Honey
“I define myself as a strong indigenous/black woman, resilient to my time, proud to represent a culture of two worlds and my favorite part of it all is that I am a woman and I am able to share my story hoping someone can grow as I did/do. ”
Rhonda, known more commonly as “Honey,” is an artist & advocate, who calls upon her experiences and heritage to tell stories through song and dance. Growing up biracial, her identity was challenged time and time again by peers who believed she did not quite fit in; being mixed meant that she did not belong to a particular group within the social structure, and therefore, she was deemed an outcast. Despite the hurdles that this reality presented, the characteristics that made her “different” also made her undeniably resilient, driven, and inspired. She has carried these attributes into her work in the music industry, embracing her roots and becoming a leader who uses her voice to enact change. In a male dominated sphere, she has forged her own path, utilizing the strength she developed from her past to continually propel her forward. Meet Honey. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
H: Yá’át’ééh, shik’éí dóó shidine’é!! Shí éí Honey yinishyé! Ta'neeszahnii nishłį́, Naahilii bashishchiin, Ma'íídeeshgíízhíníí dashicheii, Ákót’éego diné asdzáán nishłį́.
Hello, My name is Honey! I am Tangle clan born from African American descendants, in this way I am a Navajo woman with a mix of my black brothas and sistas. I am a powerful inspirational advocate, R&B singer, storyteller and songwriter. I was born in Redlands, California, raised in Blue Gap, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation right smack in the middle of Chinle and Pinon. In some ways I fit in where I fit in and in most ways I didn't fit in at all. haha.
K: Have you had an experience that has defined you or made you stronger?
H: I went to school in good ol Pinon, Az and I was defined as an outcast due to the color of my skin and not being able to speak my native language fluently. I have the light, golden brown hair, curly in fact, light complexed skin with golden hairs growing, I'm skinny with an arch from my behind toward my spine, in this way, I am a sista. I walked different, talked different, laughed different and looked at life through the eyes of a biracial individual. The kids I went to school with all had beautiful straight black hair, their skin color was dark and had a reddish tint, mine was light brown, manila colored. Throughout my time in Pinon, I always wondered, "why am I so different?" That same question helped me grow into the person I am today, it defined my every move.
I came to school in Salt Lake City, Ut next and I found myself as an outcast to my brothas and sistas AND to my native folk, it was as if I was revisiting this topic I now call racism. I wasn't black enough for my black folk and I wasn't native enough for my native folk, it was an odd time and at times it is still odd to this day. Through my time in various locations, different states, different schools I learned a lot about who I am, where I wanted to go and who I wanted to become.
K: Define yourself in your own words.
H: Through all of my experiences, I define myself as a strong indigenous/black woman, resilient to my time, proud to represent a culture of two worlds and my favorite part of it all is that I am a woman and I am able to share my story hoping someone can grow as I did/do. Being a woman in a male dominated time and a male dominated scene, I found it easy to stand out and found ways to make it work for me. I have a great support system with the women I have in my life, it is because of them I was better prepared as I continued to grow and as I grow to this day. My message to yall who have helped shape my future, thank you, ahéheeʼ
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
H: Being a woman has brought me strength, I come from a stage of reproduction where my values are implemented through birth. Being a woman has brought me endurance, it is through the women in my bloodline that has allowed me to push through, through prayer and belief.
