Peshlakai is a Navajo weaver, silversmith, and maker of jewelry and beadwork.[4][5][3] She took up silversmithing after marrying her husband, James Peshlakai, who was a silversmith and goldsmith.[1] In the early 1970s, she and James opened a fine arts studio in Flagstaff, Arizona and traveled to nearly all 50 states to give art and cultural demonstrations.[1] Their jewelry was purchased by notable figures including U.S. president Gerald Ford, The Beach Boys, and John Denver.[1]
In 1971, Peshlakai met Arch Gould, a patron of Navajo weavers, at a weaving demonstration.[3] In 1991, she and her sister taught a summer course at the University of Hawaiʻi Lab School and gave a demonstration at the Honolulu Academy of Art's Linekona Art Center.[3] They have taught weaving in the Southwest, New England, and the Pacific Northwest.[3] In November 1997, the sisters demonstrated weaving and discussed Navajo culture at Gettysburg College.[4]
As of 1997, Peshlakai was the co-owner of Peshlakai's Consulting Service, Navajo Experience Catering Services, and was also a sheep and cattle rancher.[4] She continued to own and manage her own small business as of 2023.[1]
Peshlakai's involvement in politics began in the 1970s, when she and her husband campaigned for Coconino County Sheriff Joe Richards.[1] She has been active in Cameron Chapter House politics for nearly 30 years.[1]
In November 2022, Peshlakai was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives to represent the newly formed Legislative District 6.[6] She and her Democratic running mate were unopposed by Republican candidates in the general election.[6] As a legislator, she is a member of the Democratic Party from Cameron, Arizona.[1] By December 2023, she was representing Legislative District 7, which includes the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, and six other tribes.[1] Her legislative priorities include education, health care, infrastructure, and veterans' issues.[1] She serves on the military and public safety committees and is the chairwoman of the Indigenous People's Caucus.[1]
