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If art preserves the culture of the Crow people, then Crow women are the keepers of that culture, cultivating it to reflect the modem day.

Fashion designer Bethany Yellowtail grew up riding horses and running in the fields and swimming in the river and being around her people in the Crow Nation and Northern Cheyenne Indian reservations in southeastern Montana. She knows first-hand the importance of art to maintaining native traditions. In 2015 she turned that knowledge into her own brand: B. Yellowtail. A year later, she created the B. Yellowtail Collective, made up of native artists, to foster economic opportunities for their communities. Many of those artists are women from different tribes but all of them preserve their culture and move it forward through their medium of choice.

Yellowtail and her team work for the native-owned business that’s rooted in community. Artists within the Collective typically receive 70% of profit from retail sales, and for a portion of the pandemic (流行病) the brand has upped that to 100%. The extra money has, of course, increased artists’ income in the past year, but the relationship is interdependent: without the work of those artists, B. Yellowtail wouldn’t exist and native culture would feel the loss.

Dewanda Little Coyote is Yellowtail’s mother. Family is deeply important to their tribe. So is art, which often runs in the family — and along the matriarchal (母系的) side. Little Coyote picked up her entrepreneurial spirit from her parents, who owned a gift shop. “My parents said, ‘If you have hands, create something. Do something, and make a living off of that,’” she said. After her parents passed away, the artist began learning beading (串珠) earrings herself. Dentalium, a tusk shell often used in native jewelry, caught her eye in particular. “I love it, because back in the day, our Cheyenne women wore a lot of dentalium,” she said. “So I wanted to give a contemporary look to that — to what our ancestors wore.”

Yellowtail herself learned sewing from her aunts and grandmothers before moving to Los Angeles in 2007 to study fashion design. Now, native women support native women — and matriarchal art evolves.

You’re becoming an adult; your friends are changing; school is more challenging; and your life has more ups and downs than it used to. These books below are just for you to deal with the changes.

Say Goodbye to Stress by Dr. Jeff Brown

Kindle Edition: $11.79

Paperback: $16.95

Many have trouble getting their stress under control and want help. This book will encourage stressed-out readers to let go of anxiety and worry, and improve their lives by dealing with stress.

Find Your Inner Strength by Amy Newmark

Kindle Edition: $7.99

Paperback: $12.75

This powerful collection of stories will inspire you and help you find the inner strength to deal with the challenges in your own life. We are stronger than we think when we have to be. These brave people are the role models that show us all what is possible.

Random Acts of Kindness by Amy Newmark

Kindle Edition: $12.99

Paperback: $17.77

Make miracles happen for yourself and others. It’s easy. Just think outside the box and look around. There are so many ways that you can help--and it turns out the biggest beneficiary (受益人) may be you! Scientific studies have shown that “doing good” is good not only for others but also for the person doing it, making the person happier and healthier.

Be the Best You Can Be by Amy Newmark

Kindle Edition: $1099

Paperback: $15.67

This collection shows kids positive role models to follow in its stories about making good choices, having confidence, and doing the right things. Parents and grandparents will enjoy discussing the stories with children, making it a family event.