Shawnee Real Bird

, also known as Horse Across Way by her Apsáalooke ancestors, is an Indigenous poet and photographer with deep roots on her home reservation on the Crow (Apsáalooke) Nation in Southern Montana. In addition to being a storyteller, she is the first pilot from her Tribe and the first woman from the Northern Plains tribal region to achieve her level of licensing. Real Bird’s photography and poetry reflect the perspectives of her ancestors, as she sees the sky in her plane from the same vantage point at which they sought visions in the mountains. Each of Real Bird’s creations offers a multimedia portrayal of her experience in modern Native America, influenced by her ancestors and traditions. She is currently writing a book with the Curtis Legacy Foundation based on their “Descendants Project.” She speaks English and Crow.