Biography

Julie Flett is a Cree-Métis author and illustrator from Vancouver, BC (Flett, 2015). Her grandparents were multi-lingual, fluent in English plus 4 native languages, but did not pass those languages down to their children or to Julie and her siblings (Joyful Threads Productions, 2016). Her connection to her grandparents influenced her desire to work towards preserving native languages. Both of Julie’s parent are artists, and they encouraged her to explore her artistic passion at Concordia University and Emily Carr University of Art and Design (Paper Tigers, 2012). She has won several awards for her illustrations, including the American Indian Library Association’s 2016 Picture Book Award. She has been an advocate not only for the accurate representation of First Nations in children’s materials, but also for Aboriginal women in Vancouver’s Downtown East End through her outreach efforts with the Positive Women’s Network (ACCESS, 2013).