Angela Gilette, Three Affiliated Tribes of North and South Dakota, embodies connection and Indigenous resilience in selected piece
Pow Wow Pitch, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs, co-presented in partnership with RBC and Mastercard, announced the selection of artist Angela Gillette’s piece ‘Sisterhood’ as the official art for the 2025 Pow Wow Pitch Box, a mailer box featuring quality products created by early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs.
Pow Wow Pitch provides emerging Indigenous-owned businesses with the opportunity to gain exposure and recognition, and access support, mentorship, and funding to take their business to the next level. The Pow Wow Pitch Box program was created in 2021 to support the procurement of digital and physical products from Indigenous entrepreneurs to support and provide a platform for them to reach hundreds of new customers.
Each year Pow Wow Pitch collaborates with leading Indigenous artists for the Box design, this year Angela Gillette was selected, recognizing her unique path from Pow Wow Pitch Alumni to valued collaborator and ambassador.
About Angela Gillette
Angela Gillette, a member of the Three Affiliates Tribes of North and South Dakota, is the founder of White Corn Wear—an apparel and accessories brand known for its beautiful satin skirts featuring her original designs. With a background in accounting and finance, Angela discovered her creative side through digital art, using photographs and graphic design to bring her ideas to life. Inspired by her daughter and encouraged by artist Butch Thunderhawk, she embraced the idea that art can take many forms. Her work draws from the Plains ledger art style, which she reimagines through modern digital techniques.
What began as a vision for custom purse linings evolved into a successful brand that’s become a staple on the powwow trail, often selling out before the end of the powwow. Angela’s ability to blend entrepreneurship with cultural storytelling sets her work apart. Through White Corn Wear, she continues to celebrate identity, creativity, and self-made artistry.
About ‘Sisterhood’
‘Sisterhood’ is a powerful digital artwork by Angela Gillette that honours the strength, connection, and resilience of Indigenous women. Inspired by a photo of her daughter and her friends within the powwow circle, the piece reflects the deep bonds formed through culture, tradition, and shared experience. Featuring three traditional dancers, the artwork is a hand-selected variation of Angela’s signature dancer design seen on her renowned satin skirts from White Corn Wear.
“‘Sisterhood’ is really close to my heart,” shared Angela Gillette, Founder and Owner of White Corn Wear. “Growing up in the powwow circle, I gained a sisterhood of women who’ve supported me through life, and I’ve seen my daughter build the same kind of circle around her.”
Each dancer represents a facet of sisterhood, but the figure on the left—clad in a red dress marked with handprints—holds special significance. This red dress is a tribute to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) movement, and a deeply personal remembrance of Angela’s sister-in-law, Olivia Lone Bear.
Angela continues to speak Olivia’s name and use her art to raise awareness for MMIWG, honouring her family, Olivia’s children, and countless others impacted. ‘Sisterhood’ is more than a design—it is a visual story of connection, loss, and the enduring spirit of Indigenous women.
To view more of Angela’s work, visit White Corn Wear.
On her collaboration with the Pow Wow Pitch Box, Angela shares the following, “I’m truly humbled that my artwork was chosen to be the centerpiece of the Pow Wow Pitch Box. It’s an honor to represent women, Native entrepreneurs, and small business owners in such a meaningful way. I’m passionate about supporting others on their business journeys—especially those just starting with a small idea. To be part of something that celebrates and uplifts Indigenous innovation makes me incredibly proud.”
Angela shares a final note to Indigenous entrepreneurs on their own journeys, “Don’t stop taking steps—even small ones. There are so many of us out here willing to help, and I’m always happy to talk shop with anyone who’s serious about building something real and sustainable.”
“Pow Wow Pitch is incredibly proud to feature Angela Gillette in our 2025 Pow Wow Pitch Box,” said Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch. “As a Pow Wow Pitch Alumni, Angela embodies the spirit of Indigenous entrepreneurship—grounded in culture, resilience, and storytelling. Her artwork is both deeply personal and profoundly powerful, sharing stories of sisterhood, community, and advocacy through her distinct visual style, which blends Plains ledger art with digital techniques. We are honoured to showcase her work and amplify the truth of Indigenous experiences through the lens of artistic storytelling in this year’s Pow Wow Pitch Box.”
With ‘Sisterhood,’ Angela’s work is set to empower and celebrate a new wave of Indigenous entrepreneurs to reach new heights and opportunities through the Pow Wow Pitch Box.
The inside of the Box also features a poem by Indigenous poet Tenille K Campbell, commissioned for Pow Wow Pitch called ‘What If,’ which speaks to possibility and community.
Applications to be featured in the 2025 Pow Wow Pitch Box will open on April 17, 2025.