ScoreClub Sports Spotlight: Michelle Thomas— Model, Entrepreneur, Sports Event Performer, and Luxury Bartender
Tell us about yourself and your connection to sports.
I’m Michelle Thomas, also known as Navajo Goddess. I’m a proud Navajo (Diné) woman, mother, entrepreneur, professional luxury bartender, and National Anthem singer.
My connection to sports has taken me on an incredible journey. I’ve had the honor of performing the National Anthem in both English and the Navajo language at sporting events across the country, from high school and collegiate athletics to professional stages, including PBR events and major arenas, as well as opportunities connected to the NFL, NHL, and beyond.
Today, my connection to professional sports has expanded in another exciting direction. In the Hamptons, I have the opportunity to provide exclusive luxury bartending services for professional athletes and high-profile events. I love that my career has allowed me to experience the sports world both as a performer and hospitality professional.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
One of my greatest accomplishments is being able to sing our National Anthem in the Navajo language.
For me, it is much bigger than performing. During World War II, the Navajo language played an extraordinary role through the Navajo Code Talkers, whose unbroken code contributed to the Allied victory in the Pacific. Today, I have the privilege of carrying that same language into arenas and sporting events across the country.
Every time I sing in Navajo, I am honoring our ancestors, our Code Talkers, and the generations who fought to preserve our language and culture. It is also my way of contributing to cultural and language revitalization and showing younger Indigenous people that our language belongs on the biggest stages.
That is something I will always be incredibly proud of.
What does confidence mean to you?
Confidence means knowing who you are, where you come from, and what you bring into a room without needing anyone else’s approval.
For me, confidence comes from embracing every part of myself — being Navajo, being a mother, being an entrepreneur, being a performer, and being a woman who isn’t afraid to pursue opportunities that may not have traditionally had someone like me represented.
Confidence isn’t about being perfect. It’s about having the courage to show up authentically.
What keeps you motivated?
My children, my culture, and the desire to create a legacy keep me motivated.
I want younger generations, especially young Indigenous girls, to see that they don’t have to choose just one dream. You can honor your culture while building a modern career. You can be a mother and still pursue huge goals. You can be an entrepreneur, an artist, a professional, and a role model.
I want my journey to show that there is room for us everywhere.
What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
People are often surprised by how many different worlds I work in!
One day I can be standing in an arena singing the National Anthem in English and Navajo, and another day I can be in the Hamptons providing luxury bartending for professional athletes and exclusive events.
Behind the glamour is also an enormous amount of work, discipline, preparation, and determination.
What are your biggest goals?
I have been blessed to perform at so many different sporting events, but there is still one major dream on my bucket list: singing the National Anthem for the NBA. 🏀
I would love the opportunity to perform it in both English and Navajo on an NBA stage, bringing the Navajo language and the legacy of the Code Talkers into one of the biggest sports platforms in the world.
Beyond that, my goal is to continue performing across the country, expanding my businesses, working with incredible athletes and organizations, and using every opportunity I receive to create greater visibility for Indigenous culture.
What do you want people to remember about your story?
I want people to remember that representation matters and language carries history.
When I sing in Navajo, I’m not standing there alone. I carry my ancestors, the legacy of the Navajo Code Talkers, my family, my children, and my community with me.
I want my story to remind people that you can honor where you came from while creating a future that is completely your own.
Most importantly, I hope another Indigenous girl sees me standing in an arena, hears our language being sung proudly, and thinks:
“I belong on that stage, too.”
That would be one of the greatest accomplishments of all. 🖤✨🏆
Navajo GoddessTLANTA — Beauty. Athleticism. Intelligence. Confidence. Ambition.
Michelle Thomas
Those are the qualities behind the new ScoreClub Sports Beauty of the Week, an exclusive feature celebrating exceptional women who are making their presence felt throughout the world of sports.
