Amber Buckanaga’s Gift for Art and Fashion Design

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce — a.k.a. Minnesota — to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.

On today’s show, we have a fun conversation with Amber Buckanaga (Leech Lake Band) who is an artist, fashion designer, and mother.  Amber left her career in education, to follow her artistic dreams, which led to sewing, then designing fashions, and eventually the runways of NYC’s fashion week! 

We hear how Amber’s passion for creating unique and colorful clothing grew into the creation of her in-demand fashion brand called the Buckanaga Social Club: an innovative artist collective producing high-quality Indigenous art, fashion, clothing, accessories, home décor, and more.

Amber shares how she balances the (sometimes conflicting) demands of family and work and family, and how her art helps her to stay grounded, enthusiastic, and clear on her priorities.  Miigwech Amber Buckanaga for sharing your beautiful art and thoughtful perspectives.

Find the Buckanaga Social Club on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buckanaga_social_club/

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

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