A painting of a woman with a serious expression on her face, as she wears traditional native Crow regalia. Behind her is an emblem of a Native American chief smoking ceremonial tobacco.
Credit: By D.C. ALLEN (Baaa T’- chiilash, Del Curfman) (Crow Tribe of Montana)

Power of the People portrays Kamijo Whiteclay (Crow Tribe of Montana), an IAIA student, cultural advocate, and emerging Indigenous leader whose work is rooted in the protection and continuation of Crow culture. Standing with a raised fist, Kamijo embodies the strength of a generation committed to carrying traditional knowledge forward while confronting contemporary social and political challenges facing Native communities.

The painting honors the power of Indigenous youth, cultural knowledge, and collective action to inspire meaningful change across generations.

The painting addresses the complicated relationship between commercial tobacco and Indigenous peoples. While tobacco holds deep cultural and spiritual significance within many Native traditions, tobacco companies have historically targeted Native communities through misleading branding, aggressive marketing, and economic exploitation. Kamijo’s presence within the composition serves as both a challenge to these practices and a reminder of the distinction between sacred tobacco and commercial tobacco products.

Drawing upon the visual language of protest, portraiture, and Indigenous identity, the work celebrates Native resilience and self-determination. Kamijo’s unwavering gaze and confident stance communicate a commitment to education, cultural preservation, and community empowerment.

Rather than presenting Indigenous people as relics of the past, Power of the People centers a contemporary Crow woman actively shaping the future of her community. The painting honors the power of Indigenous youth, cultural knowledge, and collective action to inspire meaningful change across generations.