Natives to Know: Kinsale Hueston Drake

Diné

Kinsale Drake is one of the coolest people on the planet. The Diné poet and playwright wears the badge of “Book Nerd” with pride. She was teaching writing workshops to younger children when she was just 17 years old. She made her community proud when she graduated from Yale last year.  

She’s won so many awards and accolades that there’s no way we could fit them all into this newsletter. And yet, her journey has been far from easy.

She began writing poetry as a mode of healing after the passing of her grandmother, a leader from Navajo Mountain on the reservation in Utah. Poetry also helped her navigate the loss of two friends during the pandemic.

Graduating from her Ivy league school required Drake to navigate between worlds and work to protect her mental health when she was one of the only non-white student in the English program.

Less than 1% of people in the publishing industry are Native, but Drake’s first collection, THE SKY WAS ONCE A DARK BLANKET is being published by University of Georgia Press in 2024.

Drake transforms her challenges into art and opportunity for those around her. This summer, she launched the NDN Girls Book Club to create a space for Indigenous youth and girls to access free literary and writing workshops, Indigenous author talks, and pop-ups. The group also provides lists of resources, care packages and a Poet Map to help folks explore the landscape of Indigenous writers.

Head to ndngirlsbookclub.org to sign up for resources or donate to support this important and inspiring work!