A Wisconsin artist named Kay LeClaire, who identifies as “two spirit” and non-binary, has been accused of faking Native American heritage.
LeClaire is the co-owner of a queer indigenous artists’ collective and has claimed a number of diverse backgrounds, including Metis, Oneida, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Cuban, and Jewish, since 2017.
LeClaire, who went by the name “nibiiwakamigkwe,” gained significant recognition within the indigenous arts community in Wisconsin, leading to a number of opportunities and benefits.
These included artist stipends, a paid residency at the University of Wisconsin, paid speaking fees, and art exhibitions, as well as a position on a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force.
However, LeClaire’s heritage was allegedly uncovered as being German, Swedish, and French-Canadian by an individual on a genealogy forum who used online records to investigate. I
n addition, in a 2017 Facebook post, LeClaire referred to herself as a “20-something white woman.”
In response to the accusations, LeClaire issued an apology, saying, “I am sorry… a lot of information has come to my attention since late December. I am still processing it all and do not yet know how to respond adequately. What I can do now is offer change.”
LeClaire has also vowed to return any “culturally-related items” that were given to her over the years and stated that she will no longer be “using the Ojibwe name given to [her] and [is] removing [herself] from all community spaces, positions, projects, and grants and will not seek new ones.”
Kristie Goforth, who considered LeClaire a friend, commented on the situation, saying, “There’s this appetite in Madison to just really want [diversity] and want to believe it so badly… it’s like a craving for it. We’re craving culture here.”
LeClaire was also involved in influencing a local music venue to change its name in 2020, citing that it was racially/ethnically insensitive.
The venue, called the Winnebago, was named after the street on which it was located and faced criticism due to the owner being white.
After pressure from LeClaire and other activists, the owner changed the name to the Burr Oak, but not without being scolded for its insensitivity.
