About Me
Yá’át’ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é! Shí éí AJ Begay yinishyé, Naakaii Dine’é nishłį́, Ta’neeszahnii bashishchiin Tódích’íí’nii dashicheii, Bit’ahnii dashinalí. Ákót’éego diné asdzáán nishłį́.
Hello my family, friends and my people! My name is AJ Begay. I am from the Mexican Clan, born for the Tangled Clan. My maternal grandfather is from the Bitter Water Clan and my paternal grandfather is from the Under His Cover clan.
I am an Indigenous artist and graphic designer from the Diné People, whose ancestral territory is part of what is now known as the state of New Mexico. Raised by my mother Ernestine Hesuse Begay in the community of Nageezi on the reservation, free time as a child was spent playing outside in the sagebrush, exploring and studying the Southwest land forms.
In the Diné culture, familial relationships are very important and I spent time with maternal aunts, who were highly skilled silversmiths and artists. I was encouraged to begin creating quite early in life and under the guidance of my aunt Lorraine Hesuse, I learned the skill of beading, and my sister Cheryl taught me the basics of silversmithing. These skill were gifted to me, and one day, I will teach my niece, and her children. Design has permeated my life from its beginning, and has evolved into using it to bring the spotlight to the Native community through awareness and education.
Skills
Microsoft Office (10+ years)
Mac OS X (10+ years)
Spanish (3 years)
Photography and Editing
Library Services
Graphic Design
Adobe Creative Suite-(Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign)
Administrative Support
Marketing and Sales
Public Speaking
Digital Marketing
Interviewing
Brand and Community Building
Sound Board and Audio Knowledge
Resume
Design is a live, fluid and formidable entity that can be used in a multitude of ways, both positively and negatively, in order to influence people and communities across the world. More importantly, design can educate others about marginalized communities, concerns that reside within, and specific to that group of people. It can bring awareness and attention to social issues, which the possibility of change and healing can then present itself.
Indigenous design is unlike design found in non-Native communities. In the Indigenous community, design is an everyday role that permeats all aspects of everyday life from time immemorial. From the ceremonial sand paintings of the Diné, the wampum belts of the Onondaga and Haudenosaunee, to the ledger art of the Plains People, First Peoples of what is now known as America, Canada and Mexico are natural artists. We are taught to create early in life and throughout our existence, have used design in one form or another to record history, and events, and continues to the present day.
Design being a fluid entity has evolved and changed and has the capability to bridge the ever-growing gap between mainstream US/Canada and the Indigenous community. This includes addressing the continuous social issues of poverty, unsheltered individuals, addiction and other results of generational trauma. I believe design has the capacity to address these issues to create change and give hope, while also healing and amplifying the Indigenous voice!