Tasha Spillett

Tasha Spillett is a Canadian author and educator. She is best known for her young adult graphic novel series Surviving the City, volume 1 of which won the Best Work in an Alternative Format at the 2019 Indigenous Voices Awards.

Career Spillett competed in the 2014 Miss Indian World pageant. She was chosen as Miss Congeniality. Spillett was a board member of Manito Ahbee and served as the chair of the Miss Manito Ahbee Youth Ambassador gathering, which honoured of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. Spillett also mentored young Indigenous people in Winnipeg through Sister Circle.

In 2018, Spillett's debut graphic novel, Surviving the City, vol. 1, was published by Highwater Press. The book was illustrated by Natasha Donovan and depicts two young Indigenous women, Miikwan, who is Anishinaabe, and Dez, who is Inninew. The second volume of Surviving the City, "From the Roots Up" was released in October 2020.

In April 2021, Spillett released the picture book I Sang You Down from the Stars, illustrated by Michaela Goade. I Sang You Down from the Stars debuted at number 3 on the New York Times Best Seller List and remained there for a week. Spillett began writing the book while pregnant with her daughter, Isabella. Spillett's second picture book, Beautiful You, Beautiful Me, was published in 2022. It was defended by Janaye as part of the 2023 CBC Kids Reads.

Personal life Spillett is of Cree and Trinidadian descent. She has a master's degree in land-based Indigenous education from the University of Saskatchewan. Spillett has also completed her PhD there.

Awards In 2019, "Surviving the City" was awarded Best Work in an Alternative Format at the Indigenous Voices Awards. I Sang You Down from the Stars was award the McNally Robinson Book for Young People award at the 2022 Manitoba Book Awards.

Works Surviving the City Volume 1: "Surviving the City" – illustrated by Natasha Donovan (2018), as Tasha Spillett Volume 2: "From the Roots Up" – illustrated by Natasha Donovan (2020) Beautiful You, Beautiful Me – illustrated by Salini Perera (2022)