Empowering Indigenous Knowledge through Design
Yá'át'ééh, shí eí Kassie John yinishyé. Diné Bikéyah déé’ naashá. Kótéego Diné asdzání nishłį́.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/72ea958b-e6d4-4afc-b66e-60f5f4342f44/8705d374-2c97-47f4-972c-919f202e97d6_rw_3840.png?h=91947e0a786adb51000b47d3c5c181ba)
Kassie John is an Indigenous Designer and Diné Illustrator who specializes in digital storytelling and research-based art.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/72ea958b-e6d4-4afc-b66e-60f5f4342f44/2f403f89-e775-4a2c-bc74-fa7553f05b0d_rw_1920.png?h=b3ee09d8ecbd54e2bff564afef01698b)
Kassie is a proud member of the Navajo Nation and shares her heritage with the Hopi and Ute tribes from her maternal grandparents. She is a granddaughter to generations of rug weavers and artists
She weaves together Diné and non-Diné creative practices to empower and carry on cultural knowledge, intergenerational healing, and reclamation with Indigenous Design pedagogies.
She has worked with various Native communities, Tribal leaders, and Indigenous-led organizations across North America and Canada. Her collaborations have included universities in the PAC-12, Ivy-league institutions, Non-Profits, and global fashion brands.
Kassie’s work seeks to tell a story beyond what meets the eye
She brings forward Indigenous stories of culture, language, and joy.
We all have a story to tell, and it is our duty to recognize these narratives to foster healing and change for future generations.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/72ea958b-e6d4-4afc-b66e-60f5f4342f44/ba82e153-4c61-4f89-8a63-c56684d8cde2_rw_1920.png?h=b0497619357182efde1f7b54ac2e0f78)
artist background
• Independent Artist & Owner of Native Generations
• Designer & Health Equity Program Coordinator for the Utah Department of Health
• State of Utah "More than a Flag" Design Subcommittee
• Walking with Dinétah supported by Monument Lab Re: Generation Grant & the Mellon Foundation
Videos & Interviews
• Mosaic Narratives Series | Magnify Utah, 2022
• NPR Utah, "What the Final 5 Flag Designs say about us as Utahns," 2022
• More Than A Flag, "What we heard from the design process," Student Resources 2022
• KZMU Moab, "Crowdsourcing Designs for a New Utah State Flag," 2022
• Amazon Prime: The College Tour, "American Indian Student Experience," 2022