member of the Muskogee went on to earn her MFA at the A Creek Nation, Joy Harjo Iowa Writer’s Workshop. grew up in Tulsa, where she To date Harjo has released attended local schools before more than a dozen award- enrolling at the Institute of winning poetry collections, American Indian Arts in Santa memoirs, plays, children’s books, Fe, New Mexico for high school, and anthologies. Her numerous where she joined one of the awards include the Academy first all-Native drama and dance of American Poets Leadership troupes and traveled the Pacific Award, NEA and Guggenheim northwest with the Deep Roots, fellowships, PEN USA Literary Tall Cedar Show. Embodying and American book awards, and a the gifts of her ancestors, she Tulsa Artist Fellowship. began writing poetry with the As a musician and performer, University of New Mexico’s she has produced multiple Native Student Organization and albums. Winding Through The Milky Way earned her a NAMMY for Best Female Artist of the Year. She enjoys JOY HARJO playing the saxophone and flute TULSA and jamming with bands and other musicians. Regardless of the medium or environment, Harjo is constantly searching “Joy continuously demonstrates for the answers to the questions her commitment to our surrounding life, love, and spirituality, always willing to community and the advancement share her findings and thoughts of our culture through with others. “I think artists are always participation in traditional and rooting around and searching ceremonial events and through around in the land of ‘why’ for creating opportunities for those questions. We don’t really answer the question, we explore mentorship and arts education the question. Like Leon Russell for our youth.” with his music, he wasn’t saying ‘this is the definitive,’ he was saying ‘this is the realm in which CHIEF DAVID W. HILL I’m moving with others’, and that’s a really cool realm to hang out in. Like everybody else, I Chief David W. Hill, left, presented Joy Harjo for induction to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. 42