Simone Garza's stories

Alicia Velasquez is the artist and entrepreneur behind The House of Dotł’izhi, 327 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City, Native American shop. CREDIT SIMONE GARZA

Indigenous business woman paves way for Native American fashion, culture in Iowa City

At just 5 years old, Alicia Velasquez began making clothes for her dolls. Using her seamstress mother’s fabric scraps and her father’s beadwork as inspiration, she would staple or duct tape together her creations. “Fashion is something I always wanted…