tru west

institute of american indian arts | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

tru west is a diné woman from broken arrow, oklahoma. she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in museum studies at the institute of american indian arts (iaia) in santa fe, new mexico. recently named the university’s student of the year and nominated for girls inc.’s inspirations: celebrating strong, smart, and bold new mexican women and girls magazine, tru strives to create new connections between all walks of life.

over the course of a summer, she has worked in beekeeping, land restoration, trail maintenance, and trail signage with iaia’s land-grant program. her experience along with other summer student workers’ is being showcased in an exhibition curated by tru.

her love for the earth and its inhabitants stems from her childhood, volunteering at animal sanctuaries, hiking trails, and being involved in girl scouts for twelve years. carrying those connections, she pushes for more inclusiveness in outdoor activities for women and femme presenting people, as well as people of color.

in her museum focus, she actively seeks out ways to connect with her audiences: implementing interactive design, uplifting personal narratives, and engaging in multi-media activities to enhance the story being told through an exhibition. her main exploration is stimulating the senses through exhibitions, mixing visuals with scents, sounds, touch, and taste.