Coming Home: Amy Denet Deal on Navajo Identity, Purpose & What’s Next | Encore

What does it mean to come home—to a place, a culture, or even to yourself? In this encore episode of Stories of Change, I revisit my conversation with Navajo designer and entrepreneur Amy Denet Deal. Amy was adopted as a child and grew up in Indiana, far from her Navajo culture. After a successful career in the fashion industry and with her daughter heading off to college, Amy found herself asking a familiar question: What’s next? Her answer was to sell what she had in California and move to New Mexico to reconnect with her Navajo roots. What followed became much more than a move. Amy began learning about her culture and finding ways to use the skills she had developed during her career to serve her community. Through her work with 4KINSHIP and Indigenous Futures 4EVER, Amy has focused on creating opportunities for Native youth and giving back to Navajo Nation. She also shares what returning home has taught her about identity, empathy, healing, and purpose. In this episode, we talk about: Why becoming an empty nester led Amy to ask, “What’s next?” Amy's decision to leave California and return to her Navajo homelands Adoption and reconnection Why service became an important part of coming home Her work creating opportunities for young people on Navajo Nation What Amy thinks about the next chapter of her life Amy says returning home gave her something she had been searching for much of her life: a sense of calm and clarity about where she belongs. And maybe that’s the question at the heart of this conversation: What helps you quiet the noise and get clearer about where you belong—and what matters next? Learn more about Amy Denet Deal and her work through 4KINSHIP and Indigenous Futures 4EVER. About Stories of Change: Helping your Navigate What's Next  Life doesn’t come with a roadmap. We’re all figuring it out as we go. I’m Judy Oskam, and on Stories of Change, I talk with people about the changes and unexpected turns that have shaped their lives—and what they’ve learned along the way. Sometimes someone else’s story gives us a little wisdom, a new perspective, or just what we need to help us figure out what’s next. About Stories of Change Life doesn't come with a roadmap. We're all figuring it out as we go. I'm Judy Oskam, and on Stories of Change, I talk with people about the changes and unexpected turns that have shaped their lives—and what they've learned along the way. Maybe you're navigating a career change, moving through a life transition, or designing your next chapter. Someone else's story might give you a little wisdom to figure out what's next.