Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

Community Member Feature: Tracie Jackson

We're excited to kick off Native American Heritage Month by shining a spotlight on our talented Lead Footwear Designer, Tracie Jackson. Discover Tracie's journey and inspirations in this engaging interview, and join us in celebrating Indigenous Resilience today and everyday.

Tell us about yourself...
Yá’át’ééh Shí éí Tracie Jackson Yinishyé. Star Mountaindi éí naashá. (Hello my name is Tracie Jackson. I’m from Star Mountain on the Navajo Nation in Arizona, USA.)

I'm the Lead Designer/Footwear Designer at Manitobah. My job is telling our Indigenous stories through our footwear collections.

Why Manitobah?
Before coming to Manitobah, I worked for Nike in Footwear Special collaborations and lead the N7 Collection's design work for five years. I took a footwear class from the Arsutoria School of Footwear in Milan. When I asked what the hardest class was to teach the professor responded with "moccasin making." After the class I decided to pivot away from sportswear so I could invest my experiences into Indigenous focused footwear at Manitobah.

Why is the work you do important?
The work I do is so important because I'm one of only a handful of Indigenous footwear designers in the industry and we need more of our community in this space to share our stories. Indigenous people have the knowledge of Lo-TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge) Innovation which has proven to be reliable solutions to circularity and environmental impact. I'm hoping I can help inspire and mentor the next generation to reclaim the innovation space.

Who are your biggest influences?
My biggest influences are my elders – specifically my grandparents. They raised me and taught me everything I know. Without their guidance and teachings, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Colin Kaepernick and Taboo from Black Eyed Peas are two people I look up to for being unapologetically proud of their identities and putting in the work to fight for their communities and give back with resources for our youth.

What does Native American Heritage Month mean to you?
Heritage month means visibility for us to be unapologetically ourselves. I love how our community celebrates our resiliency through joy, laughter and coming together.

How are you celebrating?
I celebrate by attending my local community events in the city. I'll attend art shows, lectures, and creation stories nights. Living away from my homelands I've learned a lot by listening to other Indigenous Nations share their creation stories and the lessons that come with them.

What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time you can catch me in my home studio working on my personal art business called Rezilient Soles where I make beadwork, silver sneaker jewelry, and anything related to sneakers and streetwear culture. Outside of art, I love going for runs and watching my favorite sport teams with friends at our local dive bars. SKO DUCKS!

What Indigenous brands are on your radar?
Three Indigenous Brands on my radar are Section 35, Sleep Rock Company, and Paiute Made by Taylor Uchytil.

Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

1. My personality is 6', but I’m barely 5' tall.
2. I have pets named after my favorite rappers.
3. I'm in my Martha Stewart Era and have been learning how to make homemade ice cream, pasta, and bread from scratch.

What is your favourite Manitobah product (so far...)?
My favorite Manitobah moccasin is the Street Moc! It's my go-to shoe that I wear at home, to run errands, and to stay warm during the day! The beadwork and fur make me feel so fancy even when I'm wearing a hoodie and leggings.