T.Jay Henhawk: Where tradition meets technology with Ever Deadly
T.Jay Henhawk, owner of Ever Deadly and proud member of Six Nations of the Grand River, is carving out space at the intersection of innovation and culture. Based in his home community in Ontario, T.Jay offers creative development services that span large-scale tech solutions and artistic design, including an Indigenous-infused wellness portal he built from the ground up. With each project, Ever Deadly integrates Indigenous culture and sensibilities into the digital world, bridging ancestral knowledge with modern tools. T.Jay’s mission is to Indigenize the future by empowering Indigenous youth and sparking pride through digital cultural expression.
As both a creative and a technologist, T.Jay has already achieved major milestones. His wellness portal blends technology and Indigenous knowledge in a way that centers wellness, representation, and community engagement. Beyond that, he has led and completed an array of creative projects, from visual artwork and website design to graphical illustrations and 3D printing, each reflecting deep cultural integrity and technical precision. Whether it is a digital platform or a single graphic element, every creation contributes to the broader goal of making Indigenous perspectives visible and valued in the tech and design world.
T.Jay applied to Pow Wow Pitch to amplify his voice and vision in a space where Indigenous innovation is celebrated. He saw the program as an opportunity to showcase his work, connect with like-minded creators, and gather valuable feedback. Participating in the 2025 Pow Wow Pitch Semi-Finals has offered exposure, encouragement, and insight into how his work can evolve to serve even more people. For T.Jay, the most powerful part of the experience has been sharing space with other Indigenous tech and creative entrepreneurs who are also dreaming big and building change.
Mentorship has played a central role in T.Jay’s journey. He draws guidance from a diverse circle that includes community elders, cultural educators, and digital media professionals. Elders help root his work in cultural protocol, ensuring that each creative decision is made with respect and authenticity. Cultural educators help shape his narrative, offering insight into how stories and traditions can be told through modern mediums. On the technical side, mentors have provided support on everything from user experience to platform architecture. Together, these relationships ensure his work remains grounded, innovative, and community-first.
For aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs, T.Jay offers powerful advice: “Start with purpose. Let your culture, passion, and community guide your vision.” He emphasizes the importance of seeking out mentorship from both cultural and technical leaders, staying authentic, and being willing to adapt as you grow. “Our creativity has power,” he says. “Not just to build businesses, but to inspire cultural resurgence and new pathways for the next generation.” Above all, T.Jay urges others to believe in their capacity to innovate. “Your unique voice matters, especially in spaces where we’ve been underrepresented for too long.”
T.Jay continues to reflect on how creative freedom fuels his vision, and how passion and purpose walk hand in hand in his journey with Ever Deadly. He is building more than a brand, he’s building a movement to bring Indigenous worldviews into the digital landscape, one powerful project at a time.
Watch T.Jay pitch Ever Deadly in the Technology category airing on September 11, 2025, at 6:00 PM ET. Click here to see all episodes: powwowpitch.org/episodes.