Yá’ét’ééh (Hello) my name is Madison Dusseau and I am a member of the Navajo people and a fancy shawl dancer at Akamya Cultural Group in Big Pine, CA.

Akamya has been invited to share our dances and culture at the Lo Spirito Del Pianeta Festival in Italy this June. I have the great honor to be one of the four dancer to go and share my dance.

I have dreamed of learning Fancy Shawl since I was a little girl and last year I met Sage and was invited to come learn at his studio in Big Pine, CA. A week or two later I went to my first class. I have been driving an hour to and from class once a week to learn this style of dancing and have put my own time and effort into learning and understanding what it means to pow wow dance. Since I started, I have danced in my first Pow Wow in Ridgecrest, CA, I have done presentations with Akamya at the Craggin Classin Bishop Climbing Festival, the Flash Foxy Climbing Festival and the Bishop Earth Day event. I never imagine that fulfilling this lifelong dream of mine would open so many opportunities to share what I’ve learn with so many people and every day I wake up thankful

for those chances I’ve been given.

As I get ready to travel to Italy for this once in a lifetime opportunity, I am humbly asking for a little help from my friends, family and anyone who might feel the need to help. Although I have been saving my own funds to help me while I am traveling, I am asking for the support of you to help me reach my goal so that I can go on this trip and focus on dancing, teaching and sharing my dance and culture.

Anything would be greatly appreciated and if I have any funds leftover after the trip, I plan to donate those funds back into Akamya Non-Profit for future projects and education.

Ahéheé (Thank you) for you help and consideration!