Kleo P. Skavinski
Kleo P. Skavinski is Dene-Ukrainian and identifies as Two-Spirit. They were raised by their mother and grandmother on the shore of TuCho and in the boreal bush, Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 territory. Ever since childhood, Kleo has been an admirer of books and has wanted to see their words printed in one. They have also inherited a love for beading and painting from their grandparents. Kleo is currently studying Critical Indigenous Studies and Sociology at the University of British Columbia, on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation. When they are home in Denendeh, they find joy by investing back into their community through their work with youth and at the local library. They have recently earned the title of Aunty and are proud to hold the responsibilities that come with it.
Books (1)
Synopsis:
Bebías Into Ǫhndaa Ke: Queer Indigenous Knowledge for Land and Community is a powerful collection of essays, stories and conversations that provide us with a diverse roadmap for navigating and overcoming hate, supporting queer Indigenous kin, and revitalizing radical ethics of care for building healthy, inclusive, and self-determining lands and communities. A celebration of trans, queer, and Two-Spirit Indigenous brilliance, with an intentional inclusion of voices from the North (the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Inuvialuit and Nunatsiavut), the essays in this collection offer a wealth of queer Indigenous theory, experience, and practices, with a unique emphasis on the critical role of land in these conversations.
The contributors, who range from young activists, artists, families, and both emerging and established scholars, provide insightful and transformative queer perspectives on a number of pertinent topics, including: knowledge reclamation, resurgence, nation-building, community life and governance, cultural revitalization, belonging, family relationships, creative practice, environmental degradation, mental health and wellbeing, youth empowerment, and Indigenous pedagogy. Amidst the ongoing violence of settler colonization, and its legacies of exclusion and erasure that continue to target queer, gender-diverse and Two-Spirit Indigenous people, this collection is an invaluable gift and resource for our communities, showing us that a different world is possible, and reminding us that queer Indigenous people have always belonged on the land and in community.
Additional Information
240 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback
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