You Don’t Look Native to Me examines how histories, stereotypes, and struggles for recognition have shaped—and continue to shape—the lives of the Lumbee Tribe in Pembroke, North Carolina. Since 2011, I have photographed and filmed members of the community, combining images, videos, and interviews to show Native identity not as fixed, but evolving and redefining itself with each generation.

The Lumbee, with around 55,000 members, are the largest state-recognized tribe east of the Mississippi. On December 18, 2025, they were federally recognized as the 575th tribe in the United States, after 137 years of persistent advocacy and struggle. This long-overdue correction of historical injustice elevates Indigenous issues to a national level and grants the Lumbee access to previously denied resources, including funding, healthcare, housing, and education.

Yet this recognition arrives amid a politically polarized landscape, shaped by exclusionary narratives and ongoing debates over who belongs in the nation, not least under Donald Trump. While the state formally affirms Indigenous identity, the broader social and cultural challenges of recognition, representation, and belonging remain.

At first glance, my photographs depict what appears to be an ordinary American town. On closer inspection, layers of cultural identity emerge: street signs, clothing, tattoos, and domestic spaces that reflect an ongoing negotiation between heritage and contemporary life. These details reveal how stereotypes—shaped by film, pop culture, and simplified narratives—have been projected onto the community, influencing everyday interactions.

The title, You Don’t Look Native to Me, is a phrase painfully familiar to the Lumbee people, encapsulating the chasm between how they see themselves and how others perceive them. The protagonists present themselves as individuals with unique lives and shared cultural roots, refusing to conform to preconceptions of what it means to be Native American.

Orari di apertura

Lunedì

7.30/22

Martedì

7.30/22

Mercoledì

7.30/22

Giovedì

7.30/22

Venerdì

7.30/22

Sabato

Chiuso

Domenica

Chiuso

Date di apertura
30 aprile-14 giugno

indirizzo & Contatto

La Polveriera
Piazzale Oscar Romero
42122 Reggio Emilia RE