Show notes
Eunique Yazzie’s journey toward recognizing her value as a designer hasn’t been easy. Growing up on the reservation and facing several layoffs early in her design career taught her how to live off little. So when she was finally ready to launch her own business, she learned that she didn’t know her value the hard way. And although she eventually made the decision to accept a salaried position rather than struggle with the insufficient income she was making through design projects, she doesn’t consider it to be a failure. Eunique has been able to overcome challenges that would easily cause others to call it quits. She’s lost a job while pregnant, persevered through the digital takeover of the publishing industry, and she wasn’t afraid to resign from a job when it wasn’t taking her on own right path. Though it all, she’s found personal growth and has held on to her mission: to make sure Native stories are heard and respected in Phoenix and beyond. Listen to this episode to learn about how Eunique is supporting her community through art and design, plus a lot more! About EuniqueEunique Yazzie grew up in Flagstaff, South Dakota and Chinle, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. Her background brings cultural perspective and appreciation to her breadth of work and activism. Eunique is a poet and storyteller with the Mujeres Del Sol collective, served on the board of Emerging Arts Leaders Phoenix, and offers design services and creative consulting as the owner of Eunique Design. She has worked with Performance in the Borderlands, Jazz meets June, Tempe Center of the Arts, AZ Republic Media, Mesa Arts Center: Spark After Dark, NAU and ASU. She has also completed projects for Phoenix Indian Center, National Urban Indian Family Coalition, Washington State Indian Education Association, Poder in Action, Black Mesa Water Coalition, Movimeinto Borikua and many more. What you’ll learn:What Eunique’s childhood was like growing up both on and off of the reservationWhy she moved to Phoenix immediately after graduating high schoolWhy she chose to study graphic design at a trade school rather than a universityThe culture shock Eunique and her native peers experienced during their early adulthoodWhy Eunique had to make the difficult choice to distance herself from people who she originally through would support and empower herHow she experienced several layoffs earlier in her design career and what she did to bounce back from these career setbacksThe challenge Eunique has had getting raises and being compensated for her ideas and expertiseHow she handled being unemployed while pregnant with her sonHow Eunique survived the the rise of digital in a print-based publishing worldWhat it’s like being the last graphic designer on-staff after waves of massive layoffsHow she used systems and technology to manage a workload that previously took a teamHow a stressful environment started taking hold on her healthHow her second layoff helped her find the contemporary native artist community in Phoenix Why she chose to take a new job at an engineering firm, and why it ultimately decided to leave after just 6 monthsWhat inspired Eunique to start her own business (and why she wishes she had waited)Why women of color often have to work harder than their peers to get noticed for their skills — and how that can ultimately lead to being taken advantage of in a work environmentThe misogyny and racism that Eunique has faced throughout her life and in her careerThe challenges she faced when she started her own graphic design businessWhy she struggled to get clients (especially those in the Native community) to see her valueHer thoughts on why people need to embrace and share their cultural storyThe displacement that Native and local artists experience in Phoenix, ArizonaHow oppressive systems have impacted her ability to grow and sustain her businessWhy Eunique’s problem with money has impacted her career trajectory Why she believes that creating equity begins from the inside outHow cultural attitudes towards money can impact a child’s futureWhy Eunique is glad that she’s no longer working as a designer during her day jobThe importance of empowering young people of color through educationEp. 4: Failure, Displacement & Resilience | Eunique YazzieaftrARTDownloadConnect with EuniqueWebsite: http://euniquedesign.comInstagram: @euniqueinkFacebook: Eunique DesignLinks, Opportunities & ResourcesCatch Eunique, Amanda, and 3 other artists and designers of color at Phoenix Design Week for the “Culture Shift” panel on October 7th at 10:15 am! Click here for more info.