Shondiin Silversmith: Pioneering Indigenous Storytelling and Academia with Vision and Purpose
Shondiin Silversmith is an Indigenous journalist from the Navajo Nation with over 15 years of experience covering Indigenous affairs. Her work has been featured nationwide in various local, regional, and national outlets. Throughout her career, she has prioritized advocating for, pitching, and producing stories about Indigenous communities in every newsroom she has worked in.
Silversmith holds two associate degrees from Diné College, a bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal Communication from the University of New Mexico, and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. She is pursuing a Ph.D. at Arizona State University, where her research focuses on Indigenous storytelling, journalistic practices, and community accountability.
Silversmith is taking a break from journalism to shift her efforts toward Indigenous academia, where she plans to collaborate with Indigenous scholars and creatives to publish their work. Through her leadership, she envisions Diné College Press as a vibrant platform that supports Indigenous knowledge, creativity, and self-determination.
Silversmith is Honaghaahnii (One Who Walks Around), born for Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House). Her maternal grandfather is Bilagáana (Italian descent), and her paternal grandfather is Tódích’ii’nii (Bitter Water). She is from Steamboat, Arizona.
