Meet Our Grantee-Partner: Words of the People

Mission: Normalizing Indigenous language creative production. 

Chelsea T. Hicks was working for the Institute of American Indian Arts developing curriculum on rematriation and ancestral language learning acceleration. They wanted to write more in their language of Wahzhazhe ie, but found that the audience was limited since Native youth were not speaking or learning their ancestral languages widely, and publishers did not value Indigenous languages. In 2021, Hicks, along with Amber McCrary and Aimee Inglis, founded Words of the People to provide opportunities to learn, share, and publish Indigenous language creative works.

Words of the People operates out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, working with Indigenous and ancestral language learners in the region, across the United States, and worldwide. Its workshops, retreats, and publishing opportunities focus on creating impact and advocating for the care of the lands from which the writers and languages emerged. The organization was inspired by scholar, poet, and visual artist Inés Hernández-Ávila, whose work with a cohort of poets in Chiapas, Mexico, led to a movement encouraging Native American writers to write in their Indigenous languages. 

Indigenous languages are considered endangered but have been undergoing revitalization. Languages require multiple modalities for engagement to be revitalized, and Words of the People views art, including stories, songs, and writing, as crucial to language revitalization, emphasizing that everyone should have the opportunity to read and relish creative works in their ancestral languages. Words of the People helps Native American poets who have written only in English develop their skills in writing poetry in their ancestral languages. It also encourages them to advocate for and empower their communities to do the same amidst ongoing colonization.

Words of the People’s rematriation workshops and retreats teach participants to connect to a land base, guiding them to think about their land connections ancestrally. Indigenous language learners, speakers, and creators have the opportunity to study with people who have published, shown, or shared works in their ancestral language. 

Words of the People’s public-facing initiatives, such as readings and exhibitions, demonstrate that Indigenous language creativity is thriving and Indigenous traditions have value for everyone. Words of the People has been developing publications, including its first Indigenous language creative writing anthology, which is forthcoming with Abalone Mountain Press. Additionally, Words of the People is working to raise $16,000 for need-based travel scholarships for Indigenous language learners who are actively reconnecting to their languages. 

Receiving an Equity in Verse grant from the Poetry Foundation has increased Words of the People’s opportunities for collaboration with organizations such as Black Liberation Indigenous Sovereignty Collective, the NDN Girls Book Club, and other organizations creating healing and advocacy focused experiences. Words of the People has also partnered with NDN Girls Book Club for their rematriation retreat, where three-time United States poet laureate Joy Harjo is presenting on rematriation alongside Indigenous thought leaders like Michelle Schenandoah. 

Connect with Words of the People:

• Website
• Instagram