niila myaamia – I Am Miami

Kayla Becker, Miami student and mother of five, is studying Computer Science and bringing her Native American heritage to her artwork at MUAM. Her artwork titled niila myaamia – I Am Miami explores her relationship to her identity.

niila myaamia – I Am Miami, which is Becker’s second artwork, is a spear dance stick threaded with over 11,000 beads that were placed one at a time. Geometric shapes, swirls of fire, and flowers decorate the stick, which is replete with symbolism. Becker explains, “It is the connection between my ancestors’ passion and my own… I continue my journey to find myself, armed with this spear that represents where I came from.”