April 23, 2019

Humans of Native Nation: Meet Dominque Hunter

We here at #NativeNationAZ are introducing a short photo and blog series we’re calling #HumansofNativeNation, based off the popular photo series #HONY. Leading up to the performanceshappening April 20, 27 & 28, we will be sharing stories of the cast members who help make up the local community and “Native Nation”.

Meet Dominque Daye Hunter, Sapony descendent, who’s also African American, Irish, and Polish, our third Human of Native Nation we’re showcasing on our blog. Dominque is the actress taking on the role of Sequoia in ‘Native Nation’. She is also an entrepreneur, poet, clothing designer, and hip-hop artist under the name Daye Hunter. 

“It’s important having our Native people represented in different aspects of life. The reason I joined ‘Native Nation’, I’ve been out here in the southwest for about 10 years, and I felt that as somebody from an east coast tribe, I can give my unique perspective combined with my experience with Native people here in Arizona.

“To me, it’s been a journey realizing and reclaiming my power as a part of where I come from and my family and the line of women that I descend from. However, I know that I’m one person and am really more of an introverted person so I don’t do this for myself I really do it because I know that it’s important and I see the need for it. I believe that we can all be agents of change, and that’s why I do what I do because it needs to be done, it needs to be said. I can easily be a hermit and I would be really happy with that, but I see a whole new generation of people that are coming up, and if I can be a person that can help realize their power, the idea is that I can become obsolete.”

The Humans of Native Nation blog series was created by Native Nation crew member, citizen of the Red Lake Nation of Ojinwe and Artist Programs Coordinator at the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Anna Needham and cast member, local Phoenix actor, and co-owner of WILDBIRD STUDIOS, Cesar Garcia.