Gladys Kukana Grace

Gladys Kukana Grace learned the art of weaving lauhala (lau = leaf, hala = pandanus tree) from her maternal grandmother, Kukana, through a longstanding oral tradition.

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Anna Deavere Smith

Through profound performances and plays that blend theater and journalism, she has informed our understanding of social issues and conveyed a range of disparate characters.

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Gayle Hazelwood

Gayle Hazelwood began her long career with the National Park Service at Cuyahoga Valley in 1983 and was among its first interpretative rangers. Gayle helped pioneer the park’s first Junior Ranger programs, introducing urban children to outdoor recreational skills, laying the foundation for today’s community engagement programs.

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Genoveva Castellanoz

Castellanoz became an important figure among Mexican Americans in a wide area because she made paper and wax flowers for baptisms, weddings and quinceañeras.

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Georgeann Robinson

Robinson and her two sisters, Genevieve Tomey and Louise Red Corn, began to produce the old design of Osage ribbonwork, a form of needlework that they had learned from tribal elders. Soon they were researching additional designs, digging into neighbors’ trunks, and traveling to distant museums. In time, their trademark, “Ribbonwork a Specialty,” attracted customers nationwide.

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Amara Hamid

Amara Hamid arrived in Australia in 1988 as a refugee from Eritrea. Her many life experiences have influenced her desire to support and contribute to her family and the lives of others.

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Esther Martinez

Esther Martinez was a linguist and storyteller for the Tewa people of New Mexico. She was given the Tewa name P’oe Tsawa (meaning Blue Water) and was also known by “Ko’oe Esther” and “Aunt Esther.”

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Ellen Hope Lang Hays

On July 9th, 1974, she became the first Alaska Native woman to become a National Park Superintendent (Sitka National Historical Park). In all, she was the third woman ever to become the Superintendent of a National Park.

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