Originally from Saint Paul, Leila Verley is pursuing a BFA in printmaking at The Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. Being of mixed Ojibwe, Mvskoke, and settler heritage, her work pushes the boundaries of what Native American art can look like. Her intentional use of color and graphic drawing style convey difficult subjects in conventionally beautiful packages. Drawing inspiration from her community, family dynamics, and personal hardships she examines important themes of queer identity, escapism, and the cyclical patterns of intergenerational trauma.