Indigenous Brilliance was thrilled to host our inaugural Writing Circle on March 9, 2025 at Wildfires Bookshop. This free event was open to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cis and trans women, trans men, Two-Spirit, nonbinary people, and others who are of minority gender expressions. 

Facilitated by the ever-wonderful Molly Cross-Blanchard (Métis), this 1.5 hour writing circle is meant for all writing skill levels and was a cozy afternoon spent connecting with not only the written word, but with each other. Our hope is to foster a safe environment for participants to learn and expand their writing skills in a community-oriented setting. 

Since 2018, the Indigenous Brilliance Collective has come together with a shared vision of Indigenous resurgence: a resurgence that exists through the act of making space for ourselves and each other, through community building, and through the radical act of living and loving. We want to celebrate Indigenous stories and the different ways we think, share, and perform.

In honouring this vision, we were thrilled to host the continuation of our reading series featuring a host nation opening by Senaqwila Wyss (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, Tsimshian, Stó:lō, Hawaiian and Swiss), words from members of the Indigenous Brilliance Collective, and additional hosting duties from Monday Zankpe (Togolese-Secwépemc). We were also proud to feature readers Jónína Kirton (Métis and Icelandic) and Amanda Peters (Mi’kmaq/Settler).

Earthseed Book Club began in 2021 as a community-based book club which studied the speculative science fiction novel Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Hosted by Emma Jeffrey, Marte Branco & Karmella Cen Benedito De Barros, the book club ran for 6 months online with in- person community-building activities.

From April to September 2023, IBC hosted a new chapter of Earthseed Book Club, which studied Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown, an applied strategy of movement-building which was adapted from Octavia Butler’s work, along with many other scholars, activists and writers. In doing this work, we hope to create space to reflect and strategize on movement building within our own communities.

On November 17, 2022, Massy Arts Society, Massy Books and Indigenous Brilliance hosted a fall reading under the theme: Transformations. 

Transformations featured Billy-Ray Belcourt (Driftpile Cree Nation), Molly Cross-Blanchard (White & Metis) and jaye simpson (Sapotaweyak Cree Nation).

There was a host nation opening and reading by χʷəy̓χʷiq̓tən Audrey Siegl (Musqueam Nation), as well as words from Founder & Executive Director of Vancouver Black Library Foundation, Maya Preshyon.

The event was hosted by Savannah Erasmus (Cold Lake First Nation and Kikino Métis Settlement). 

When our team first discussed what an Indigenous Brilliance themed issue might look like, our conversation turned to more questions than answers. We asked ourselves what indigeneity meant for us on ministik/Turtle Island, what our work looked like in conversation with global indigeneity and global entanglements of colonialism and imperialism, how Indigenous Brilliance as a collective previously made space, or didn’t make space, for our Afro and Black-Indigenous kin. The issue, then, became a space for these questions to be explored, centred, and interrogated, and the result is a physical testament to the brilliance of every Black, Indigenous, and Afro-Indigenous creative celebrated throughout these pages, and all those they carry with them in their work.

On October 29th 2020, Indigenous Brilliance returned with a fall reading in collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery in a poetic and artistic response to the exhibition Uncommon Language. Invited poets Afuwa, Jónina Kirton, and Michelle Sylliboy joined Emily Dundas Oke  to respond to the Eurocentric promise—and presumption—of a single overarching artistic language and instead offer decidedly relational and specific expressions.⁣

On April 17, 2020, as a response to national poetry month and the Vancouver Art Gallery’s exhibition Shuvinai Ashoona: Mapping Worlds, Indigenous Brilliance brought together poets from across Turtle Island in a continual act of worldbuilding in the creative present.

Featuring Selina Boan, Tyler Pennock, and Kaitlyn Purcell.

Featuring Kwiigay iiwans, Francine Cunningham, and Whess Harman. Hosted in collaboration with Room Magazine and Massy Books.

Reignite was a weekend dedicated to creative making and storytelling for Indigenous youth up to 29 years old featuring beadwork, sound, art + writing.

Organized by Indigenous Brilliance and hosted at the upstairs gallery of Massy Books, this weekend was a place to explore techniques, experimentation, collaboration. It was a moment to gather and celebrate. Workshops included beadwork with Adrienne Larocque of Kihew and Rose, discovering sound through collaborative recording with Edziu, writing with Selina Boan, and more.

Featuring Michelle Porter, Tristin Greyeyes, Beric Manywounds, and bo o’wadi. Hosted in collaboration with Room Magazine and Massy Books.

Featuring Salia Joy, readings and comedy by Evan Ducharme, Mackenzie Ground, Savannah Erasmus, and Cassandra Blanchard. Hosted in collaboration with Room Magazine and Massy Books.

On March 9th 2019, Indigenous Brilliance co-hosted Growing Room Literary Festival on March 9th with brilliant poets, writers, singers, visual artists, academics, beadworkers, medicine makers, and more in a day-long event. The event featured four readings, and hosted Indigenous women/2SQ vendors, entrepreneurs, and artists throughout the entire day. Hosted by ur faves Jessica Johns, jaye simpson, & Patricia Massy.

Featuring Salia Joseph, Emily Riddle, Karmella Benedito De Barros, Autumn Schnell, Suna (Sunkosi Maya Maria) Galay, Valeen Jules, and Wanda John-Kehewin. Hosted in collaboration with Room Magazine and Massy Books.