4KINSHIP is excited to announce INDIGENOUS FUTURES 4EVER (IF4), a benefit fashion show during Santa Fe Indian Market on Saturday, August 17, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time at Railyard Park, sponsored by Build Native with Shopify, an initiative dedicated to empowering Indigenous brands of all sizes in establishing and growing their businesses. The fashion experience is being produced in cross-border allyship with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, Supernaturals Models, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, and artists from across Turtle Island as IF4 breaks down boundaries to connect all Indigenous relatives in a unique integrated experience blending fashion, dance, music, art, and Indigenous spirit.
IF4 will feature designers Amy Denet Deal, Carla Fernandez, Graziano & Gutierrez, HSTRY MKRS, Debra and Aleen Sparrow, Josh Tafoya, Lily Yeung, Jennifer Younger & debut fashion line, Savage Kids, by Snotty Nose Rez Kids member Quinton Nyce. IF4’s multidisciplinary artists and performers include Serena Adams, Taigan Alred, Nizhonniya Austin, Raven Bright, E. Esperanza, Sarain Fox, Alicia Hanton, James Jones (The Notorious Cree), Mathew Delorme King, Shandien Sonwai LaRance, Lucaa, Than Povi Martinez, Ty Fierce Mettaba, Memegwaans Johnson Owl, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Saffron Thomas, Kellen Trenal, Mato Wayuhi, KamiJo Whiteclay, Tia Wood and Xiuhtezcatl.
The 4KINSHIP IF4 empowers young Indigenous creatives by providing exposure, collaborative opportunities, and resources across various disciplines, such as dance, music, design, and art. IF4 fosters interdisciplinary creativity, offers fair compensation, and helps participants build professional networks.
By supporting Indigenous talent, IF4 is creating a space for Indigenous excellence and driving positive change in industries that have historically excluded them.
“IF4 is not only helping young people have a creative outlet, it is setting creatives in dance, music, skateboarding, photography, poetry, and the fine arts up to be leaders of change in a world that has actively tried to exclude us,” said Lucca, an advocate of IF4 and a two-spirit Afro-Indigenous indie-pop artist from A Ni Sa Ho Ni (Cherokee – Blue/Medicine clan) and Arapaho ancestry. “Through this fund, we are being given the network, funding, creative freedom, exposure, and examples that we need to cultivate and sustain greatness that will change the world forever.”
“It’s such an honor to host our relatives for this show during Indian market. We wanted it to feel like a family reunion. This is an event created for us, by us. As an Indigenous brand, it’s important to create space for these young Indigenous creators to tell their own stories. And to share with the world their brilliance via livestream, that the Indigenous future is HERE. We’re not trying to “get there”, the Indigenous future is NOW!” said 4KINSHIP Founder, Amy Denet Deal.
“Every young Native artist and entrepreneur carries a spark of their ancestral legacy. With the Build Native with Shopify program, we are committed to fanning those sparks into flames of success and innovation. This initiative is about providing the resources and support necessary to transform potential into a showcase of excellence.” said Kyle Brennan Shàwinipinesì, Senior Lead of Indigenous Entrepreneurship at Shopify.
“VIFW came out of a dream to see Indigenous fashion and arts recognized and to reclaim Indigenous cultures from Turtle Island. We’re grateful to be able to continue building this dream and building strong relationships with Indigenous Artists across all the fake borders, who share similar values with us,” said Joleen Mitten, co-founder of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week.
Alongside incredible collections from Indigenous designers enhanced by music, dance, lighting, art, and spoken word, the event will feature performances by Lucaa, Mato Wayuhi, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Tia Wood, and Xiuhtezcatl. Snotty Nose Rez Kids, composed of Quinton Nyce and Darren Metz, have spent the last four years working on their newest album, RED FUTURE, out Sept 13th. Quinton Nyce said, “As a guest to hip hop culture as one half of Snotty Nose Rez Kids, I have found a form of refuge to explore my creativity. It’s given me an opportunity to create with no boundaries. My freedom to create has been granted to me from the culture that has accepted me and this freedom to create is where I do my work best.”
With community at the heart of this show, IF4 celebrates the work of the next generation of Indigenous leaders. Mato Wayuhi is an Oglala Lakota artist who is an advocate for film and media arts education for Indigenous and Black youth from rural communities in South Dakota. Tia Wood is a singer-songwriter from Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta. She is an advocate for MMIW and her family’s Land Back movement in British Columbia, Canada. Xiuhtezcatl, an Indigenous hip hop artist, is a powerful voice on the frontlines of the global youth-led environmental movement. Shandien Sonwai LaRance plays a pivotal role in guiding tribal youth in dance through her work at The Lightning Boy Foundation. James Jones, uses his platform to share and celebrate Indigenous culture, as a positive role model for Indigenous youth, and stands as an advocate for Indigenous representation across the globe.
In addition to the fashion show experience, 4KINSHIP is also hosting the Indigenous Futures 4EVER Block Party, an Indigenous-led event that is a way all our relations can come together in cross-border allyship, share ideas, support one another, and express ourselves freely. Join us for food booths, hand poked tattoos, an Indigenous art market, skateboarding, and more. The 4KINSHIP High Vibes Shop will be open featuring work from IF4 artists as well. The event will be open from 10 am to 9 pm, for the weekend of August 17th & 18th at the Santa Fe Railyard. For more details about the 4KINSHIP events during Santa Fe Indian Market, follow @4KINSHIP on social media or visit www.4kinship.com.
To livestream IF4 during the show and for 48 hours after the event, visit the 4KINSHIP YouTube channel at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on August 17, 2024.
DATE – August 17, 2024
TIME – 5 PM – 8 PM
LIVESTREAM: https://bit.ly/3WEljJW
About 4KINSHIP
4KINSHIP is a vibrant and sustainable artwear brand, led by Amy Denet Deal, a proud Diné (Navajo) founder. With a deep respect for her Indigenous culture and heritage, 4KINSHIP seamlessly blends the realms of art, fashion, and creativity in captivating ways. Through their exceptional designs and innovative pursuits, the brand not only celebrates Indigenous creativity but also strives to empower the next generation. Embark on an inspiring journey into the world of 4KINSHIP and uncover their mission and vision at www.4kinship.com.
About 4KINSHIP INDIGENOUS FUTURES 4EVER
The 4KINSHIP Indigenous Futures 4EVER (501C3) presents a revolutionary opportunity for communities and allies to support emerging Indigenous artists on their creative journeys. This collaborative initiative, led by Diné (Navajo) brand 4KINSHIP and Inspiring Children Foundation (ICF), aims to foster equitable opportunities for Indigenous artists to thrive in their craft. By raising funds, this initiative empowers Indigenous creatives to showcase their unique talents to the community and the press, providing them with professional recognition and support. Join us in cultivating the careers of these talented artists and celebrating their rich cultural heritage.
About Build Native with Shopify
Shopify is supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs, the world’s biggest brands, and everyone in between. Shopify’s Indigenous Entrepreneurship initiative, Build Native with Shopify, is dedicated to empowering Indigenous brands of all sizes in establishing and growing their businesses. Shopify powers millions of businesses in more than 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Eighth Generation, Urban Native Era, Cheekbone Beauty, SECTION35, Staples, Converse, and many many more.
About Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week
Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW) showcases the power, beauty and evolution of authentic Indigenous art and design. Founded in 2017 by Joleen Mitton, VIFW brings global recognition to Indigenous fashion designers and artisans while providing talent development to Indigenous youth through mentorship, safe business practices, cultural appreciation, fashion shows, arts and cultural events. VIFW seeks to facilitate reconciliation and deeper understanding between Indigenous and non Indigenous communities through fashion and community. VIFW is held on the unceded territories of xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlílwo ətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. VIFW honors their vision, resilience and resistance and stands in solidarity with them.
About Supernaturals Models
Supernaturals Modelling Agency is the world’s first and only all-Indigenous modeling agency. With a focus on healthy and high-end representation, Supernaturals works with top brands and organizations across Canada to help redefine how Indigenous people are seen in media. Supernatural’s commitment to community building, cultural sensitivity, and protocols sets a new precedent within the industry, promoting inclusivity and diversity without resorting to cultural appropriation or tokenism.
