Nancy is a band member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation in southern Ontario. She was born in northern Ontario and lived throughout the north until moving south to attend university. She landed in Tkaronto 30 years ago and, except for a year in Saskatoon, has been there ever since. Nancy followed in her late mothers’ footsteps and has dedicated her career to working in the Indigenous community. She has worked at various Indigenous organizations throughout the years as a writer, an educator and a community development worker. She currently has the great privilege to work with 46 First Nation Public Libraries throughout the province as part of the consulting team at the Ontario Library Service.
Nancy was first published at the age of 14. Her poem about the death of Terry Fox made it into the pages of the Timmins Daily Press. Since then, Nancy has been published in various magazines, including Our Times, Literacies (where her article “Skunk Girl Goes to School” was nominated for a National Magazine Award), Red Ink, Chirp, Chickadee, and Owl. She has contributed to several anthologies throughout the years, writing about her experiences as a Two-Spirit activist and parent.
Most recently, Nancy’s dual language children’s book E Meshkwadooniged Mitig/The Trading Tree, published by the Prince’s Trust Charity, was shortlisted for the First Nation Communities READ award. It also made the American Indians in Children’s Literature Best Books of 2020 list, which for those in the know, is kind of a big deal! Her second children’s book Amik’s Big Day will be published by Owlkids Books in the fall of 2022.
Nancy is represented by Samantha Haywood and Fiona Kenshole.