Who We Were Is Who We Are

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 Who We Were Is Who We Are explores her relationship to her identity.

Her first artwork, Who We Were Is Who We Are, represents the sorrow of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, which Becker is a member of. The black silhouette and background highlight the tears, which are cut from photos of the Wabash River. The river was a large part of the tribe’s lifeline and identity. “I’ve seen some of the suffering that resulted from forced removals,” says Becker. “The tears show that we still exist, and those original lands are still part of who we are today.”