Being a Native American woman warrior is more than enlisting and leaving loved ones, and it’s more than learning to fire a weapon. It’s about courage, strength, sacrifice. For many, becoming a woman warrior wasn’t when they put on the uniform, but rather when they didn’t want to take it off.

Darla Black has been fighting her entire life. Her resilient spirit has persevered through her struggles in male-dominated fields—defending her nation and her home in the army and tribal law enforcement to overcoming her own personal demons.

“I hear the beat of the drum, straight down into my soul … and it’s quite a healing experience.”