Dr. Steenkamp in conversation with Métis student poet Délani Valin

Happy National Indigenous Peoples Month!

It was a real gift to speak with Délani Valin, award-winning poet and Royal Roads Master of Arts in Professional Communication student, for this week’s video message. Her book, Shapeshifters, was recently shortlisted for both the Indigenous Voices Award for poetry in English and the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award for the best first book of poetry in Canada in 2023.

I was so grateful that she gifted us with a reading from her book (along with autographing mine) in celebration of the start of National Indigenous Peoples Month. She also recommends a few must-read Indigenous poets that I’m really looking forward to reading as well.