She stands with her back to rows of the disappeared with her $60,000 Rolex watch and shimmering nails and sporting that oh-so-carefully choreographed French tuck. She has adorned herself in pieces of silver and gold, though she has shaded her eyes, as she surely must.

As a teenager, she was crowned the 1990 South Dakota Snow Queen. Decades later she tells a reporter that the experience taught her the value of “presenting to an audience.”

arctic winds
sacrificial goat
faces her barrel

Bio: Darlene O’Dell

Publisher’s Notes:

1. The phrase “presenting to an audience” is from an article by Kelda J.L. Pharris in Aberdeen News (14 January 2016): Kristi Noem cherishes time as Snow Queen

2. Former South Dakota governor Kristi Noem recently filmed an ad campaign warning immigrants, “Do not come to our country illegally. You will be removed...” as excerpted in this one-minute video by Associated Press (26 March 2025): Homeland Security Secretary Noem visits the El Salvador prison where deported Venezuelans are held

3. Also of interest, this commentary by editor-in-chief Seth Tupper of South Dakota Searchlight (2 May 2024): Noem’s dog killing was bad, but to really understand her, consider the goat