Rosanna Deerchild

Rosanna Deerchild is currently the host of the radio program Unreserved on CBC Radio One, a show that shares the music, cultures, and stories from indigenous people across Canada.^[1] With CBC Radio One she has hosted two other shows; The (204) and the Weekend Morning Show. She has also appeared on CBC Radio's DNTO. Deerchild is a veteran broadcaster and has had a career spanning 20 years. She has been on various other media networks: APTN, Global Television Network, and Native Communications (NCI-FM).^[2] Deerchild originates from South Indian Lake, Manitoba (Now called O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation ). She now lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Literary career

Deerchild's poetry has appeared in a number of literary magazines including: Prairie Fire and CV2. Her work has been anthologized in Post-prairie: An Anthology of New Poetry (Talonbooks, 2005) and Strong Women Stories: Native Vision and Community Survival (Sumach Press, 2003).

She is the co-founder and remains a member of the Aboriginal Writers Collective established in 1999. The collective, a group of Manitoba writers, has released two collections in print, urban kool and Bone Memory, and a live spoken word CD, Red City. Rosanna has also performed live comedy and has written book reviews for the Winnipeg Free Press. Her first book, This is a Small Northern Town, is a full-length collection of poems that looks at a small northern town that is heavily divided along colour lines and holds long family secrets.^[3]

Deerchild's second book, Calling Down the Sky, is a deeply personal piece about Canada's Aboriginal Residential Schools. This book tells the story of Deerchild's own mother and her struggles as a generational survivor of residential schools.^[4]

In 2009 Deerchild was awarded the Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry for her this is a small northern town full length poetry publication.^[5]

Activism

In 2015 Deerchild appeared on the cover of Maclean's Magazine accompanied by the quote "They call me a stupid squaw, or tell me to go back to the rez". The magazine called Winnipeg Canada's most racist city and featured numerous Indigenous voices who had experienced racism.^[6] Following the release of the magazine Deerchild frequently spoke about racism, public perception, and Indigenous life in Winnipeg.^[7]

References