Amber Zora is a United States Army veteran advocating for peace.
The interdisciplinary artist based in Rapid City received a Bush Fellowship she’ll use to challenge some dominant, widespread narratives about militarism and war.
“How did the military get so overgrown? How did it become the thing it is today? At what point is war necessary? How many weapons is enough weapons?” Zora said. “I don’t have the answers, but these are important questions to ask. … These are the questions the common person gets to ask.”
Through her Bush Fellowship and art, Zora hopes to initiate conversations about patriotism, military service and war.
“One of the reasons why it’s important to talk to people who have been affected by war is most of the time we only have Hollywood depictions of it. That’s not necessarily soldiers telling their own stories,” Zora said.
Bush Fellowships are a program of the Bush Foundation. The Bush Foundation invests in people and ideas that can creatively solve problems and make an impact in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and the 23 Native nations in that geographic region.
Zora’s Bush Fellowship will give her opportunities to develop her leadership skills, build relationships, and expand her knowledge in the anti-war field. She’s currently traveling to museums around the world that curate exhibits about the topics of war, trauma and conflict. Her travels will include visits to the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in…
