Native American Heritage Month Spotlight Leah Brady
This month, in celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we will be highlighting some of the many remarkable contributors to Indian country. In no way is this list comprehensive or extensive.
Leah Brady was born August 1955 in Elko and graduated from Owyhee High School in 1973. She attended the University of Nevada, Reno, earning her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in education in 1977. For 23 years she taught in Fallon and Schurz.
Wanting to continue the tradition of basketweaving, Leah learned from elders Elaine Christensen, Sylvia Dick and Minnie Dick and specialized in Western Shoshone twined baskets and cradleboards.
Leah became a Master Weaver for the Nevada Folk Arts Program and teaches at workshops around the country and at Great Basin Native Basketweaver Association gatherings. She also was invited to the Smithsonian’s Folk Life Festival in 2006.
Leah also co-authored “Celebrating Nevada Indians,” a teaching curriculum distributed to elementary schools around the state.
Today, Leah continues to demonstrate traditional basketry, foods, and arts and crafts, both traveling to promote the GBNBA organization.
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