Raised between Oklahoma wheat fields and distant memories of southern Mexico, Lauren was shaped by a circle of women—farmers, aunties, caretakers—who taught her that every living thing carries a story worth telling.

“I am a mixed-race Chicana reconnecting with my father’s Southern Mexican roots, living in gratitude for the more-than-human beings who share this land.” —Lauren

Choctaw basket weaver. Cultural teacher. Innovator.
Aliyah Myers is carrying forward an art form older than memory — southeastern basketry passed through generations of Choctaw, Mvskoke, and Cherokee hands.
What began as a study of traditional forms has grown into a vibrant, evolving practice: basket earrings, boldly dyed satchels, even corsets woven with Choctaw design motifs.
But Aliyah’s work isn’t just about innovation — it’s about transmission.
Through teaching, she ensures that this knowledge lives beyond her hands — and continues to thrive in those who come after.

After a week of soaking rains, the Oklahoma landscape comes alive with bursts of fiery color. From the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska to the granite flats of the Wichita Mountains, paintbrush (Castilleja spp.) blazes across the land like brushstrokes on canvas. These wildflowers, often called “prairie-fire,” embody more than just seasonal beauty—they reflect the spirit of Culture Hub Collective: vibrant, interdependent, and deeply rooted.