Meet Anthony Khangi Thanka —Artist, Advocate, and S.T.E.M. Student

I met Lane in 2017 during our third film camp for youth on Pine Ridge Reservation. They were a joyful teenager, with a big laugh and truly outstanding dance moves. I knew Lane would impact the world with their glowing presence, compassionate nature, and quick learning abilities. All these years later, Lane continues to outdo themselves, as only they could.

Lane has grown from eager film student to activist and college student, — and they’re just getting started.

Here is our conversation.

Why don’t we start by having you briefly introduce yourself?

I am Anthony Khangi Thanka. I go by he/him and they/them. I was born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation. My family comes from the Oglala Lakota and the Sicangu Lakota.

Tell me about Pine Ridge, what do you love about home?

Very much my culture, being surrounded by my people. That’s the most comforting feeling of all. I’m able to be here physically and connect with them.

How are you holding up, you know, it’s been a crazy couple of years?

It’s all very surreal, but I’m very sheltered from it at this point because I don’t want to overwhelm myself. If that makes sense.

Yea, that makes total sense. That’s self-care. Sometimes we do need to disconnect from the external things, the things we can’t necessarily change right now, at the moment. How are you taking care of yourself?

I’m very much a Libra. So it’s very much in my nature to disappear for weeks on end as a form of self-healing. I take that time to reflect on my past decisions and about traumas that I went through. I very much take time to recuperate for my next endeavors.

I know you’re also in school right now, what are you studying?

I am a computer science major. I’m getting my Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. I plan on being a software engineer or software designer.

Did you always want to do that growing up?

It’s changed so many times throughout the years. When I think of something…I dream really big. Every time I pick something I want to do, I just believe I’m going to be the best at it (laughs). When I was little, I really wanted to bake and then I followed that passion for a long time. Then I wanted to be a doctor, then a makeup artist, then I wanted to work in film and technology. I ended up with computer science.

So you and I came to know one another through film. What place does that have in your life now?

Outlast very much fit into my formative years, my young adult life. Without Outlast, I wouldn’t be where I am. I wouldn’t have chosen what I went into without Outlast. I started with film and technology and I was hoping to go into that field, but it wasn’t the right fit for me. But it was a major influence as to why I went into computer science. I loved the aspect of technology. I’m grateful for it.

That makes me happy to hear (laughs) because we obviously want the program to be something meaningful, that y’all enjoy.

Yea (laughs).

But there’s not a whole lot of programs like this that exist here, right now. At least not consistently. What impact do you think more film and technology programs for youth would have?

I think it would have a great impact. Bringing that information to the youth, so that they could have a better understanding of what they could do in the future. When I was growing up, there was next to nothing for programs like this. I think our levels of suicide, of drug addiction, would go down. Outlast was the first program like that that I went to on this reservation. It was a very big help for me, even though I was facing hardships. If we continue to have camps like this, and our youth were given these options, I think we would have a better life on the reservation.

Mhmm. I got into filmmaking in a very similar way. I stumbled into a program and it felt like “Oh wow, this is a thing that’s available to me?”. We’ve talked about this, we don’t see people like us enough in these fields, or careers, or hobbies…

Mhmm.

But anyway, I want to talk more about you. You sent me all these wonderful pictures that I can’t wait to share. Tell me about one?

The history of the ribbon skirt, from my perspective, is that they’re more of a recent style or trend. They’re not that traditional, but more of a contemporary wear. In my blue skirt, I made that to represent the Two-Spirit Oyate. There’s a story about the lizard and the turtle, which represents the two main gender roles in Lakota culture. And the two feathers that are connected to each turtle and each lizard represent the two feathers on the Two-Spirit flag. The lizard and the turtle are the centers in the star. The star represents us Lakota beings because we descended from the Star Nation. The bright colors in the middle represent the Milky Way because that’s where we came from and that’s where we’re going to return to. It tells the story that we were born this way. We came across the Milky Way in spirit.

Thank you for sharing that.

My first ribbon skirt was for my grandma’s and grandpa’s wedding. They were together for over 50 years and they never got married. It was really special for me to see them get married. Never in my life would I think I would get to see my grandma and grandpa get married. So it was my first big ribbon skirt. I was really proud of that.

You should be. I’m looking at the pictures you sent and…I’ve known you for what, four years now? I’m always in awe at how much you’ve grown as an artist but more specifically as a person. Watching you go through your journeys and overcome hardships, including the ones that just come from being an adolescent…Because no matter where you’re from, those are some rough years, trying to find comfort in yourself. I’m looking at one of the pictures and you’re holding up a sign that says “Trans Kids Are Kids”. Could you speak on that a little bit more?

I identify as Winkte. That is my place in Lakota culture. It translates to a man who takes on the woman’s roles. In the broader perspective, I would identify as Two-Spirit if I were outside of the Lakota Community. Two-Spirit is an umbrella term for people who don’t use their traditional term or their tribal heritage doesn’t recognize Two-Spirit individuals. Being a Two-Spirit individual, I would not identify myself with the LGBT community, but I definitely support them and I fight for them in any way I can. In that picture, we were taking space and protesting the anti-transgender bill that Kristi Noem has been trying to push that [prevents] transgender girls in schools from playing sports.

I was so proud when I saw that picture. What other issues are you passionate about?

Racial equality. Gender equality. Decolonization. Black Lives Matter. I’m very much an advocate for People of Color.

Mhmm. Is there any advice you’d like to give to Native or Black youth that you’ve learned on your journey?

The biggest thing that I would say is to take advantage of your uniqueness. Your talents, your skills. They will set you apart from everyone else. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned.

I love that…Can I ask you fun questions now?

Yes, absolutely!

Okay, what’s a fun fact about you?

Um…You put me on the spot like this?! Uhm. I…I don’t know, that’s a hard one! I like how the rest of the questions weren’t hard and this is the one that stumps me (laughs)!

Haha, okay, okay, what would you do if you won the lottery?

If I won the lottery, I would have every traditional outfit there is. I would have every piece of regalia there is. I would buy so much turquoise jewelry. I would start organizations for people on the rez. Specifically Two-Spirit youth. Just the youth in general.

Love it.

And I would help my family.

Where do you see yourself in four years?

In four years, I see myself with my degree, hopefully working at a large tech company, indigenizing colonized spaces.

Yessssss (snaps).

Being the Two-Spirit STEM advocate I wish I could have had as a role model.

Mhmm. And last one…who are some of your favorite artists?

Kesha, Dua Lipa…who else, we got…Jesse Reyez. For Indigenous artists, it would be Mato [Wayuhi]. Love Mato. And Chelysa R. Owens-Cyr. And Emily Little Hoop.

Right On. Thanks, Lane.