The Faculty of Arts welcomes Brandi Bird, Indigenous Writer-in-Residence and Brandon Gabriel, Indigenous Artist-in-Residence to KPU for the Spring semester. They join Molly Cross Blanchard, Indigenous Writer-in-Residence and Á’a:líya Warbus, Indigenous Artist-in-Residence who have been extended for another semester. They will continue their work with consultations, in-class visits, events, and more student, faculty, and staff engagement.
Brandi Bird
Brandi Bird is an Indigiqueer Saulteaux, Cree and Métis writer from Treaty 1 territory. They currently live and learn on the land of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh & Musqueam peoples.
Their work has been published in The Puritan, Poetry is Dead, Room Magazine, Brick Magazine, Prism International and others. Their first book, "The All + Flesh", is being released with House of Anansi Press in Fall 2023. They enjoy listening to the same song over and over again and love their three cats, Babydoll, Burt, and Etta.
Brandon Gabriel
Born and raised on the Kwantlen First Nation Reserve in Fort Langley BC, Canada. He was educated in Cultural Anthropology, Visual Art, and Marketing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, then received his Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Art from the prestigious Emily Carr University of Fine Art and Design (2006).
Brandon is a multi-talented contemporary mixed media artist who specializes in painting, drawing, graphic design, architectural design concepts, and public art installations.
His work has been exhibited in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, USA, and across Canada, specializing in Architectural Conceptual Design; Public Art Installations; Graphic Design; Painting; Drawing; Consulting; Education Modules for all ages and institutional settings.
Á’a:líya (Theresa) Warbus
Theresa is Stó:lō with roots in the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sema: th, Sq’éwlets and Sts’ailes First Nations. She has worked in the unceded territories of the Coast Salish as an artist and activist for the past 20 years. She is currently focussed on writing, directing and being a mom to her three young children.
Á’a:líya’s last narrative short fiction and short documentaries explore themes of Indigenous culture, Indigenous matriarchs, and the effects of colonization on her family and community. Her stories are a mix of both modern and traditional themes driven by her experience growing up in both worlds simultaneously.
In her master’s work she’s explored the impact the 2SLGBTQQ+, namely the Transgendered community, have had on the protocols of ceremony in Stó:lō culture. By sharing her sister’s story, she hopes to add to the evolving conversation and create more safe space for anyone who is grappling with these same questions.
For too long Indigenous people have been silenced and invisible while their stories are told by outsiders. It is with this inspiration Á’a:líya’s work is to focus these stories that the world needs to see and hear. Art embodies endless possibilities to empower people, their history, and their condition to create more bridges of understanding across all Nations.
Molly Cross-Blanchard
Molly Cross-Blanchard is a white and Métis writer, editor, and educator born on Treaty 3 (Fort Frances, ON), raised on Treaty 6 (Prince Albert, SK), and currently living on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, cka Vancouver, where she’s working on a novel. She is the former poetry editor of PRISM international and the former publisher of Room.
Her work has appeared in CV2, The Malahat Review, SubTerrain, The Puritan, Canthius, Grain, Quill & Quire, The Tyee, Asparagus, and others. Molly’s poetry chapbook is I Don’t Want to Tell You (Rahila’s Ghost Press, 2018) and her debut full-length book of poetry is Exhibitionist (Coach House Books, 2021), which was shortlisted for the ReLit Award for Poetry. Her poem “First Contact: Métis” was shortlisted for a 2022 National Magazine Award.