Miss
Indian World 2014
2015 Taylor Thomas Journey
Hello everyone! My name is
Taylor Christianna
Thomas and my
Indian name is Onsoquah, "How The Elk Walks."
I am the 2014-2015 Miss Indian World. I am Shoshone-Bannock,
Kickapoo, and
Prairie Band Potawatomi of
Kansas, and I come from the
Fort Hall Indian Reservation in
Southeast Idaho.
As Miss Indian
World I enjoyed speaking at, and attending conferences, powwows, and gatherings in Idaho,
Utah,
California,
Washington,
Florida,
Georgia,
Montana,
Oregon,
Wyoming,
Oklahoma,
Colorado,
Arizona,
New Mexico, Kansas,
Alberta, and Saskatchewan.
I had two goals at the beginning of my reign, and they were to travel to
Canada, and meet
President Barack Obama. As Miss Indian World my platform was “Indian
Pride.” More specifically, my message was: “We all have a purpose, everyone is gifted with strength and medicine to share, and to contribute to the world. To the youth, we are not leaders of tomorrow, but we are leaders of today. To all young women, we are capable of changing, and influencing our communities as leaders.
Follow your dreams, and become the inspiration you seek in the world.” I shared these messages as often as possible, as they are close to my heart.
My year was filled with many amazing experiences, and actually historical ones as well. Idaho Rep.
Michael K. Simpson recognized me on
Congressional Record of the
113th Congress,
Second Session on April 30, 2014. Congressmen
Simpson congratulated me on being crowned Miss Indian World, and for being an ambassador for Idaho, and the Shoshone-Bannock tribes. I am the first Miss Indian World to be recognized on Congressional Record, the second Shoshone-Bannock tribal member, as well as the first woman, and the only living Shoshone-Bannock tribal member to be recognized on Congressional Record.
Some of the greatest highlights of my Miss Indian World journey have been meeting President Barack Obama in January, at his speech in
Boise, Idaho. After being picked out of the crowd, I had the opportunity to meet him, get a picture, and have a brief conversation. I mentioned to him that he was my late grandmother Iva Lee’s favorite president, and that my family had voted for him both times.
President Obama asked about the title Miss Indian World, and he said it was an honor to meet me, to say thank you to my grandma for her support, and that he expected many great things from me in the future.
I also spoke at the
National Congress of American Indians (
NCAI)
Youth Honoring luncheon, the
National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) conference, and the
Northwest Indian
Youth Conference (NIYC), where I had a session dedicated to
Women’s
Leadership, and Youth Leadership. I also rode in a canoe for the first time attending the
Salmon Ceremony with the
Tulalip people, and I rode horses in the
Comanche Fair, the Shoshone-Bannock
Festival, and the
Pendleton Round Up parades.
"Miss Indian World is a role model to all ages and will spend an exciting year traveling throughout the
USA and Canada representing the beauty and diversity of
Native American,
Aboriginal and
Indigenous cultures and the
Gathering of Nations,
Ltd.Powwow."
- published: 20 Apr 2015
- views: 4800