Jana Schmieding

Biography

Jana Schmieding is a Native American (Cheyenne River Lakota) comedian, actor, podcaster, and writer. She is best known for her roles hosting the podcast Woman of Size, and as a writer and actor on the sitcom Rutherford Falls, and an actor on Reservation Dogs. Schmieding is a Lakota woman who grew up in Canby, Oregon, where she says she was raised "pretty traditionally in the Lakota ways." Schmieding grew up in Canby, Oregon, which had a primarily white population. As a result, she faced discrimination throughout her childhood. She states that she often educated her teachers about native culture more than they taught her. She credits her mother for her strong will and willingness to stand up for herself and her people. As a child, Schmieding loved comedy. She shared that when she was a child she would invite her friends over and they would make silly, comedic videos on camcorders. She also enjoyed sketching comedic drawings from a young age.