EXPO II

Yá’át’ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é.

Shí éí Danielle Giagnoli yinishyé. Ta'neeszahnii nishłį́, Naakai dine'é bashishchiin, Tábąąhá

dashicheii, Naakai dine'é dashinalí. Ákót’éego diné asdzáán nishłį́. Ahéhee’.

Hello, my name is Danielle Giagnoli. I am a Diné and Mexican artist. My mother’s clan is Ta’neeszahnii (Tangled People). I am currently working towards my Bachelor’s in Native American Studies and Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Education at UC Davis. My career goal is to serve my fellow Native and Indigenous Communities and teach in a classroom the next generation of Native Scholars with a dual immersion program to encourage language and culture revitalization. My inspiration comes from my experiences in activism and love for my Home and People.

My mixed media piece Two Worlds was created in response to the torn reality of being an Urban Native. In this piece highlights the iconic monuments of my life, in a quick phrase "From the streets of Cudahy to the dirt roads of Tselani, AZ, if you know you know." 

My mixed media piece Indigenously Dangerous was inspired by a class project with Octavio Quintanilla, who is well known for his Frontextos. I created this piece during the height of the Covid Pandemic in 2020 when many of my loved ones both in the city and on the Rez were affected by Covid. From small pox, measles, influenza, cholera and tuberculosis to Covid 19. A new generation and a new disease but the same outcome, many lives were lost. 

NDN Girls Book Club

"NDN Girls Book Club is a 501 (c)3 literary organization that hosts free community workshops for Native people, especially Native youth & girls, in poetry, zine-making, editing, fiction, nonfiction, and Native literature talks.

We aim to make accessibility to quality Indigenous literature a reality for all ages by sending out free books and literary care packages."

If you ever got the opportunity to meet me, you would know how much I love spiders, coffee, cats, and books. One of my dreams is to one day have my very own personal library with one of those sliding ladders from Beauty and the Beast. When I first came across NDN Girls Book Club

they had just posted their book of the month on Instagram, We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. They we hosting a reading and craft talk for all ages. My niece, who was almost 5yrs old at the time, loved it. I loved it too. It was the 1st book I was able to share with her, that had

characters that looked like me. Representation matters and how much I wished this organization was around when I was a child. It was when I was in my 20’s that I began to find accessible books written by Native and Indigenous authors. Even at that point, they were special ordered or I had to patiently wait for the author to go on tour to get them.

This 501(C)3 nonprofit organization is led by amazing Native Women who have a passion for books and love for their community. They have organized many events including community workshops for Native Youth, author and literature talks, poetry and delivering care packages. Their goal is to “make accessibility to quality Indigenous literature a reality for all ages by sending out free books and literary care packages.” This year alone they have distributed 10K free Native books to the Navajo & Hopi Nation. Organizations like this one make a huge difference in our communities and especially the youth. Please Like, Share and/ or Donate to NDN Girls Book Club. Us Urban Natives sometimes take for granted how easy it is having access to the internet in the palm of our hands, to have WiFi and a quick drive to the library if needed. Many homes on the Navajo Nation still don’t have indoor plumbing or electricity, let alone internet or phone services. And access to a library can be at least an hour away.

Ahéhee’ NDN Girls Book Club, Ahéhee’.