April 2023: Latisha Buck Elk Thunder and Dacia Griego, Co-Founders of Indigenous Made Missoula - Making Missoula a More Diverse Community
This is the third and final episode in a three-part series, on organizations, services and products that have aided Missoula in becoming a more diverse community. In this episode, Udo is joined in the studio by Latisha Buck Elk Thunder and Dacia Griego, Co-Founders of Indigenous Made Missoula (IMM). They visit with Udo about turning their dream into reality in 2022, when they founded IMM, in response to a lack of resources and economic opportunities for Indigenous artists in Missoula. Indigenous art is an untapped viable industry and that this deficit creates a barrier to economic success for Indigenous community members as well as a lack of representation at community events and in public spaces. The IMM is changing that! Today, IMM is a central point of communication for artists and those seeking art and talent produced by Indigenous people. Latisha, Dacia and their team support their community directly through the Indigenous Art & Talent Network, hosting First Peoples’ Markets, promotion, and providing a communication center with entrepreneurial resources and professional development.