Kelly Edzerza-Bapty

Kelly Edzerza-Bapty is a member of the Tāłtān Nation in Northwest British Columbia. Kelly is the founding principal of Obsidian Architecture, an Indigenous-owned and operated firm that specializes in architecture and design in the communities across British Columbia and the Yukon. She is the first Indigenous female architect from the Tāłtān Nation to achieve the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) designation. Through her practice, Edzerza-Bapty focuses on Generational Architecture, a term that works towards "defining resilience and sustainability [in architecture] through an Indigenous lens". In addition to architectural work, Edzerza-Bapty is also the co-creator of ReMatriate, an organization that seeks to render Indigenous Women visibly empowered.

Tāłtān Nation Edzerza-Bapty is a member of the Tāłtān Nation, stewards of the Stikine watershed that feeds the Pacific Ocean. The traditional and unceded land base accounts for 11.24 percent of British Columbia’s “claimed” land base. The Tāłtān Nation holds a “Declaration of Nation” from 1910 in which their Nannock (Head Chief) and 84 other members of the Tāłtān Nation state that their land is separate from the land that is presently referred to as British Columbia. Both Edzerza-Bapty’s great-great-grandfather (Nannock) and great-grandfather are signatories of the declaration.

Edzerza-Bapty is the granddaughter of the Tahlogo Dena Etzenlee Matriarch, of the Tu’da Che’yonne (Wolf-Eagle) Clan, a matrilineal-based society where property and hunting areas are passed down through the women's lines. As the youngest daughter of the youngest daughter from a family of twenty children and a member of the Wolf-Eagle Clan, Edzerza-Bapty has an obligation to support the future generations by assuring their strength is carried forward by mending and regenerating their cultural continuum.

Edzerza-Bapty’s mother recognized her potential in design and encouraged her to pursue architecture as a career. As a result, Edzerza-Bapty attended the University of Alberta to receive a Bachelor in Design. Following her undergraduate degree, Edzerza-Bapty joined an architectural firm in Whitehorse, Yukon where she worked on many First Nations’ projects. "I ask for different groups of elders, often in gender split, and local Indigenous language speakers, as well as the members that are running the programming in communities. We try to do at least a full-day workshop with youth in the community each time we come in: we’ll run model-building workshops, and design-thinking sessions with iPads, markers, laptops with 3D building files. These youthful contributions to the design process, programming, and final project are valuable. In this participatory approach, we’re thinking about [buildings] in terms of being in place for several generations, of having that longevity and durability. We are investing in ‘generational architecture’ and ‘generational building." Lower Post, BC 2016 – under construction 27,000-square-foot facility that will serve the Kaska Dena Nation by providing recreational, cultural, and administrative spaces. Kaska Dena Nation Obsidian Architecture, SMK Architect Nzen’man’ Child and Family Development Centre Central Saanich 2020–2022 Serves as a community gathering space and spiritual centre. Tsawout Nation Obsidian Architecture, Scott Kemp Architect

Advocacy In addition, to Edzerza-Bapty's work as an architect, she is also the initiating co-founder of ReMatriate Collective, an organization dedicated to empowering Indigenous women. The organization began as an Indigenous Wom(y/x)ns visual identity campaign and is composed of a diverse group of female fashion designers, singers, models, architects, artists, and advocates. The formation of the collective was a direct response to the stereotypes and appropriation of Indigenous cultures that have been taking away Indigenous peoples' rights and ability to authentically represent their cultures such as fashion designer DSquared's "DSquaw" collection. Through a collection of online visual arts through social media and a decolonizing movement, ReMatriate intends to move the conversation around Indigenous women in the media to a more positive space by putting Indigenous women in charge of how they are represented and portrayed.

In 2017, Edzerza-Bapty was featured in the book of essays written by indigenous women, NotYourPrincess, which covered topics such as sexual abuse, drug use, discrimination, and silence.

Edzerza-Bapty is also involved in youth mentorship and advocacy for environmental and indigenous rights.