A Local Navajo artist is raising awareness for the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP).
Delwin Lewis is the owner of Kreations Ink Apparel, according to KOAT 7. He has recently received a lot of attention for his graphic design work, which contains Native American imagery.
"I used to sketch a lot," he said. "[At] three in the morning, I would just be sketching. I had books and tons of sketches."
A husband and father of two, Lewis includes a variety of Native American symbolism in his artwork. One of his pieces recently went viral – an image called "Breaking Silence" which features a native woman with a red handprint across her face.
He told KOAT 7 that he sometimes sees the names of old classmates on missing person reports.
"Growing up, I knew a lot of people," he said. '... I just [didn't] know where they were at. I'm like, 'Oh, I went to school with them.'"
Lewis creates a variety of merchandise using his designs, including posters and apparel. He sells it through social media.
"I have some people that are buying my stuff from Canada and mostly towards the West Coast, like Alaska," he said.
The issue of MMIP is a personal one for Lewis, as his grandfather was murdered in Gallup in 1968, KOAT 7 reported.
"Long time ago, my grandpa Leo Lewis was murdered in Gallup, New Mexico," he said. "He was stabbed in the heart. They took his money and they just left him there."
Lewis told KOAT 7 that he plans to extend his product line and hopes his message will reach a wider audience.
"It's pretty tough, but I'm trying to bring justice to the families, friends, and relatives that are still missing and murdered," he said.