Jenn Ashton has been named a finalist for the 2021 Indigenous Voices Awards in the Fiction category for her short story collection, People Like Frank and Other Stories from the Edge of Normal.
The IVAs were established in 2017 to support and nurture the work of Indigenous writers in lands claimed by Canada. The Indigenous Voices Awards aim to support Indigenous literary production in its diversity and complexity. The awards honour the sovereignty of Indigenous creative voices and reject cultural appropriation; to be eligible for the Indigenous Voices Awards, authors must be Indigenous and must make a declaration of Indigenous identity. The awards are intended to support Indigenous artistic communities and to resist the individualism of prize culture. As such, the IVA Board will endeavour to create opportunities for mentorship, professionalization, and creative collaboration among applicants, jurors, and other members of the Indigenous artistic community when possible.
The 2021 winners will be announced on National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, at a virtual gala.