Weshoyot Alvitre grew up in the Santa Monica Mountains in Satwiwa, which allowed her to learn about heritage and culture.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CjixWf4vI8-/?hl=en
Alvitre is both Scottish and Tongva and—fun fact—her first name means “two stars” in Tongva! Her father started a cultural center in Satwiwa, and her mother was a librarian. The combination of her parents’ jobs helped inspire her to become the artist she is today.
For the past fifteen years, she has been making comics, books, graphic novels, and illustrations that empower Native Americans, especially women, and responding to social or political issues such as environmentalism through pop culture and science fiction.
Lady of Our Sorrows: comic based on the Tongva nurse, mother, and leader of the 1785 revolt against San Gabriel Mission and colonization
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/weshoyot/toypurina-our-lady-of-sorrows
One of her most famous works is TONGVALAND, a digitally created image that resembles the Hollywood logo in Los Angeles. It was a response to Desert X’s exhibition INDIANLAND. It reminds us to never forget the original people of Hollywood Hills.
TONGVALAND
https://www.themixedspace.com/once-upon-a-time-in-tongvaland/
Today, Alvitre is making more comics and artworks for upcoming exhibitions, but she is also trying to teach children and adults a new perspective to the publishing world.