Alex Piechowski-Begay: Kinship, Connectedness, and Activism

05/10/22 • 68 min

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Alex is an Indigenous artist and activist who spends much of his time on the road, often moving between communities to stand in solidarity with their pressing calls to action. He is a member of the Navajo Nation, a vocal advocate in the Land Back movement, and a supporter of Indigenous-owned businesses. His jewelry and pottery convey traditional designs and stories of the Navajo people - serving as a form of resistance.
He joins the podcast for an eye-opening look into the meaning of kinship and connectedness. Alex shares stories from his childhood and how his upbringing, especially his grandparents, played a major role in shaping and influencing his life today. We also ask Alex about his practice as an artist, how his jewelry and crafts serve as a form of resistance, and why each piece he creates is filled with intention and meaning. Alex shares what Land Back is and why it’s so important, as well as our society’s need to acknowledge the inequities all around us and learn to care for one another.

Tune in to this conversation all about expression, connectedness, and how we can be better relatives to our communities.

Tune in to this conversation all about expression, connectedness, and how we can be better relatives to our communities.

Previous Episode

Laura Edmondson: Rest, Our Right Relationship with Nature, and Community Care

Laura is a digital educator who specifically speaks on race and equity in the outdoors and the importance of rest and self care. She is multiracial and a transracial adoptee, she is climber and a core member of Brown Girls Climb and an outdoor enthusiast. She also is a DEI strategist and consultant. She is a full time van-lifer and digital nomad. She is also vegan. We met up with Laura while she was living in an artist community in New Mexico. She is also the host of a podcast "Let us Rest."

She joins the podcast today to chat all about her work as a digital educator, especially when it comes to approaching uncomfortable topics on race and holding space for different educational approaches. Laura also speaks about the way her different identities influence her work as a digital creator, acknowledging the difference between self-care and community care, and her early introduction into sustainability. Tune in to this conversation and listen to Laura’s eye-opening perspective on race, respect, and rest.

Episode Resources:

Roles Map http://deepaiyer.com/the-map-social-change-ecosystem/
The Nap Ministry https://thenapministry.com/
Let Us Rest Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/let-us-rest/id1524839134
French Law for “Right to Disconnect” https://fortune.com/2017/01/01/french-right-to-disconnect-law/
The Soulcare Fund https://soulcarecollective.org/thesoulcarefund
Tiffany Shlain - 24/6 book https://www.tiffanyshlain.com/24-6book
Podcast with Pema & Tiffany - Enmeshed with Technology https://onbeing.org/programs/living-the-questions-weve-been-enmeshed-with-our-technologies-tech-shabbat-for-everyone/

Connect with Laura:

Laura’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laura.edmondson/
Laura Patreon https://www.patreon.com/lauraedmondson

Next Episode

Erin McGrady: Taking Up Space, Representation, and Love

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Meet Erin McGrady. Erin is an Asian American photographer, writer, runner, outdoor enthusiast, and lover of good food. She is also the co-founder of Authentic Asheville - a storytelling platform that celebrates local travel by creating inclusive city guides aimed at identifying welcoming places for travelers from the LGBTQ+ community.

In this episode, Erin gets vulnerable as she shares her story, what she’s learning, and how she navigates difficult conversations. She shares the trials she faced when she first came out to her family, how she met her partner, Caroline, and how she balances a compassionate partnership and working relationship with her. We also discuss the world of social media as a creator and storyteller, and why travel writing needs to be a more inclusive space. From embracing difficult conversations to creating happiness through hard work, we hope you’ll be as inspired by this conversation as we were.

Connect with Erin: