A letter from model Cheyenne Chancellor

“I grew up in Talihina, Oklahoma with a dream of being in the film/fashion industry. I didn’t think it was a dream that could actually come true, so I pushed it away and made other life decisions. I became a single mom and that’s when I knew I wanted to be an example for my children to continue to pursue their dreams no matter how out of reach it seems.

As a Choctaw woman I learned that my superpower is being my true Choctaw self. I am a self taught beadwork artist and designer/seamstress to honor our culture and add a contemporary twist. I worked hard and was blessed to make history and walk the runway as a model in the first-ever U.S. Native Fashion Week in Santa Fe, NM with Native designers, celebrities, artists, and in front of major magazines, etc.

Being able to be who I am, removing the standards of how a model should look and just following my dreams has been an incredible journey. I hope to be that role model for younger Indigenous girls who can say, ‘she looks like me!'”

– Cheyenne Chancellor