and City Pages. Juleana has curated two art exhibitions, including solo curatorial show in the spring of 2018 titled, “Soft Boundaries,” which explored how the vulnerable narrative can be used as a an act of resistance, liberation, and healing. They have been awarded a fellowship from mnartists.org and worked with KFAI Radio to create audio documentaries centered on community stories. Juleana has mentored for the DJ-U program, a MPLS-based nonprofit workshop series by and for femme, trans & non-binary POC, and is the co-curator and co-founder of the multi-sensory queer dance and performance night, Feelsworldwide. In 2019, Juleana co-directed Lightning Rod, a week-long works-in-process theatre initiative. In 2020, they were a participating artist in Controlled Burn, where they exhibited an audio/visual installation in collaboration with photographer Dom Laba, “To Wash the Native Out of Us,” on the history of Indian boarding schools through the lens of family experiences.