FAQs For Eighth Generation Founder Louie Gong

Where is Louie Gong from?

Louie was born in Ruskin, B.C., where he lived with his Chinese Grandpa and Native Grandma in a house with no running water. When he was 11, his family moved to the Nooksack tribal community near Everson, Washington, where he stayed until he finished graduate school at the age of 22. 

Louie is Chinese, Native, French and Scottish. His family has Squamish and Nooksack heritage, and he is an enrolled citizen of the Nooksack nation.

What is Louie's educational background?

A first-generation college student, Louie has a Master’s Degree in Education from Western Washington University’s School Counseling Program. Over his 20 years in education, he's worked as a Native American Education Specialist, School Counselor, Child and Family Therapist, and Higher Education Administrator.

Since the age of 18, Louie has been a non-profit volunteer – primarily at the board level – for numerous organizations. He is the past President of the MAVIN Foundation, a non-profit that addresses the experiences of mixed race children and families, and his commentary related to racial and cultural identity has been included in MSNBC, NBC Nightly News, The New York Times and been the subject of two documentary films.

Is Louie a full-time artist?

Yes. In 2013, Louie quit his seven year position as an administrator at Muckleshoot Tribal College to pursue art and entrepreneurship full time.

How long has Louie been doing art?

Louie started practicing art seriously in 2007 when the Muckleshoot Tribe hosted the Intertribal Canoe Journey, and he had the opportunity to help the Muckleshoot Language Program paint drums for giveaway items. After that, he started seeing the world in ovals, crescents and form lines. He created his first custom shoe in March of 2009.

Did Louie study art?

"I had one art class. It was in 8th grade, and I think I got a C." -Louie Gong